The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-24
POLICEMEN
 OF THE PAST
Or the Oddities of Our Off,
 ficers in Other Days.
(By Arthur W. French.)

(By Arthur W. French.)
 And Omcer Coggswell. A kindly gen. tleman was he and a most respectable citizen. Distinguished by wearing his chin curtains. cut a la ''shoemakers.'' But nevertheless. he made g. discovery once upon a time, and memory has it | this way: In the old wooden fire proof block still standing, across State street, forninst the Pequonnock bank, | Jones kept grocery. He used to havF fruit and vegetables on a bench | in front A summer hot wave and | the consequent thirst came along to | say So the grocer being shine on | s-Benedicts root beer made q big | bowl of lemonade and started selling | on the bench. Buyers said it was some good and old men s1nacked their lips, | saying ts Mother one.' Even Squire Feet and Roswell Lewis, over the way, l came again A placard by the bowl read. Pure lemonade. from pure well water, pure lemons and pure sugar"
 Just here. it is the place to butt in and say that the grocer was a strong temperance man. Meanwhile, men who i had not lost their standing wise guys. came to the bowl more than | once and drank. Then went away | znickering. So It was a, spicker, also. l Officer Coggswe11 rneandered bY in l citizens clothes ell was offered a glass of that pure stuff. He took it. | ' the grocer to take taste. Tt surely | has ssperets' in ft,' said the officer. s-raste yourself'' He did. The drink was down nearly to a finish and full | of sticks" to the taste Blowing out the gu1p in his mouth, the grocer | cried: 4-Jerosenern'' and ''Dog-goinit.'' | That's cussed trick on me I never drink lemonade" On1cer Coggs- well was thanked for his discovery | and his good eye kept winking. as wPrarl
 Meanwhile there was laughter and | 20 forth in the next door drug store as they saw the remains of that pure lemonade cast into the gutter, for | wasn't 1t one of the lounging cutupa l there who had slyiy emptied half a pint of rum into that pure stuff I causing a number of folks to get down l on the water wagon-so to speak. Ev- en one of these was discreet Bap- tfst minister, supposed to know much about water. As it was. the incident was talked of for days. Even Squire Peet often used to Wadd1e up and bother in asking, when there was go- ing to be some more, and if Howard Barnurn, sT1en'' Bennett, or San Fair child were here now, mebbe they'd be laughing yet
 Once more, a harl back to O4iacer Green He was short of stature, but long on the kindly ways A pillar of the church was he and also had to
 
 drag About everybody in Bridge port then could talk United States. The officer easily conversed with ar rested paEties he was escorting to the lookup. Even if some of them were unduIy 'spih7cated." the officer would remind his charge of the error of his ways. How bad it was to Hook upon the wine when it was red" or tongue picture the beauty of hiking along the straight and narrow path, instead of side-stepping over the primrose way. way" Once, just as the officer had said: The wicked stand in slippery places. he did. Down came 230 pounds of human weight on top of 127- Then the under one cried (1Iic.) How are the mighty C5ic) fallen. What be charged with, eh2" Officer Green was laidFup for some time with injured ankle and the other, hear ing of it. made some good, as pa was rich-and lots of things went. in those days.
 AS the old timers pass by, perhaps a little on the side would be of some interest, as one finale. In those other days. the town had constables, who were frequently on their job to sup press things in the open. Then several residents in different parts of the city self appointed-took it upon them selves to preserve law. and order in their sections. The south end had such Here was quite a. colony of col cred people, living on Broad, Main and Whiting streets or whereabouts. Charley Hubbard, colored deacon of the Zion church Sundays and porter for Morford & Trubee on Water street weekdays. always, particularly on the Sabbath, had an eagle eye out for any disturbing offenders. There were no end of cutups around in those days in and near said church. frequently
 One night there was so much of this carrying on in the church. that the parson stopped the services to rep rfnands and administer a. reproof to disturbers Then he reached under the pulpit and drought forth a large sword saying. NsDeacon Hubbard, you will please come here" And, he did. ''Kou take this said the parson. land Brother Hubbard. I'll now appoint you p'liceman of the inside of this church. You have az much power here as the regular police Do your duty. If any one misbehaves while you is patroll- ing the aisle, you just shake e sword lay down the sword and lay your hands on them. to the front stoop an if necessity. inder nudge them to the street Now, MT. Perliceman be on guard.' And he was. Law and or der reigned, until one night some one brought in his little dog and hid him under his overcoat on the seat All was dl1iet until the melodeon got in it's work Doggie could not stand for so much ~on the key and he just said so. running under the seats and bark ing On his trail went Officer Hub bard, trying to poke the dog out with that sword He finally hit the hos : iery department of a woman and she f let out a scream, Jumping up on the seat. Other females did the same rnebbe, fearing a mouse was loose