Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-10

has succeeded in making of IL q model OK
discipline and efficiency.
Capt Garden is a stout, good-looking
man, with a pleasant face and a brisk.
bright manner. He steps quickly and ID
ever active in his duties. Since he was
given his shoulder straps he has endeavored
10 secure a better discipline among the
members Of his force. and without being
narsh or uselessly strict he has managed to
bring about many little reforms that have
tended TO make the force more efficient at
an points One of his efforts has been TO
Keep the men on duty in the rotunda from
sit.hs ABOUT at the four points of the COM
pass ana lourging in conversation with
each other or with friends who might have
cropped IN to spend a leisure hour or 50.
ms mad become first a habit and finally q
custom, ana IL was hard to persuade the
guardians OF the great building that theys
could DO more effective work especially
Mnen tnere was a crowd, by moving about
among the people.
But today there is a marked change IN
De noted In the rotunda. The policemen are
Always In motion, walking here and there
anu prooding up the loafers who congre-
gate IN the great inverted cup, keeping the
groups of sight-seers unconsciously IN mo-
ZION and preventing the guides from grow
ing TOO enthusiastic in their rival efforts TO
secure custom Then, too. the effect upon
the visitor is much more appropriate II
may De more comfortable for the police
man 10 SIT at his post. but il certainly does
not look very business-like
another or Capt. Gardens efforts has
been to bring order out of the chsos thar
existed on the hack stands on the east front
or the Capitol The Jehus who congresate
on the TWO squares of Belgian block are not
over careful of their behavior at their best
moments, and they have been gradually
going TO seed, morally, of late until AT the
beginning Of the special session in August
they We're more like inhabitants of an In
sane asylum than peaceful drivers of anti
quated morse flesh. The mere appearance OF
an individual on any of the steps of the
man building or either OF the wings was the
a 1ad rgneb % 81
night liners, and they would 20 sweeping
over the asphalt with terrific clatter and
great danger OF locked wheels, and those
drivers who had not essayed the race VEIL
ing IN encouragement until there was a per-
feet pandemonium
A few judicious arrests have had the effect
OF showing the drivers that they can make
just as much money. and perhaps more Inv
being orderly and systematic in their enter
prise, and today the old order of things "a
changed The men take turns to go for
chances and there are no longer exhibitions
the east front
Capt. Gardens good work at the CapitoI
is thought to be due TO the fact that he
mas had considerable experience in the line
OF the preservation of the peace before
he came to Washington. He was horn
ana raised in Wheeling, w. Va. where he
spent most of his life up to last August
when he received an appointment as a
messenger i'm the Senate under Col Bright
-Four or 1--WE years previous to his coming
Here ne hau served as deputy to the sheriff
OF Ohio county, of which Wheeling is the
seat. The service in that part of the coun-
try is particularly hard and trying and IL
proved an excellent training for the cap
tain, for he is perfectly well acquainted
with the diversities and arts of the crook
His appointment as captain was wholly un-
expected by him, and he was very much
astonished when Col Bright told him, one
ilne morning In September, that he had
been promoted.
Capt. Garden is aided by three lieutenants.
They are OF the same grade of rank and
pay, and serve on the different watches in
command of the squads. The eldest of these
in point of service is Lieut.. ID. B. Bradley
who has been on the Capitol force for many
years. He knows every nook and Granny
OF the vast building, and is well acquainted
with the characters Of the folks who infest
the place Next I'm point OF service is Lieut..
James Byrne, who has been on the force for
ment is Lieut. NJ ]. Watkins, who received
his straps within a few months
Night duty in the Capitol is not pleasant
There Is a baroness, gruesome chill about
the marble floors and walls and the vast
distances that give a man shivers of ner-s
vousness. There are many corners where
the light never penetrates. even in the day
tlme, ana at night these are particularly
bogyish." Away down in the crypt and
the vaults beneath that curious place are
spots where even the policemen do not care
TO so without companions. OF course there
Is nothing there, but a man always feels
better when there is some one along to
share a darkness that seems to have weight
and substance and life.
One OF Capt. Gardens first achievements
was productive of a most beneficial reform
1t had come to his ears that the men ON
the night watch were not as vigilant a.
they might be- and he concluded not to
trust to hearsay, but to investigate for
himself So one night he slipped out OF
his house at about o'clock in his citizens
clothes, and walked over to the Capitol q
few blocks away. Going to one of the
doors that he knew to be kept unlocked he
turned the knob and walked in. The Light
was dim, and the interior at first was a
haze before the half-blinded eyes of the
nocturnal visitor. In a moment however
he had grown accustomed to the light and
his ears tried to trace out a curious sound
1t was low. rumbling, roaring sound, of q
subdued softness. 1t did not seem TO come
from any one spot, but to emanate from all
the surrounding walls. Soon the captain
had secured his bearings and. softly walk
ing on his tiptoes he followed the vibra-
tons. A few steps away, behind a column,
sat the policeman on duty at that post
His head was tilted back. his mouth was
open, and from its depths issued the cavern
Gus roar
The man was asleep at his post.
Walking softly away. the captain went "a
another post, and heard the same roaring,
and saw the same cavernous opening of the
mouth, and witnessed the same surrender
TO the sleep. god. Two other posts were
visited in the same way, and only at the
last one was the policeman awake
Retracing his steps, the captain awoko.
the sleepers. one by one. and. sharply repri<S
handing them. ordered them to report in
the morning to the police board. The cui--
prits We're taken aback. They reported IN
the morning. and the board. after warning
them, let them go. Since that time. how
ever, there has been no snoozing at posts.