TACTFUL POLICEMEN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1324, 30 December 1911, Page 11

TACTFUL POLICEMEN.

\ now plan for clearing a crowded hall without a panic was successfully tried by a Chicago policeman. A fire liaci broken out in the rear of a theatre. This policeman climbed upon the stage, raised his hand for silence, and spoke as follows:— "Ladies and gentlemen, if you want to •*e one of the greatest fires for. years go outside and look to the south, half a mile awav. Take it easy as you go out. Don t tlreak the furniture, because the management says you can come back when vou've seen enough of the fire, and you 11 want to use vour seats again." Rapidly but without disorder the overwhelming majority of the audience made their way into tho street. There remained only twentv or thirty persons who were not curious enough about fires to take so much trouble. As soon as the others were out-of taring, tho policeman spoke o*ain, but in a more peremptory tone: "Sav vou fellows, beat it. There s a big fire'in* the barn back of this place, and you'll all.be burned to death if you stay a minute longer."