Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-22
PENN. CAMPUS COP
. DONE WITH HIS lob
..Joe' Patterson Through With
the Law After 20 Years on
University Beat
GOING ON PENSION LIST

The first man openly to encourage re-
volt against the law-which was him.
seIt-at the University Of Pennsylvania.
"a through with the law entirely. He
had had thirty years Of it, and nobody
regrets his going more than those who
have lived and worked in and around
College Hall, or back and forth on the
heats that parallel the historic beat of
"Joe" Patterson, famed as 1.-THE campus
cop"
In other words, Pennsylvania grad.
mates will know that another real land
mark in the history Of their alma mater
has been passed with the retiring Of Jo-
seph Henry Patterson from the active
list Of Twenty first district patrolmen.
Never an arrest Of one of the boys
themselves have I made in my twenty
years on that beat" said Patterson to-
day. "Yes, it's true that I'm retiring
on pension. I thought now would be
good time, when had no enemies OH
the force. Otherwise some might think
was leaving under fire, and that's
something I wouldn't do. played poll
tics with nobody, although might have
gotten we'll along if had.
Understood One Another
~ was contentcd to look after the
Young fellows on the campus they knew
me and I them, and we understood
one another, and there were mighty few
times when / had any of them in
II hou 90
them so Of an evening II I saw him the
next morning, forgot who he was"
How Patterson lent his good natured
ad to the job Of defying himself-which
was the LAWS typical of the way he
made friends with "the lads" during his
twenty years on the university campus
beat. The sons of Pennsylvania were
feeling their oats (This was few years
ego. when oats could be safely con-
sumed). They wanted to annihilate
somebody. preferably Old Man LAWN
order. That meant Joe Patterson.
Joe hadn't been on the campus n
dozen years or so with his eyes shut.
He had seen this thing break out on
his proteges as regularly as the dande-
lions came up behind Houston Hall. SO
when he heard that the University reds
were after the man who regulated the
practice of 'campustry" on spring eve
nings, he let what might happen, hap
pen. Accordingly while he was off duty
bis uniform disappeared without trace.
II turned up at the gymnasium,
stuffed with face arrayed in Patter-
sonian whiskers and helmet a la mode.
'SiC semper tyrannis!'' shouted a few
dozen undergraduates. And then the
unresisting form of the Campus Cop
was sunk many fathoms deep-Oh, we'll,
say half fathom-in the swimming
pool.
Made Them Pay Well
II made them pay we'll for that uni e
FORM" smiled the grizzled, lean. clear
eyed veteran, as he told the story on
himself. And I remember we had no
more trouble than previously. After
they had drowned me managed to get
along with them as usual. And any
old grad will tell you that wasn't so
awfully bad"
When Patterson was seen at the home
Of his daughter, Mrs. John Mann, 102
South Forty second street, he didn I
look the years that have passed since
his birth in 1868 down in Chester
county, He is lean and he still thinks
he could make his hundred yards in
twelve seconds---a little way he had
with his feet that won him several
medals in service contests. But he's
ready for quietcr living and he apprc :
cstes the fact that he is sleeping and
eating regularly for the first time in
thirty years.
Back in 1904 he won gold watch
for being the most popular patrolman
1t was awarded him in a newspaper
contest, and, thanks to the PennsyI =
vania men-grads and near -grads-who
Know him, he rolled up total vote OF
1927 votes. There were three Others