A glimpse at a Boise marshal’s life in 1890: Drunks, hammer fights ... and more drunks

“A policeman’s lot is not a happy one,” wrote Gilbert and Sullivan in one of their popular operettas, and it describes well what a Boise City marshal’s life must have been like in 1890, when “Marshal Nicholson” could barely keep up with the drunk and disorderly population of his little city.

“There was another drunken row at the corner of Main and Ninth Street yesterday, and thirty or more men stood around and saw and encouraged a brute to pound a man whom he had down and who was too drunk to defend himself,” read an Idaho Daily Statesman report on Nov. 2, 1890. “The assailant was locked up by Marshal Nicholson on the charge of assault.”

Just two days later, on Nov. 4: “Marshal Nicholson yesterday arrested three more drunks, who being unable to pay the fine imposed upon them by Justice Randall, were placed upon the streets to work out their sentences.”

On Nov. 6: “There was a highly exciting and gory battle yesterday morning at the Lemp Building on Main Street between two workmen named Bergman and Walsh, in which they employed such light and pleasing weapons as hammers to batter each other’s countenances. The encounter grew out of a difficulty of long standing between the two men and resulted in their both being considerably damaged and disfigured.”

Next day: “The report of the City Treasurer, Auditor, and Justice were read and approved. The latter showed that there were twenty arrests during October and that $45 was paid in fines.”

On Nov. 12: “Marshall Nicholson has had the city prison thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed throughout which it greatly needed.”

That Sunday night, Nov. 15: “The city jail contained a choice assortment of drunks, who about midnight finding themselves chilled through by the cold, proceeded to start a fire on the floor with a packing box which they found in the cell. The attention of officers Haas and Hourie was called to this and they extinguished the blaze before any damage was done. Nice cheerful sort of prisoners these.”

“Marshal Nicholson takes his morning exercise in chasing tramps out of town. The other day he escorted eight of them in a body over the bridge. The entire outfit was unable to muster a nickel between them. Justice Randall held another session of his court yesterday and disposed of two ‘drunk and disorderly’ customers. Robert Roche was sentenced to a fine of $10 and costs, and Charles Donnelly to $5 and costs. They paid their fine and left.”

Also that month: “Another case of misplaced confidence. Some days ago an individual who had looked upon the wine when it was red too much, after sobering up in the city jail, was paroled in the custody of one of the city guardians. Yesterday, however, he fell from grace and was conveyed to the lock-up by Marshal Nicholson in a profound state of inebriation. He will figure as a star attraction in Justice Randall’s matinee today.”

Women also got into trouble. “Thursday night the sound of a pistol shot in an alley attracted the attention of officers Haas and Hourie, and upon going to the scene they arrested one Annie Coffin, somewhat the worse for liquor. Yesterday Annie acknowledged the drunkenness and was fined $10 and costs, but she strenuously denied having discharged any firearm.”