Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-01

slammed down MS desk. There s
somethin' I don't like about that mar. ="
Even a faint whisper spreads--and
oft times with considerable speed. 1t
was not long before hint or two that
Farrell was letting himself be
"bluffed" by the tougher element of the
region began to percolate through the
night squad And this was made a
certainty when after walking in pairs
on Saturday evenings as was the GUS
tom in the precinct on account of it's
turbulence on pay nights, Farrelfs va
rious companions had all brought back
stories which, small enough in them
selves, seemed to Justify the whispered
suspicion that he was "off color"
ANY man who would let them FELIX'S
on the north edge Of the beat talk back
to him needs to be taught somethin'."
said griZzled patrOlman Of long eXpe-
rence in the ward as he conversed
with few fellow-oficers. "Whin | whit
past there with him last Saturday, he
first suggested walkin on the far side
of the street. told him | wanted to
see who was in that gang on the cor.
ner. Win we passed they commenced
maxim remarks about brass buttons
and solid bone heads. / turns quick
enough an grabs one Of them. askin'
il he means me. He says, No, sor,
scared like. for | was gettin' my night
stick ready. / gives him shake and
asks if he means tn other officer. He
hesitates a minute, so | shakes him
and he says mo- again. But there's
Farrell-yOunger man than I am
stands there sayin' 'ah. come on Why.
that's just encouragin' them guys. An
I didn't like the way he acted walkin'
back down the beat
Hes afraid, that's what he is" said
q quiet voice from the rear Of the
room, where the wagon-man was smok-
ing his pipe.
"Ah, come, Jim--dont say that
give him chance" burst from the
others. For to accuse policeman of
being afraid was in the minds of
every loyal officer at once the worst
proving in the entire category Of accu-
sations. Never in the history Of their
department had any man been sum-
moned before the board on charges of
cowardice in spite of numerous cases
reported Of neglect of duty. When a
solitary case had been reported in an
other city. when, for the first time in
that departments history an officer
had had the buttons cut from his coat
on charge Of cowardice. the members
Of the department had refrained from
discussing the article and had all felt.
indirectly. that this was a blot on the
entire calling. So expostulation was
general
The wagon.man waited quietly until
protests had died down.
II know what I'm talking about" he
said, confidently Il was called out in
hurry UP TO the edge Of the precinct
last Saturday. The call from the box
said things looked ugly. The captain
ordered Farrell to go with the wagon.
Now. you know what quick trip of
the wagon does in this district-it
draws everybody outdoors. Halfway
to the box Farrell claimed he had left
his gun behind and got white in the
face. When we got to the box we found
Jerry Mandel, pinchin' couple of
those toughs that hang up around
there He was havin his hands full
and there must have been five hundred
around that box watchin' the fight, all
yellin'. Would you believe it? Farrell
kept inside the wagon, askin' to have
the prisoners passed in to him. He
pretended not to understand and
wouldn't bulge when Mandel yelled to
come down and help him. had to