The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1930-05-16

They Were Bogus
Officials

A/ITHOUT an invitation Ii ap-
w peared that Melodrama rode
with the brothers Brown, Joe and
George, as they piloted a heavy-laden
truck down the Westchester reaches
of the Boston Post road toward New
York-Joe at the wheel, George gen.
eral helper
1t happened on one of those fla
grant April mornings that seem to
give the everlasting lie to Death, De-
struction, Trouble and Tragedy by rea-
son of balmy, soft atmosphere and a
feel of hope and life everlasting.
Joe and George were hungry after
an all-night drill from a small sea-
port on the upper sound, but notwith
standing their hearts beat in unison
with the peaceful pulse of spring.
hard winter was behind; today was
not only another day; ii was another
year with all the rich promise that
imagination is heir to-
AS If to paint the morning with the
perfect seal of peace, along the road
as they reached the upper Bronx sud
denly appeared the reassuring figure
of policeman In touring car, with
two men In the rear seat The car
spun easily by Joe and George in
leisurely fashion. The brothers did
no turn to look after it.
They missed seeing the car turn,
just after it passed. and slowly trail
them for several blocks. Without
heavy-laden truck and a blue-clad arm
waved it's familiar, compelling gesture.
No mistaking authority. The two men
in the rear of the car displayed
shiny detectives badges
Lets see your consignment papers
your bin of lading,' the policeman
barked.
I'VE amt got none; didn't know
it was necessary" Joe offered in con
ciliatory tones.
Certainly it is You ought to know
that" The officer stepped onto the
short running board of the truck.
"What yCu got in those packing cases?
. Get down."
The brothers Brown meekly got
down.
Events ensuing puzzled the brothers
Brown exceedingly. The policeman
ordered his two detectives to mount
the truck and drive it to headquar-
ters. Then as the big truck gathered
way, he ordered Joe and George to
get in his car with him.
Whereupon the two brothers, who
could not believe that so glorious a
morning could sponsor Trouble, en-
barked on a strange ride. a long, long
ride-one that ended on Lancaster
avenue, miles away, somewhere near
the Indian stadium.
The scene shifts to officer O'Meara,
speed cop, on duty few blocks away
from where the truck was apprehend-
ed by the laws arm. Two or three
neighborhood bystanders who had wit
messed the affair, told him they had
just seen a truck seized
1t being a dull, early morning hour,
O'Meara decided that he ought to of
fer assistance and at least get the
trucks number, if only to prove that
he was "on the job" He pursued the
truck at fifty miles an hour or better.
Ten minutes speeding furnished
O'Meara with the tail view of the
heavy-laden truck. His motorcycle
screamed it's raucous cry to heaven
as he bore down on the machine
Then something strange happened
The great vehicle suddenly slowed
down, and two men sprang from the
running board of the still moving
truck and hotfooted around the corner
of the nearest block.
The yeering truck lurched dizzily
into a water hydrant. The hydrant
toppled over like putty. The front of
the truck and O'Meara were drenched
in a spouting geyser of water.
Resourcefu O'Meara, wet as he
was, at once blew his police whistle
for reserves. They arrived in a jiffy
and the block where the two "detec-
tives" had abandoned the truck was
instantly surrounded and a combing
search inaugurated. 1t proved thor
ough, for at the end of an hour two
vigorously protesting detectives" with
shiny badges were dragged without
ceremony from basement.
The masqueraders were taken to
the police station and held for rob-
berry. About two hours later, after
tedious walking, some slow trolleying
and a couple of speedy taxi jaunts,
the Brown brothers arrived at the
same station to tell their tale of woe
and loss; to describe their enforced
journey to the hinterlands surround
ing the Indian stadium.
O'Meara had just checked in pre-
paratory to going off duty. He heard |
the brothers addressing the sergeant. |
You guysll find your truck three
blocks away draped against a busted |
hydrant," he spoke somewhat gruffly |
and closed the door sharply behind
him.
The curtain falls on the brothers
Brown rolling off in their heavy-laden
truck, the seat beneath somewhat
damp and squashy-rolling off to a
peaceful, proper destination down
town-their load of $4,000 worth of /
silks dry, intact and ready to be un-
loaded.