The Neighborhood
Through the Eyes of Iron Mike Kelly, Cop on the Beat
March 1943
March 1943
“People ask me how I left Ireland and joined the Calvary – escaped is a more accurate word. Well, it’s a long tale but the short of it is that I worked as a wiper on a Norwegian freighter out of London. I must have shoveled a million tones of coal down in the pits of the engine. I still cough up coal dust. She was a rust bucket with only 2 seaman who could speak English but she served e well. I jumped ship in Matamoras, Mexico and made my way across the border to Brownsville, Texas. As luck would have it, I met up with a couple of Irish lads who were in the Calvary. Seeing that I use to work the fields back home, horses were quite familiar. I joined up. Fought with Black Jack Pershing – a real charger – that one. Straight as a ramrod and twice as strict but fair, and he ran an outfit that was as tough as nails. So we chased Pancho Villa around the mountains for a few years. After I had my discharge, I decided to work my way to Boston.”
Another coffee – we settle in for a long bull session. Mike is animated by his recollection of the past event. I ask, “What do you think of this neighborhood? What’s it like to be a cop?”
“Well,” he answers, “Bill, let me tell you, to my way of thinking, it is a decent job. In general the neighborhood – St. Peter’s is a good area – a fine Parish – but it has some negatives as only policeman would know. You always run the risk of a danger out there in the streets. A crazy man or a drunk trying to do you in. For the most part, it can be boring, but it can also be very satisfying – helping people – protecting the neighborhood – insuring that the law is respected.”
Another coffee – we settle in for a long bull session. Mike is animated by his recollection of the past event. I ask, “What do you think of this neighborhood? What’s it like to be a cop?”
“Well,” he answers, “Bill, let me tell you, to my way of thinking, it is a decent job. In general the neighborhood – St. Peter’s is a good area – a fine Parish – but it has some negatives as only policeman would know. You always run the risk of a danger out there in the streets. A crazy man or a drunk trying to do you in. For the most part, it can be boring, but it can also be very satisfying – helping people – protecting the neighborhood – insuring that the law is respected.”