Patsy O'Brien's Jail Record is Without Parallel - 1903

OBRIEN, REILLY

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 2/19/2017 at 22:37:45

Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, Jan. 6, 1903

O’BRIEN EXPENSIVE
~
NOTED CHARACTER HAS COST
THE COUNTY A NEAT SUM
~
“Patsy’s Jail Record is Without
Parallel in Local Police
Circles – Record for
Five Years
~
The jail record on “Patsy” O’Brien, who began the New Year with a thirty day jail sentence, is undoubtedly without a parallel in the state or possibly in the country. In the past five years alone O’Brien has been sentenced to jail twenty-nine times and served a total of 625 days. He has cost the county over $400 in this time.

O’Brien was formerly a railroad man but for the past twenty-five years has been a rounder. When sober he does odd jobs and takes care of himself, but once he touches a drop of liquor he never stops until he is arrested.

In looking over the police court records the other day Desk Sergeant Reilly looked up O’Brien’s record and was startled to find he had been arrested no less than fifty times in the last fifteen years and has spent over three years in jail. But his record in 1898 is ahead of all the other years. In that year O’Brien was arrested nine times and served 190 days. In 1900 O’Brien was arrested eight times and served 140 days. He was sick most of the next year and was arrested but once. Last year he served 40 days and he commences this years with a 30 day sentence.

The twenty-nine time O’Brien has been in police court has cost the county $87 as the police judge received $3 for each appearance. The sheriff receives 50 cents per day for boarding a prisoner and for the 625 days O’Brien was confined received $313, making a total of $400 which has cost the county to keep him. There is talk of sending O’Brien to the inebriate ward of the Mt. Pleasant Hospital when he serves his sentence.

Patsy has a unique way of accumulating what is commonly called a “jag.” Every new saloon keeper or bartender falls his victim. When he hears of a new bartender on duty O’Brien calls at the saloon and in the most suave manner says “Ah, good morning sir. Have you any good whiskey in your establishment? Well, give me some of the best. Yes, that’s very good liquor, Ah, by the way, I’m a little short today and will call around and see you tomorrow.”

If the bartender happens to be a particularly easy mark O’Brien works him for several drinks, but he is usually kicked out after the first call.