New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-16
TEST QUESTIONS
FIND COPS READY
All Know What They'd DO
if They Saw Burglar
and Fire at Once.

81, YOU had 10 send in a. alarm o.
IRE, and, after fnding the FIRE box out
Of order, were running 20 the next boz
when you fell into defective Goa.
chute, becoming so wedged that you
could not reach YOUR pistol or whistle.
and your shouts were heard only by
foreigners, who could not speak or IN
derstand English, what would you 90
This question with number OF
others. lie put 10 New York policemen
as Late Tour Problems IN the March
issue Of the department oficisl paper
The Police Bulletin" Last night East
Side. Harlem and West Side patroimen
were unable 20 agree.
Up IN Harlem they hold no foreigner
is too stupid 70 realize that a man Is IN
distress when found wedged In coal
hole
~ they didn't understand me-" one
said, I'D make signs 20 show there
was a fire and that I wanted 70 get out
Of the hole. or I'd make them 20 10
the nearest door bell and ring until
some one who did understand NE
showed up"
On the East Side. where the police
mans every hour Is spent with for
eigners, all agreed they would keep
on holiering until some one who could
release me came along.
Burglar or Fire?
One Of the West Side guardians o.
law and order said he would wigg!e
into the cellar, and another vas conf
dent Of his ability 20 make Tor
eigner, no matter how stupid. lug me
out"
Another question which has called
forth numerous answers, none OF them
alike, is:
III you were on patrol a. 3 6. m. and
saw burglar jimmying window. and
At the same time saw flames gushing
from a tenement house window across
the street, what would you DC?
III / knew ! could capture the crook
in FIVE minutes" one Harlem man said
I'D get him and then rap for assist
ance." And ! would drag the burglar
20 the nearest box" another added.
II he didn't want 20 come peaceably
I'd Knock him unconscious and let him
lay there until after l turned IN the
alarm"
That's all right" said another, but
| would not risk the lives OF the people
in the tenement by wasting time. Ia
. turn in the alarm and get back 70 the
building as soon as ! could 20 get the
crook"
Inspector O'Brien Vas IN q downtown
nrecinct when the question was asked
him. All the men about him agreed
they would get the thief and then get
assistance for The FIRE.
You haven't the right angle on
that" he broke in. The best answer
70 that is an occurrence OF last night.
/ Cahill. OF Oak Street, discovered
/ lighted bomb in tenement hallway.
A man was running away. Cahlll
stopped 20 put out the fuse, probably
averting a disaster. He then went
after the thief, who shot the cap from
+ mis- head and escaped
Good Answer from Harlem.
The next question: ~ while ar
resting a gunman after a shooting ne
! threw his coat, containing the gun.
down a sewer, what would you DO :!
/ brought the best answer in Harlem.
"Id summon my side partner or
reputable citizen one said. AFTER
turning over the prisoner for saeseep-
/ ing I'd lift the sewer cover. II the
coat had been carried toward the man
ia get 70 the nearest main cover. q
90 down the ladder there and wait ior
the coat 70 be carried 70 ne. Ot
/ course he added, tnere the uaustl
from sewer gas. But one has 10 take
some chances
The East Side and West Side patrol
men were sure they would not let the
gunman get awsy. and after they had
received assistance would recover the
coat Il possible.
The last question and most i'm
portant 10 the public was: ~ YOU
found a person violating an ordinance
and after asking him his name ard ad-
dress YOU discovered you had no sum
mons with you. what would you do 2:
I All the policemen agreed they w.ou.a
compel the offender to identify hiTT,,
self and that the next day they would
serve the summons. One last Sider
/ said he would call his side PARTNER ana
/ harrow one. All were certain that .
the offender did not satisfy them as %
his identity they would place him under
arrest