Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-18

A Negro Who Mas Been Robbing People
Pretending He Was q Special Policeman.

ARkESTED AT LAST.
Negro Who Mas Been Robbinx People.
Pretending He Was q Special Policeman.
During the heated term the Soldiers Home
grounds proved TO be one OF the most pleasant
places for persons DESTROYS OF spending a cool
evening after days suffering from the heat.
and many have taken advantage of the place.
Especially has such been the case with small
parties and young couples. and seldom can a
vacant bench be found there Just after sun
down. While the place has been enjoyed by
SO many pleasure seekers, some few, perhaps a
dozen, have met with unpleasant experiences in
the way of being assaulted, threatened.
or insulted, and complaints became 80 numer-
Gus that 1t became necessary to put officers in
citizens clothes on duty there in order TO put a
stop to the annoyances and appre-
bend the guilty parties if possible. In most Of
the cases the criminal accosted Young couples
and pretending to be a special policeman would
put them under arrest. He invariably used
pistol TO make his demands for cash or Jew
elry have more force and several times he sue
ceeded in robbing the young couples.
THE MAN ARRESTED.
In each instance the report came that the
! offender was a tall, slender negro and yes,er-
day afternoon Officer Mccormick Of the eighth
precinct arrested negro~ho answered in every
respect the description Of the man who had
committed so many crimes. Geo. Hawkins was
the name he gave and the officer found him in
the Camp.
The officer arrested this negro because he had
seen him have gold watch in his possession.
| and the watch proved to be the property Of Mr..
James Venus Of No. 7Ss 18th street northwest
who was one OF the victims of the robber who
had pretended that he was a special policeman.
Mr.. Harry n. johnson. brother Of one OF the
officers Of Howard University. also identified
the prisoner as being the negro who assaulted
him one night while he was returning with
lady from Soldiers Home.
Today the prisoner taken 70 the Police
Court where there were three charges preferred
/ against him. The first case taken up involved
a charge Of assault on Mr. johnson. and Lawyer
Darlington, for the prisoner, plead not guilty.
Mr.. JOHNSON TELLS HIS STORY.
Mr.. johnson told in detail of the action of
tie negro and the movements of himself and
lady on the evening OF Monday, August s.
They vent o-s to the home with a party OF
church people and had lunch at the spring
near the rustic bridge. where Mary's chair
IL u resting place for many tired pedestrians.
About the time they get ready to start for home
he and his lady companion started ahead as
they wanted to have chat TO themselves.
They went out the gate leading to the aban-
doned reservoir near Howard University.
A negro accosted them and said he had placed
them under arrest, and they would have TO go
with him.
go where?" inquired Mr.. johnson.
ITO Wards" replied the negro.
The negro still persisted in endeavoring 10
take them, and drew a revolver. which he
cooked and pointed at them. He succeeded In
forcing them of to the woods a short distance
and finally witness grabbed the pistol. A strug-
gle for the possession of the Weapon ensued and
witness was knocked down and trampled upon
by the negro The latter also bit him. Wit
sc-eamad nd an .1iI hia loa hn.
the negro did not disappear until the approach
OF another couple
DO YOU know who that negro was?" inquired
Mr.. Clagett, the prosecuting officer.
There he is" replied the witness.
PRISONER SAID HE KILLED MAN.
Witness further stated that he told the man
that if he would lie. HIM go he would lecve a
sum of money somewhere for him the next dav.
but the negro said he had money buried about
there.
He also said he had killed a number Of men
and he would kill another one He afterward
wanted five dollars, but witness told him he
did not have that amount with him.
Mr.. Darlington examined witness at length
and in his motion for a contin ,ance spoke Of
the loving couples stroling along in the moon
light. He said that there were always two sides
to every question. and he wanted time to get
witnesses to show that the defendant was not
there on the night in question.
The court granted a continuance for a week
and suggested that the officers get what add
tional testimony they could. Bond was fixed
at S300.
HOW Mr. VENUS PARTED WITH HIS WATCH.
Mr.. Venus next appeared to tell how he
parted with his watch one night about two
weeks ago. He had strolled through the
grounds with lady friend and when they came
out they sat on the bank for few minutes to
wait for car.
The especial policeman" came along. as
usual and informed them that they we're sitting
on advertised ground. And YOU will have to
go down In the woods and settle with the boss
he said.
Mr.. Venus preferred to settle right then and
there, and he SO informed the negro, but
the latter said he could not settle. He
drew a pistol and made demand
on witness, and for fear something
might happen witness gave up his watch to
avoid trouble. He identified his watch shown
him as being his property. and he alec identified
the prisoner as the man to whom he gave it,
Mr.. Clagett submitted that the government
had made out n and asked that the court
ii bail at So. 900.
isn't that excessively" asked Mr.. Darlington.
That's as much as would be asked in q murder
CASE.
We'll" responded Mr.. Ciagett, II regard
this as being as serious a murder case"
Mr.. Darlington argued the question. and
Judge Mills finally fixed the bail at 81 600,
holding the prisoner for the grand jury.
The officers then produced against the pris-
oner charge of having stolen dog tag, and
that case went over for a week.
The officers request that persons who have
been robbed or assaulted in or about the Sol
diers' Home grounds call at the Jail and see the
prisoner.
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.