Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-09
CAPT. J. R. SUTTON.

~
CAPT. ,. r. SUTTON.
assigned. The places Of Boyd and Kennel have
been filed by Officer Trammell and Officer O..
Constantine and are now occupied by Officer
Silas ID. Lewis Of the fifth precinct and Officer
Frank Hughes of the first.
THE POLICE BOAT
Coy quarters established on the It'll
street water front between NJ and streets. To
render the force effective a swift steam craft
was essential Accordingly Harbormaster SUIT
ton was directed TO hunt q boat. After con-
siderable search he chose a neat steamer which
had been built ON Staten Island in 1884 for
Monroe, the publisher, at a cost of $4,000. She
was then the Edwin C. Passing from Monroe
Possession she rechristened the Sadie
Walker and used q public excursion launch
on the East river. That Is who and what she
was when the District bought her. The price
paid was 81 800 delivered at Washington. Ar
irving here she was in honor of the blue grass
Senator renamed the Joe Blackburn. During
her life on he Potomac she and her crew have
recovered ninety-seven drowned bodies,
rescued thirty-seven people. prevented prize
fights. dog fights and cooking mains, rendered
valuable aid to distressed vessels and made
numerous arrests in the Washington and George
town harbOrs. During her Potomac residence
she has never taken the wake Of any craft OF
her class. II is only this summer that the
tLc ndtlluB OpluS nave
been threatening to wrest the speed pennant
from her. Her friends all atfectionately call
her the Joe.
The harbor Office is decorated with many
souvenirs of the ehase-black jacks, rusty
pistols, sling shots handcuffs &c. gallery of
marine pictures decorates the walls.
H.RBoRNAsIER SUTTON.
Harbormaster john Robert Sutton was born
in Washington in 1sl7. He received his early
r1,lar IrOtbar a.. ut
rochial school which stood for years on F be-
tween Sth and lO,h streets northwest, imme
6iately In the rear of old st. Patrick's Church.
During his eleventh year he entered the bakery
of Noerr Bros. at the corner OF 18th and E
streets northwest. Here he graduated as a
baker and worked till 1862. In that year he
accepteda position in the Willard Hotel bakery
and during his two wears service there tickled
many distinguished palstes. In 1864 he was
appointed foreman OF the bakeshop at Point
Lookout Nd military prison Here he manu-
featured bread for 220c0 confederate prisoners
and 1000 guards and officers. From 1896 to
lS6y he was private Waterman in that district
bounded by r. q. 18th and l4th streets west.
In 1869 ne went with the firm of Harvey Hol-
den, with which he continued here till 1878.
HIS APPOINTMENT ON THE FORCE.
On February 10, 1878. he was appointed on
metropolitan police force and assigned to duty
in the old fifth, now the first precinct, under
lsl-NA Nhlppcl ara NtfuOu III 1910
h. was transferred TO the seventh precinct IN
der Lieut.. NOonan and later transferred to the
s4xth. now the second precinct. under Lieut..
Greer. On September :, 1878, he was detailed
a. oyster and fsh inspector, and creditably dis
charged tins Office till 1881 when Congress ap-
prOpriated money for the employment of q sala-
red inspector. and Mr.. Gwynne Harris assumed
charge. In 1881 the Commissioners directed the
maj Of police 10 detail man TO act substan-
tally harbornaster. and Mr.. Sutton was
II "a .1r.l,- 81
vested with the authority of h..-bormaster Of
the District OF Columbia Though this is his
legal title The most popular preface to his name
h commodore.
OFFICER LEWIS.
Officer Silss D. Lewis Is an ex-warrior with q
score Of battles 10 his credit He was born on
February 8, 1911. in Northumberland county.
Va His father WAS James II. Lewis, waterman.
The family moved 20 Washington in lS42
Young 81 frs; attended the public school on 9Th
street between Virginia avenue and E street.
about where the Jscerson School stands now
One OF his preceptors was Mr.. Henry Hardy,
whI died only a month or 80 ago at his home
III AuacOs.la- The other was Mrs Southie
That territory Was farming district then 81
soon cut ont for himself and engaged in the
nsh aud oyster business under Capts. Tchner
HansweL, Brown. Perry and Lewis. pere. He
brought oysters from ST. Georges Island Tan
gIer sound and Hog Island, sand from Tangier
Islands and gravel from Colonial Beach. In
July, lsoi. he e:.hsted At Beyers Park, on It'll
street. IN company ID, Young's first Kentucky
cavalry. later the third Pennsylyania cavalry.
He reported to Gen Mcdowell at Arlington
ard shipped from Alexandria under Gen Nc
Ciellan for For: Monroe In the memorable
peninsula campaign he participated in the bat
tle~ AZ Williamsburg. MechanicsviIle, Quaker
City Cross Roads. Gaines Mil Chicohominy.
Bottoms Bridge and White Oak swamp At
Parkers Cross Roads on the plank road in the
Wilderness he had his car.ridoa how sbot ofs
He also did duty at Camp Stoneman below
Buela Vista the Potomac He was dis
charged at Philadelphia. August "a, 1864. re-
turned home and re-enli5ted in fifth United
States cavalry. Mos. Of his period Of enlist
men. was served as the White House mounted
with several of the political and diplomatic dig
ni.aries of that time, especially SO with Sir
Henry Thornton, British minister He was an
pointed on the police force March 81 1870 in
the old first now the fourth precinct, under
Lieut. Hurley and Sergts- Ashton. sam Glenn
ent- and Dan Jarboe. lie was transferred to
tbs 18th precinct in April. 1891, and assigned to
The haroor force about one year ago.
oFFIcEa RUSSELL DEAN.
O.heer Russell Dean is q son of Maryland an
agriculturist by birth. but waterman by nature.
lie was born near Port Tobacco, Charles county
Md, IN 1889. lie Is the son of Obediah Dean
prominent planter OF that section Early be
attended the schools of his county and talks
Pleasantly OF several OF his Old schoolmasters
r A Henson, W +. Brawner and Thomas
kendrick- At sixteen he entered Charlotte Hall
Academy under PRINCIPAL Thompson He made
meritO.Ioos record He spent one year as a
tiller OF ms SOIL but the occupation did not fit
hiri he shipped from Alexandria, Va in the
cossting schooner Kate Il. Ranger Can't Hardy.
his next service was in the MARYLAND ovster
navy aboard the Katie Hines Capt Childs He
nsxt shipped As mate aboard the Potomac