By Michael D. Martin, E.C.P.D.
Retired
About the author...Michael Martin (pictured front row, far right in the 1981 photo) is a retired veteran of 25 years on the Eden City Police Department, and has penned a number of anecdotal writings recalling his experiences.
XVIII. Russell Robertson
After all these years, memories come flooding back. I remember
"Russ" Robertson, he was one of the bunch we called the
musketeers...That was English "Ugh" Shields, Tony Talbott, Russ
Blackburn and Russ Robertson. When I went to work for the Spray Police
Department in 1966 these were well known, and much loved
"Characters"
These were crazy fellas, Fat Vestal once told me
that Ugh Shields once ran for mayor of Spray but lost out because he gave
most of his campaign speeches in Axton, Va. Fat also told me that once Tony
Talbott had been out all night with the musketeers and walked past his wife
on the way into the mill and did not recognize her, he tipped his hat and
said good morning lady!!!! and lois almost died laughing at him as he
trudged thru the mill gates.
Again, this is from Fat, The musketeers
had been on Chestnut knob all night party-ing...and the morning found them
all sitting on the bench in front of Ugh Shield's service station soaking in
the warm morning sun. A jet was flying high overhead leaving vapor trails.
Tony asked Russ Robertson, "hey Russ, how would you like to be up there
with that old boy this morning?" Russ watched him for a minute and
said, "I would sure as hell hate to be up there without him."
None of the policemen could arrest this
bunch, we could not stop laughing.
One day Russ Robertson had some trouble at
the house where he lived with his sister, and he shot his nephew thru a
window. Russ did not kill the nephew, but he did some serious damage. Two of
our young patrol officers, who only knew the worst of Russ had him in the
interrogation room. As I walked down the hall, I heard them say "Come
on old Russ, tell us about the shooting"....I stepped into the
interrogation room and said.."please refer to this man as Mr.
Robertson" and do not laugh at his troubles....I saw the confusion on
our officers faces and I sat beside Russ and put my arm across his shoulders
and said "In 1943, before either of you boys were born, Russell
Robertson won the bronze star for heroic action against German General Irwin
Rommel's Afrika Corps in North Africa. Russ and I both saw the awe in the
young officer's faces and with my arm around his shoulder, I felt a hitch in
his chest. The old man had dignity again.
Michael D. Martin