Ch.18 Newsies & Police Collide
The cops came swarming from all the exits surrounding us. I had no idea what was going on. The rally was a peaceful demonstration; it had not gotten out of hand. Never before had I seen so many policemen. The boys that were sitting by me began to get anxious and rose out of their seats. Soon the theater was a place of mass confusion with the newsies fleeing from the police. We stayed in our seats because I didn't know what to do. A boy came running towards us and I recognized him as West. He said, " We have to get you out of here." He picked up Smudge and took me by the elbow pushing us through the crowds towards the exit. A cop came barreling through chasing Jack Kelly splitting us apart. West still had Smudge and I hoped that he would get him out safely. I was swept along with the crowd running towards an exit but to cops on horseback reared up blocking the way. We were caught and as far as I knew we hadn't done anything to deserve such persecution. I ran in the other direction heading towards the stage. Behind the huge curtains dozens of people were cramming through a backstage exit and I joined them. I made it out to the street only to find more horses and policemen. I stayed close to the building but a couple boys tried to escape. I took another look and realized that the two boys were Jack and Kid Blink. Blink was helping Jack escape from the police. A cop on a horse caught the back of Kelly's shirt and Blink hit the guy. Jack escaped but the cop turned and smacked Blink across the face with a bobby stick. I stared in horror. How could the police use such brutal force against mere boys? I struggled in vain to keep my temper under control. I heard someone scream and raced off in that direction. It was Copper. He was on the ground surrounded by two policemen. They were hitting him with sticks for what reason I knew not. I hollered what could only be a war whoop and ran at the policemen. The first one was so surprised that I pushed him to the ground before he could react. I felt a blow to my stomach but I didn't stop. I tried to punch the guy but he was too fast and avoided my blows. He hit again his time on the face; I knew that it would leave a mark. I reached around for the other cop's stick and I noticed that he wasn't getting up. I learned later that he had hit his head on the ground so hard that it knocked him out. With the bobby stick in my hand I spun around and hit his head with as much force as I could muster. He fell down too right where he stood. I stood terrified I had just assaulted two police officers. There was a hefty penalty for that crime. I went over to Copper to survey the damage. He had bruises on his face and was bleeding from a cut on his forehead. I yelled, " Copper! You have to get up! We gotta get out of here!"' There was no answer so I shook his shoulder. I sat down beside him and put a hand on his head and whispered, " You're going to be fine." I was there for him just like he had been there for me the night I was mugged. I waited there with him while the police rounded up all the newsies that hadn't gotten away. I was almost weak with relief to find that West and Smudge had escaped. Copper stirred by my side. Groggily he sat up and blinked at what he saw. I put my arm around his shoulder to steady him. He asked me what happened to the police officers laying on the ground by us. I informed him that they had been knocked out cold. Copper tried to get to his feet but swayed so much that I feared he fall and hurt himself some more. I convinced him to stay put, because it wasn't like we could go anywhere. The policemen where preparing to take all of us to the courthouse for disturbing the police and resisting arrest. Another cop walked over to us and put Copper under arrest for assaulting the two men. I bet he never even considered the idea that I had done the evil deed. The men eventually woke up and the third cop lead them away to receive medical attention. He didn't even bother helping Copper who has bleeding heavily. I ripped off the bottom of my dress and held the material to his cut. He sat on the ground with his head leaning against my chest. They came to put him in the police wagon along with Jack. I refused to leave him so the police let me come too. In the dim light I could see that Cowboy had a black eye. We didn't talk much, he just asked me how Copper was. It was on the way to the courthouse that I made up my mind to tell the judge that I had done the assaulting not Copper. When I thought about him locked up in the Refuge a feeling a intense sadness over came me. In fact in one night the entire way I felt about Copper had changed. I think I loved him maybe. I pushed that thought aside because now was not the time for such thoughts. I had to convince the Judge that Copper was innocent.