• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Sandhenge Publications

Jim Potter, Author

  • About the Author
  • Author Blog
    • Sign Up for Jim’s Posts
  • Podcast
  • Book Reviews
  • Contact the Author
  • Check Book Reviews
  • Sign Up to Receive Blog Posts
  • All Books
  • Listen to the Blog Podcast

Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Carey’s Condemned Courthouse

December 25, 2019 by Jim Potter 7 Comments

Share this blog post

Email
Share
Tweet
(To listen to the audio of this blog post, use the purple play button.)

 

· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Carey’s Condemned Courthouse ·

If you’re one of those people who believe that badges don’t have feelings, then I’m talking to you. I know why I was created. My life as a badge has purpose, which is to serve Reno County Sheriff Fay F. Brown to the best of my ability.

When Cora, the sheriff’s wife, left me in her purse while he took his oath of office on January 10, 1927, of course I was disappointed. But when she took me out and I saw her, I was excited, honored, and thankful to meet her and Fay.

Sheriff Fay F. Brown looked me straight in the face and approved of me. I was ready to be pinned on his suit coat in order to begin work together as a dynamic duo. So, you can imagine, I was saddened to learn what most badges already knew, my opportunities to help support him are dependent on his personal routine.

In my case, what I’ve learned so far during my first week on duty with the sheriff, is that he always wears me on his vest. I’m rarely seen and I usually can’t see my surroundings because I’m covered by his suit coat.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m pleased as punch to be a part of his day, his life. I can hear everything that’s going on, and there are times I can view the bustling city streets and vast county landscapes in and around Hutchinson, Kansas. I’m also meeting the people who had earlier only been voices in a conversation. So far, it’s a really great life.

*

“The three of us, Cora, Fay, and me, looked out the second-story window of the sheriff’s residence at the Reno County Jail, 15 Avenue B east. The courthouse, or, I should say, the condemned courthouse, was across the alley to the west.

“Beginning every mid-to-late afternoon the imposing pressed-brick building with heavy stone trimmings and slate roof, shaded us from the sun.”

*

Cora and Fay stood in their family quarters and stared out the window at the abandoned courthouse. Looking down, they observed the snow and ice in the alley. Glancing up, they watched pigeons huddle on the snowy roof. The birds must have missed the radio broadcast announcing the closed quarters of their formally heated building.

“It was future thinking,” said Fay to Cora, “when the courthouse was built, there were plans about someday constructing an enclosed bridge from its second floor to our second floor. Rain or snow, prisoners could have been escorted directly to the courtroom, and sheriffs could have walked from here to the office. Can you imagine the convenience and increased safety? Currently, with our temporary courthouse at 5th and Washington, it costs the county money every time we transport prisoners to and from court.”

“I know you’ve talked about this before,” said Cora, as she raised a hand to the frigid window and touched it with her fingers, “but standing here, being able to almost touch this courthouse, makes me better understand what a huge loss this building is to Hutchinson.”

“And you know,” said Fay, “Emerson Carey still denies that his salt company had anything to do with it sinking and beginning to break in half.”

“If the county can win the $200,000 suit against him,” said Cora, “it would help build a courthouse large enough to again accommodate all the offices. Only, I wouldn’t want to locate it around here or it could sink again.”

“That’s why we need to get to the bottom of this,” said Fay. “For all we know, we could wake up some night due to the jailhouse shifting. A couple of years ago, it sank nearly two inches to the southeast. Some doors up here got jammed. That’s when the county engineer considered recommending we close down.”

“Thanks for the reminder, Fay. In the middle of the night, while the building is collapsing, we might be visited by escaping prisoners looking for your badge and handgun.”

“Did someone say badge?” asked Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge, suddenly alert.

“Jesse and May had a number of escapes on their watch,” said Fay, “and they were never threatened. The men want out of here as quickly as possible without delay.”

“Have any women escaped before?” Cora asked.

“None on my watch,” replied Fay, “but I was only a jailer for a few months back in early 1921.”

“As a jailer, I can recall giving this old gal a real spring cleaning. We’ll do it again soon.”

“It needs it,” agreed Cora

*

“Sheriff, can you hear me?” Jailer Jess Blanpied yelled from the first floor.

Fay walked to the top of the stairs, nodded at Jess, and asked. “What do you need, Jess?”

“Virgil Nelson’s parents would like to talk to you,” said the jailer. “They have a few questions.”

“I’ll be down in a minute, thanks,” said Fay.

“During my first week in jail, I’ve learned that some of the boys aren’t here long enough for me to learn their names,” said Cora.

“Cora, you’re off to a great start with the prisoners. You’re caring enough to be their mother, yet you’re as assertive as a crew boss,” complimented Fay.

“Thanks, honey,” replied Cora.

“I hope Virgil does well at the reformatory,” said Fay. “Like most criminals, he’s too lazy for real work. He returned to the Express Company’s dock like a fisherman to his secret fishing hole. Do you think he ever imagined he’d be caught in the act of loading two cans of cream into his Ford Touring car? Did he consider that when he sold the stolen cream in McPherson and Haven, more people could tie him to the grand larcenies?”

“I’m glad you didn’t need to take him all the way to Lansing on these icy roads,” said Cora.

Fay added, “Yeah, the drive to the reformatory was enough of an adventure. Virgil was pretty quiet. He might have been thinking about his sentence of one to five years.”

“What do you expect to tell his parents?” asked Cora.

“Anything I can do to help them,” replied Fay, “unless they ask me to explain why he committed four felonies. Basically I’ll say: ‘Your boy’s only twenty-one; when he gets out, he’ll still have time to make better choices.’”

As Fay started down the steps Cora concluded, “Fay, that sounds about right, all we can do is give them hope.”

The Kansas Authors Club www.kansasauthors.org is a statewide organization that encourages and supports great writing. It’s divided into seven districts. In Hutchinson, Reno County (part of District 6), we have monthly meetings at Hutchinson Community College. http://www.hutchcc.edu You’re invited. Questions? Contact Jim Potter, jim@copintheclassroom.com

Share this blog post

Email
Share
Tweet

Related

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Alex says

    Wow! Dynamic duo!
    Or trio!

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Yes, Cora, Fay, & Badge are a team. Stay tuned!

      Reply
  2. Natalee says

    Love those team stories! & Many tales of badge

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Thanks, Natalee!

      Reply
  3. Natalee says

    Btw, it would have been a great thing to have a bridge connecting the buildings wouldn’t it?

    Reply
  4. Clare says

    That badge gas the best EAR for conversations I’ve ever read/heard…that badge could be the author of several other superb works…oh wait a minnut, it IS.

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Thanks for reading, Clare, and for your support.

      Reply

Comment Form: Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Jim Potter, Author

author

Recent Posts

  • Publishing My Children’s Book in Six Months: Sequel
  • Publishing My Children’s Book in Six Months: Promotion
  • Publishing My Children’s Book in Six Months: Collaboration
  • Publishing My Children’s Book in Six Months: Creative and Colorful Illustrations
  • Publishing My Children’s Book in Six Months: Write While You Wait

Post Archives

Testimonials

Karleen Wilson-Moon

Terrific story relevant to today’s social issues . . . well written . . . likable characters . . . insightful perspective from an insider in law enforcement.

Larry Kruckman, anthropologist

Jim Potter displays ethnographic skills in Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, creating vivid scenes and fascinating characters. The Greeks had a word for subcultures and people’s behavior: ‘ethos,’ or ‘ways of being.’ In colorful, sometimes marvelous detail, this novel captures various people and settings . . . the ethos of rural Kansas: a… Read more “Larry Kruckman, anthropologist”

Steve Becker

I’m impressed. It was an excellent read. . . . I hope you continue with more projects in the future.

Morgan Penner

Taking Back the Bullet is a novel that provides the reader with a window into the world of law enforcement. As the novel unfolds, the reader is able to see how split-second decisions alter the lives of the main characters in the story. Taking Back the Bullet also explores how humanity is impacted by mental… Read more “Morgan Penner”

Sean McArdle, Winchester, England

Retired police officer Potter’s novel centers on very disparate characters and through the tried and tested means of gradually introducing each one, builds a sense of anticipation about what is going to happen to them. This often used methodology is not easy to do well but is superbly handled by Potter who knows how to… Read more “Sean McArdle, Winchester, England”

Jane Holzrichter

I finished it last night around midnight. What a great piece of work. It kept me intrigued all the way to the end.

Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist

Jim Potter has done it again! After his book, Cop in the Classroom: Lessons I’ve Learned, Tales I’ve Told, Jim has written another great work. In Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, Jim Potter takes us on an insightful journey into the lives and relationships of numerous characters. Jim is such a talented storyteller… Read more “Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist”

Diana Dester

Good story line, building the characters along the way. Great job!

Wynona Winn, PhD, retired school superintendent

Three main characters walk different paths but with the same destination – each coping with his or her self-discovery, self-identity, and self-realization. Much like their earlier counterparts – Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield – their journeys are often joyous, often tedious and often tragic.

Judy Hawk

. . . I was impressed with the Native American information as well as the depth of character development . . . .

John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement

I enjoyed your book. When I am looking for a new read, I always read the first page, last page and choose a random page somewhere in the middle before I decide to buy it. You had me on all three pages. I also like reading a book where you can relate to the characters… Read more “John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement”

Sheryl Remar

I enjoyed the different stories of this book because Tom, James, and Suanna, the three main characters, represent in their own way the different struggles with themselves and society’s idea of what is normal.

Rebecca Schillaci

As a former law enforcement officer, I found the story very relatable as it details the life of a law enforcement officer and the struggles some face throughout their careers. . . Taking Back the Bullet is a journey of understanding, respect, and forgiveness . . .

Dennis Perrin, educator

Masterful storytelling, exquisite character development, so real as to HURT and HOPE, a real page turner. Begs for stage, screenwriters, and visual episodic development a.k.a. TV series . . . Thanks Jim Potter for telling it like it is AND providing us visions of how it could be. Well done!

Rebecca from Proud Police Wife

Taking Back the Bullet is an emotional, yet captivating novel. Jim Potter does a superb job of intertwining each character and putting their individual identities on display. All law enforcement storylines are a true reflection of Potter’s years as a police officer because they are realistic and relatable. This is a book I highly recommend.

Denise Low, author of Jackalope (Red Mountain Press)

Jim Potter is a cop, retired, but he brings deep understanding of this job to his novel Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery. This layered novel has literary dimensions as characters explore crisis situations. Congratulations to this fine writer for his debut novel.

Podcast Listening Options

Footer

Follow Jim on Facebook

Follow Jim on Facebook

Interviews with Jim Potter

Video interview with James Lowe outside Bookends Bookstore July 21, 2022

Print interview with author Bill Bush September 1, 2022

Print interview with author Cheryl Unruh February 28, 2019

Hutchinson Magazine Article

Copyright © 2023 Sandhenge Publications · Website by Rosemary Miller