The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1916-11-09

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| FEAR |
The Chief a Victim of His /
Own Brutality I
; By !
ALFRED DAMON RUNYON
.;G.l>k l.. O.
ALFRED DAMON RUNYON
Copyright Frank A. MunSey Co..

II don't like to hit you, john" said
the chief, fondling a piece of thick.
solid rubber tire and glancing down at
the man who covered at his feet. Il
don't like to hit you at ALL You come
In like a good fellow. and it will be all
right" .:
Il amt got nothin' to come In wit,
chief" whined the man. I'm tellin'
you true. l wasn't there. couldn't a
been there. l hadn't got in town."
The chief, a huge fellow, who seemed
about ready to burst out Of his gold
bedecked uniform, reached down and
picked the man up by the collar.
Il gave you chance, John" he said
his voice almost soothing.
He raised his free arm and snapped
it sharply i'll the air. The piece of tire
swished forward like buggy whip and
struck the man in the face with brisk
slap.
The chief released his grasp. and the
man dropped to the floor and rolled
over and over like shot rabbit. 1t was
not hard blow; it was blow struck
with the knowledge of long experience
The man was ''out."
The chief sat down ut his desk and
glared at the silent FORM 4 firm be
lever in the efficacy Of physical pun
ishment to break a mans nerve. be
took savage delight in such scenes
as this. And yet they afforded him q
problem that he had puzzled over man,
times.
"Why should man be afraid of Z;
little beating?" he had often remarked
1.-The average criminal has Il good dea
Of courage; there is no doubt abou
that. They are certainly not afraid OF
death, because they face it in a hun
dred different forms every time they
undertake q crime.
Then why is it that the toughest
most hardened criminal cannot take 3:
little physical punishment? I've seer
men who had regulations from coas
to coast as man killers and DARN.
crooks break down the moment they
|geta slap IN" the face, Ana ten minutes
before, or ten minutes afterward, the.
would go out and kill an innocent per
son with no more thought of it thar
eating their dinner.
They're not afraid Of death In here
They know we won't 80 so far as t,
kill them. They know-or they ough
to know-that if they took their beat
ing and kept their mouths shut w
couldn't. in nine cases out of ten. con
vict them"
The chief was brave man. too
physically. at least. He had won pro
motion through personal daring. H.
had jeopardiZed his life score 0
times in the performance of his duty
He was becoming a trifie angry. TO
the prisoner was unusually obdurate
Nov, John" he said, his voice
little harder than before, Il don't wan
to hurt you, but you've got to come in
| That's ALL"
He rose and dealt the man Il kick.
"Oh. don't, chiefr' whined the man
his voice rising. "Please don't, chief!
Slowly the chief twisted the wris,
and the mans face grew purple. Hi
voice rose to a scream.
"Oh, please don't. chief" he shriekel
Ee tried to fall to the floor. but th
chief held him upright. Suddenly th
officers left hand shot out. and ther
was a sharp smack as it came in con
tact with the mans jaw. Again til
man dropped to the floor. unconscious
and the chief sat down.
"Faking it, eh?" growled the CHIEF
jumping to his feet
The chief seized the limp form Il
both hands and commenced Doundin