VETERAN "COPPERS" ON ST. PAUL "BEATS."

The attractiveness of the life of a patrolman is something strange and unreal to all except those who are possessed with it. To the average man there is a little about the life of hard work and hard weather that would lead him to choose it for a calling, but that there is something about being a "copper" that is alluring cannot be denied.

In the first place there is never any dearth of applicants for the position on the force. This in itself would not be strange except for the fact that the majority are mechanics who can easily make more than $70 a month, which is the regulation salary. To an impartial observer, the life of the mechanic, with regular hours, shelter and very little, if any, night work would be much more desirable than walking a beat, but there are men at present on the force who have walked a beat for twenty years, and who will in all probability continue to do so for many years longer.

Police "Job" Is No Snap.

To those who have given the subject of police duties little thought, the "copper's" job is considered a snap. "Oh, he has nothing to do but hang around all night." Now this "hanging around, all night" is one of the most wearisome occupations that can be devised, especially when it is necessary to "hang around" certain localities, and when the boundaries are clearly mapped out, where loafing must be done. The prisoner in the county jail has nothing to do but sit on his bunk all day, but he is almost invariably delighted to change his job.

The patrolman who receives $70 a month for his services is required to have a uniform blouse for summer wear, a dress coat for special occasions and a uniform overcoat, all of which are expensive and which can hardly be used on any other occasion than on duty. If a bricklayer was obliged to wear a uniform while at work laying brick which cost him $30 he would be in the same position as the policeman is. Instead of being able to wear his old clothes to work, and his good clothes when at his leisure, the patrolman is compelled to wear his expensive clothes while on duty.

The item of clothing cuts down the patrolman's salary to about $60 a month, or to about $2 a day, as the "copper" has to work Sunday as well as any other day. There are very few mechanics who work for this salary.

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Back in the day, most police officers purchased their uniforms from the "quartermaster"
at the closest military facility.
E. Steenberg

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In spite of these drawbacks, there are a few policemen who do not resign until they are compelled to do so by advancing years, which shears them of the strength required to cope with all the difficulties that confront the officer on his beat.

Veterans of the Force.

The six patrolmen who have been on the St. Paul force the longest ate Philip R. Gibbons, detailed at the municipal court; Patrolman James Carey, Fourth and Jackson; Edward Delaney, Prior Avenue station; Albert Stotz, Rondo station; and Louis Marien, driver of the patrol wagon at Margaret station.

The honor of wearing police badge No. 1 belongs to Philip R. Gibbons, who is detailed with the "Black Maria," which makes daily trips to the workhouse. Officer Gibbons is the oldest patrolman on the force, having been appointed in 1874, and having served continuously for twenty-eight years. During all the changes of administrations Officer Gibbons has always remained.

For many years past he had been with the "Black Maria," and is a familiar figure about the municipal court. It is his boast that during all the years he has served the city in the capacity of a patrolman that he has never been "on the carpet" for any violation of rules or neglect of duty. He was born in Ireland in 1842, and is now sixty years old.

Twenty-two Years' Service.

Patrolman John Lynch is detailed at the Margaret Street station, where he is still traveling a beat with the same vigor as when appointed to the force twenty-two years ago.

Officer Lynch was born in Ireland and went to Boston when fourteen years old. In Boston he learned the bricklaying trade, which he followed for some years after his arrival in St. Paul. He was appointed a patrolman Oct. 4, 1880, and belonged to the Central station detail until May 1887, when he was transferred to the Margaret Street station, where he has since remained.

Louis L. Marien, who drives the wagon at the Margaret Street station, is not only a pioneer of the force, but likewise of St. Paul, having lived here since 1856, and having been on the force for twenty years. Officer Marien was born in Canada, and was a "log driver" for seventeen years before receiving his appointment to the police force. Officer Marien was at the Central station for many years until transferred as a driver of the patrol wagon at Margaret. He was appointed in 1881.

Rondo's Popular Veteran.

Patrolman Albert Stotz has been at the Rondo station since it was opened, and before that time was on the Central station detail. For the past twenty years he has been on the force, having been appointed in 1882. Officer Stotz came to St. Paul from Germany in 1880, and for two years worked at his trade as a carpenter. There is no better known officer in the Rondo district.

Patrolman James Carey has been on the force for the past nineteen years, and there is perhaps no better know officer in the city. Officer Carey, since the formation of the "Broadway Squad" has been stationed on Jackson Street, between Third and Fourth. One of the requirements of this beat is a thorough knowledge of the different localities of the city. As each train brings its load of strangers into the city they invariably get up as far as Third and Jackson Street, and then tell Officer Carey where they want to go, and are directed with clearness and precision.

Although Officer Carey is an Irishman, he was born in Scotland, where he learned the trade of a stationary engineer, which business he followed until he arrived in St. Paul, in 1876. For a number of years he worked at his trade in St. Paul, and then went into the Northern Pacific freight department. He was appointed to the force under Mayor O'Brien's administration, in 1883.

Mounted Patrolman Edward Delaney, of the Prior Avenue station, has been on the force for eighteen years. He was born in Ireland May 12, 1847, and came to New York while an infant. His father died when he was five years old, and he came West to Elgin, Ill., where he remained for two years, later moving to St. Paul, where he learned the carpenter trade. He was appointed to the force in 1884, and walked a beat at the Central detail until 1892, when he joined the mounted squad at the Prior Avenue station. At present Officer Delaney is a telephone operator in the Prior station.

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Personnel Information Added

Philip R. Gibbons
DOB: Abt. 1842; Ireland
Jan. 04, 1875: Appointed Patrolman, Central Station (detailed to Municipal Court as
Conductor and then Driver of the "Black Maria")
Nov. 01, 1921: Retired on Pension

John Lynch
DOB: Jul. 03, 1884; Ireland
Oct. 04, 1880: Appointed Patrolman, Central Station
May 1887: Transferred to Margaret Street Station
Sep. 01, 1907: Retired on Pension

Louis L. Marien
DOB: Oct. 14, 1844; Canada
Jun. 23, 1881: Appt. Patrolman, Central Station
1891: Transferred to Margaret Street Station (detailed as Driver of Patrol Wagon)
Jun. 15, 1906: Retired on Pension

Albert Stotz
DOB: Abt. 1851; Germany
May 18, 1882: Appointed Patrolman, Central Station; later Transferred to the Rondo Street Station (for a Period was Acting Jailer)
Jun. 15, 1906: Retired on Pension

James J. Carey
DOB: Aug. 12, 1856; "Irish" but Born in Scotland
Oct. 03, 1883: Appointed Patrolman, Central Station (Detailed to "Broadway Squad")
Jan. 15, 1909: Retired on Pension

Edward Delaney
DOB: May 12, 1847; Ireland
Mar. 24, 1884: Appointed Patrolman, Central Station
1892: Promoted to Mounted Patrolman; Prior Avenue Station (later Detailed as Telephone Operator in the Prior Avenue Station)
Jun. 15, 1906: Retired on Pension

E. Steenberg

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As always, additional articles on policing can be found
on the Saint Paul Police Historical Society website
at www.spphs.com.