Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-05
THE DEPLETED POLICE FUND
A Valuable History Prepared to Be Sold
for This Fund
An Historical Sketch of the Police
Force and Something About
Notable Past Events.

A book is to be issued from the press dur
ing the coming week which contains not
able facts of a notable history, and is in
tended to help to swell the police fund
Both the subject matter of the book and its
object are of great interest and importance
to the citizens of the District. The title is
the District of Columbia Police" and the
book has been compiled by Richard Sylves-
ter, the chief clerk at police headquarters
and competent newspaper man. In the
preface it is stated that:
The annals of the department consti-
tute part of the history of the federal
capital, and much of it's good work is Of
national import and renown, being asso-
ciated with events and episodes of a public
character and possessing a much greater
than merely local interest.
This volume has been prepared with a
thorough appreciation of the importance
OF such history. The material has been
obtained chiefly from the records of the
department and from the archives of Con-
sress original sources of information have
been drawn upon wherever available and
historic accuracy has been an object kept
constantly in view.
Grateful acknowledgements are due not
only to members of the department who
nave aided in the work, but to many pri-
Vate citizens who have generously placed
their collections of memorabilia and their
purposes of reference"
The Police Fund.
The book is copyrighted by William G.
Moore and Mr.. Sylvester and will be sold
exclusively for the benefit of the police
fund, which will be depleted in another
month, leaving seventy-odd infrm police
officers, dependent widows AMI children
upon the charity of the world should Con-
sreSS neglect to make provision for their
maintenance. 1t will contain 500 pages
an; anu VIII be bound in leather and in cloth.
Inc history of the police organization Of
the cities of Washington and Georgetown
and the District is given, with biographical
sketches and good deal of valuable his
torical matter about well-known people and
events. The book is richly illustrated with
pictures of the police officers and localities
and characters about Washington.
Some OF the topics touched upon, besides
the complete history of the police force
and description of the present organiza-
ton. are Mr.. Lincolns arrival in WASH
lngton to be inaugurated. political disturb
ances and race riots, the feather buster
the Garfield ssassinat!on ard
Gulteaus trial and other prominent events.
An OId-Time Burglar.
From the chapter Historic Notes and
Cases" the following extract is taken:
THE noted burglars Of old times in
cluded one Myers, who was well known in
some of the southern states. Some time in
his life his throat had been cut but
whether by his own hand or that of an
assailant was not known. The wound had
healed, leaving an orifice in the windpipe,
so small that it would not ordinarily be
observed, but when Myers became excited
from any cause the air rushing through
this wound whistled loud enough to be dis
tinctly heard. The late DR.. James Hall
lived for many years on Pennsylvania ave-
nue., not far from the old central guard
house, and 1t was his custom TO sit up late
at night to study. One night early in the
4Us the doctor. hearing n noise in his Gel
lar, procured cane and a candle and pro-
ceeded to investigate. He discovered a man
with light at the end of a stick groping
about in the cellar and the doct or's candle
was at once knocked from his grasp The
two men grappled, and in the struggle
Myers windpipe wound began to whistle.
He escaped from the doctor. but by the de-
scription given of the peculiar wheeling the
burglar was soon in the custody of the no.
lice. He was tried, convicted and sem
fenced to six years in the penitent:ary,
then at the foot of IL street. On the way
to Jail Myers attempted to escape by break
ing away from Robert Ball, then q jail
guard. at the same time trying to use a
slung shot. improvised by placing a stone
in a handkerchief"