Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-01
SELF DEFENSE
Thirteen Hateful minutes in the life of Jimmy
Kalso who thought il would be easy to kill a cop
by Garth II. Spencer
HIvaros by Tunk oweks

stumble and fall just like the other one -
He forced himself to relax little; no use
letting this get him. Killing was easy. just
like he'd known it would be- When gangster
got in tight spot he shot his way out That's
all there was to it; you shot and got away.
And you didn't worry about it afterwards,
either
1t was funny, though, how we'll he remem-
bered how that cop had looked when he went
down.
Surprised. kind of, with startled express
sion on his face. Jimmy remembered that face,
broad, with a short stubby nose and bushy
brows face like Tim Mahoney's, who ran
grocery on the east side and gave little kids
candy once in while.
Jimmy kalso shivered, though the sweat
still stood on his forehead Maybe that cop
had had kids too. Cops were mostly Irish and
Irish mostly had kids. Not that it made any
difference now Or then, either. What the
hell,
1t had been either shoot or face three,
maybe five, years in the big house. You
couldn't take a rap like that just because
some dumb cop was taking chances, trying to
earn his measly one hundred and sixty dollars
per month.
Jimmy kalso swallowed once more Three
to five years, hell of long time, even
figuring off good behavior But then he would
have been free, his debt paid with everything
square. Well. no use thinking of that; he
couldn't square things now. You couldn't
bring dead man back, even by going to the
chair. A man dead stayed that way; terribly,
silently dead. No matter how much YOU
repented. or begged Father Ryan to pray with
you -
OUDDENLY Jimmys nerves frightened The
cop had almost reached the moonlit strip; he
was less than ten feet away In two seconds -
in one - Now!
Jimmy tried to move He couldn't His eyes
we're on the cop, but all he could see was that
other copper falling under his gun, sprawling
upon the roof, his broad face fattened against
the tar
Something inside Jimmy was now shouting
to him.
Shoot it screamed Shoot him now,
My gosh. you amt got any other choice. If
they get you it's the chair! Pull the trigger,
Shoot! oh, my gosh. what are You doing noV?"
Jimmy hardly knew what he was doing. His
gun had dropped in the dirt. He was running
out into the moonlight his hands up, his
voice raised. high pitched and shri
Il can't do il" he heard his voice crying
81 can't! can't ever do it again.
Officer Miigan smacked his wide lips and
set his cup down. But the third one." he
said, beat anything l ever saw. He showed
fight right at the start - took a couple of
wild shots at me on the roof An might have
got me if hadn't tripped on wire or some
thin, an fell fatter than hell
so. ten minutes later, when cornered him
in an alley, was expectin' plenty of trouble
Coin down that alley was just like coaxin
shot in the CUTS. My flesh was crawlin' around
my belly when at the last second he steps out
an gives himself up"
The oounterman looked surprised Why"
he asked.
Il don't know" Officer Milligan rubbed
puzzled chin. The kid had been tough enough
on the roof = willin' an anxious to kill rather
than be caught. Yet when he steps out into
the light an sees me he goes to pieces Ikea
wet paper sack. He drops down on the pave
ment an hugs my knees, shakin' like a leaf
Thank Cod he says. Thank Godr"
The End