The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-10
DREAM SHATTERED
 BY GREEN PEPPER
Officer Henderson's Day in
 Buzzard ROOst
NEARLY HAD RECORD
He Thought He Was Going to Get Through the Day Without Making Single
 Arrest

Under the new condition of affairs the policeman who preserves order on his beat and does not make an arrest during his eight hours of work feels himself to he a lucky man. Chief Bodeker has never ceased to impress on his men the necessi- ty for keeping down frivolous arrests. In oden times the policeman who made the most arrests was considered the most ef- ficient officer, But times have changed. The officer who at present makes large numbers of arrests is very liable to find himself hoisted to the carpet and suffer hauling over the coals by the "Old Man.
 Therefore, nusing over these things Of- ficer Henderson was feeling very happy yesterday afternoon shortly before 3:sO O clock as he strolled toward the end of his beat to meet the officers of the even ing shift. Officer Henderson works what is known as "Buzzard Roost," in the par lance of the police department, or, in or dinary English, from Twenty second to Twenty-elghth streets and from First to Fourth avenues. Now, passing eight hours in 'Buzzard Roost'' without mals~ ing an arrest and still keep the peace is so noteworthy a fact that Henderson was entitled to all the happiness he could derlve from the situation. But his dream was rudely shattered and tn & most ridic- ulous manner Which is the story;
 As Officer Henderson approached Twen- ty-second street he saw three men ges- at the top of their respective voices. All of them were making valiant efforts to speak English and all of them were mak- ing more or less failure of the matter. One was Syrian and the other two were evidently Russians.
 Catching sight of Henderson's uniform, all three dashed at him and began talking with renewed vigor. Henderson was be- wildered He conidentially stated after ward that he didn't know whether he was in the Tower of Babel or Nineveh.
 With considerable effort Henderson calmed all three and after much talk and the summoning of an interpreter learned the cause of the trouble. As we'll as he could understand it was as follows:
 E. Scholden had walked into the gro cery store of the Syrian, Max - (the surname is sneezed), and picked up very small green pepper-the kind that makes your eyes water when you come across it in potato salad-making away with the said pepper.
 M Abragan, who was standing near. is alleged to have pitched in to Scholden and called him all kinds of names, inti- mately related with thief. if he did not actually say thief. Schoden was natur ally peeved at his action and mildly in quired what in the sun, moon and stars he had to do with it. This brought on
 q will haf you arrested for disordelry conduct. Yes"
 The only reason that kept him from making good his threat was that no off cer was on the scene. He appealed to Chief Bodeker over the telephone and the chief told him that the man on the beat would attend to the matter. At this june ture Henderson appeared and he made good his threat.
 When Abragan saw that he was really and truly under arrest he requested few minutes interview with the Syrian, which Henderson readily granted. At the close of the interview Max preferred charges against Scholden'. for taking the pepper and Henderson was forced to lock him up as well. Both men were arrested a charge of disorderly conduct and both made bond a few minutes afterward. Max went on Abragans bond.
 So. Henderson's dream was shattered by a little insignificant green pepper, friendship was disrupted and an innocent bystander drawn into the controversy. And they both will probably pay for the pepper before Judge Douglas this morn ing.
 costly pepper, that.