The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-26
A MISTAKE WAS MADE.
nTHE cOPPER's TRIUMPH" MIGHT
HAVE BEEN n COMEDY.
policeman Brown Appeared a. Detective.
Major Zoe Acted Right Justice
CrutehHcld and n Charge.

The case In the court might have been
called THE Coppers Triumph"
Il might have been designated as a farce
comedy in three acts.
j might have had. la theatrical pro-
grammes-Time. the present; place. Rich
monl. Va.
But none Of these frivolous proceedings
would have been proper at the court
Hence none OF these thingc happened
ar b. r. Sturdevant. employed by inc
United States to write up books on 'he
useless monitor fleet down on the posoI'
OF the James. is brought into court,
lie Is charged with the ioho"lnb 0""' o.
copied verbatim from the re'ofu' -. 80.
''Did unlawfuliy attempt 10 commit d"
Indecent assault on Ellen Acrca AT une
corner OF Main and Tweniy-"IS' S''..'9
by sending her an anonymous 49,
through the mail 10 meet MN a. a"'o
corner. 10 make herself known pS
sign" ,.t,.. A.,
Sturdcvant
po,ia.,o, brown swore out the war
rant. No. can, NJ c,,,rde-
vant sneak 10 Miss AcVea'
", -. 90 srrea's story OF the case is a SIM
nlc statement OF fact.
she lives on Denny street. On Wednes-
day morning she received q note signed
81. Nj
made every effort 70 get copy OF
tbe letter yesterday. failed.
IL was not 10 be found among the arch
ives Of the court.
Those who read it told me that the note
WAS perfectly respectful in every particu-
lar
They said their remembrance OF It was
that the note said something about hay
INK admired you on the streets" de
sirous of making your acquaintance,
wear white silk handkerchief" etc, etc.
Miss Acrea became indignant.
She did not tear the note up in small
pieces. stamp her little French heels. and
throw the fragments Of the episue in the
FIRE
No She went at once and consulted
her fricnd-Policeman Brown.
The broad shouldered representative OF
The law was OF Miss Acreas opinion.
lie journeyed on the front platform Of
a. electric car to Chief Poe's office.
The astute Major advised that the
young lady meet the man.
He also told the officer 20 arrest the
man.
He did what he thought was proper. and
what he did was proper.
lie thinks well. does the Major
Miss Acrea. at the hour named in the
note-7.30 I. M-went 10 Twenty-first and
Main
Policeman Brown. clad in his store
clothes. WAS near the trysting place
No dreams of Pyramus and Thisbe en-
tered his soul.
J.,
not the quicker as the half hour passed
into the past.
Mr. Sturdevant approached Miss Acrea
from the rear
Good evening" he said.
Are you the man who sent me a let
ter" demanded Miss Acrea.
Il am" said Surdevant.
WHAT is your business?" asked the
young lady.
No reply 20 the question. but an apology
hoping that no offense had been taken.
Miss Acrea said there was onense.
Mr.. Sturdevant asked why she was Of
Tended
The officer then approaches. The mas
sive freckled hand Of Brown is laid on
the shoulder Of Sturdevant and the pair
saunter TO the station-house
Then il is that Mr. Sturdevant is
charged with a charge that is minus
commas and semi-colons. A charge that
AYERS that he attempted TO commit an
assault at the corner Of Twenty and
Main streets by sending an anonymous
letter etc. etc.
Mr.. Sturdevant fortunately found bail.
The next morning at court he is charged
with the charge.
Miss Acrea and the astute detective po-
Hceman are the Witnesses.
They give their evidence.
Then, not content with that ambiguous
combination of bombastic English. Mr.
Sturdeyant is charged with being dis
orderly on the street.
Then ne is fined $25 and ninety cents
costs.
Then the police detective who has
hunted the gay Romeo and who had clad
himself i'm his brass buttons and club,
smiles a smile Of triumph. and fOrgets in
bis gee that he has dragged a lady's
name into the police records, has done
nothing 20 distinguish himself: has rush
ed frau'ically in his efforts to the chiefs |
Office i~stead OF telling the young lady |
T. tear the aote up; that there was a case |
Of mistaken identity and that the best |
way to deal with men who write anOny- |
nous letters is TO get a big brother to |
horseWhip them or a father to shoot !
holes through them.
Them Il he had done that, Mr. Stur-
d-taut would not have had TO answer
mat charge-the first particular charge
nor the second charge.