Show SALT LAKES LAKE'S FIRST POLICEMEN STILL Tl SERViNG S i isi t t I I If ill ta S STIRRING TIMES OF THE EARLY DAYS RECALLED I I Id i 5 tW l' l I JT y f JJ S. 1 I o. o Y 1 vt I t i I f 1 J I II r I j I I t w p r t y I i. i t t is I a rt 2 I Y t. t Y Q y y i iA A 4 C Y i ia ir r a aId s sCharles Id Charles Lang John It 1 r Young o ng William Hilton In Those Days Days- Guard Guardians Guardian ns of the he Law y Traveled in Droves By FRANK G. G HUNT There was a time in Salt Lake when policemen traveled their beats heats in squads cis when b bad men were plentiful plentiful plen plen- and no officer f dared ent enter r a saloon alone Murders were common I i a and d the most shocking hoc ipg cri crimes es received I but little notice in m the pages of the dally daily papers japer Today Salt Lakes Lake's police force numbers numbers num num- bers men Crime rim and violence y are rare Few big crimes are committed committed- I in in which h the tale criminal escapes s Justice Efficiency is the keynote of the he service servi service ser ser- vi vice e The day from which the present organization dates its history is 16 Jan January January Jan Jan- uary 1 1890 On that date late John MYoung M M. Y Young ung too took It charge of the department as city marshal and later was was appointed appointed ap ap- pointed pointe d as chief of police The organization was composed of seventeen en m men men n. n Prior to this date the city was I protected by citizens detailed d to the duty They wore no uniforms and filler filled other offices while acting as guardians of the peace and safety of or the city Four Still in Harness Only four of the men who were members of the for force e of 1890 are still in service They are Charles Lang who if is now physical instructor instruct r Sergeant Benjamin Patrolman Patrolman Patrolman Patrol Patrol- man Benjamin Harker and William Hilton who Is now court bailiff I Lang ang was Captain Lang in those e I days and Hilton and Harker Barker were were desk sergeants The n new w force as assumed assumed as- as s- s the dignity of a uniform and wore pre plug hats adorned adorne with a wreath and stylish uniforms with mily military mil mil- collars I 2 About bout this time the Denver Rio I Grande was changing from a a narrow gauge gauge to a broad gauge railroad Salt Lake ake swarmed with railroad laborers who were gathered from every district in the West The saloons did a rushing rushing rush rush- ing business and timid citizens learned tha that Jt tt was best not to venture 0 fortt forth fort at t night They Can Carried ed Guns A ch characteristic shooting scrape of I the time occurred on March 18 1890 A daily paper paper said paper said I There ar are two holdups dups less in Zion today John C C. C. C Weston a miner came cameto cameto cameto to Salt Lake Lak with much of his wealth in a money belt about his waist Two professional robbers named I Granville and Werner doped his liquor and ad then led him to Grant Bros Bros' stable on West Temple street There the miner was waEl Induced to se seek k sleep In one o of or the stages The two robbers attempted to ie- ie move the money belt from the sleeping sleepIng sleepIng sleep- sleep Ing man but aroused him while in inthe inthe inthe the act act- Weston was a n dead shot and he proceeded to shoot Granville through the forehead Werner returned returned re reo re- re turned the fire but at last fell with witha a a 0 bullet in m his neck Werner Verner gasped out a confession to I Captain Lang and then died Tho rho Chinese began to come Into the city olty l leaving vi g th their ir w work rk- rk of cook cook- c cookIng kIng k Ing lug for railroad crews Underground opIum joints were and the palice police po pa- lice were busy ferreting out the mysterious mys mys- c chambers ambers A Chinaman wo would ld r rent nt a patch of at ground build a house In the center and dig Indus Indus- Industriously i r. r White Women Smoke I r remember ember the close of 1890 when we we raided Kom Kees Kee's joint said Captain Lang reminiscently reminiscently last las night nigh t Ho ha had 1 on one of or orthe the weirdest dens fixed up you could Imagine We five V e found three pr pretty tty white I girls girls' lying th there re oblivious to the world and with their minds in Lotus- Lotus land Th They They- y yh h had d a the habit that year The patrol atrol wagon was called the I Black Maria aria in those days It was about eight feet long Jong ong four tour feet wide and six feet teet In height Its Ita motive power consisted of one old horse The patrolman making the arrest shoved his llis prisoner inside slammed the iron door and rode on the back step The wagon had bad four or five air holes on each side but no windows When an officer went to make an arrest he usually had to shoot in inthe inthe inthe the air to notify his prisoner r to stop Walking the beat was not the cinch it is now now- There was no paving paying and the plank sidewalk was the U limit Fifth West street on Its east side aide between Second ond South and Third South was th the bad district Worked Together No patrolman entered a a. saloon alone If U he lie did ho usually came out feet first or not at all To us was was assigned the ta task k of or cl cleaning up the city and I ven venture to say eay that we altered conditions and commenced a campaign for a better town which still continues There Ther was Vas gr great t excitement t over overl the election that year and the Liberal party had Just come into int power George M M. Scott was elected mayor Louis H Hyams yams was elected treasurer Joseph B B Walden assessor Edwin Clute Clute collector and John M. M Yo Young ng marshal S Public sentiment and the police made Salt ll Lake Lak the gr grand ci r it t Is today |