Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-12
CAPT. A. ?. GARDEN,
THE CBIEF OF THE CAPITOL POLICE AT
WASHINGTON.
BE Stands high at the Seat OF Government
and is Making Great Record for
Himself

oAu - 4A@A-Hb " NANos AeNSSAN AS@
Himself
The REGISTER has heretofore referred
to the great record Capt. A. P. Garden,
Chief of the Capitol force, at Washing
ton, has been making, and it is pleased
to find its conclusions endorsed by so
able a paper as the Washington Star,
which on Saturday devoted two columns,
TO the Chief Of this force,
from which article we take the follow
ing extracts:
The present Capitol force is prob
ably the most efficient that has ever
been organized within the walls of the
great white building on the hill. Such
an occasion. though, as that OF the
close of the tariff debate in the House,
when all of Washington poured into
the House to hear the speeches and TO
see the voting on the tariff bill,
demonstrates that there is sad
need of more men on this little squad
OF peace officers. A great deal
has been done during the past few
months toward making the little army
that guards the Capitol as effective as
possible, through the determination OF
the police board to place 1t on a footing
of constant war toward evil doors.
This board consists OF the architect of
the Capitol, Mr.. Clark, Col. Bright, the
sergeant-at-arms of the Senate, and
Col Snow, the sergeant-at-arms OF the
House. They elect all the members of
the force, and devise regulations for
their guidance. On the eleventh OF
last September they met and elected
Mr.. A. p. Garden captain OF the force.
They gave the new chief authority to
go ahead and put the force in the best
possible shape, aud he has succeeded in
making of it model of discipline and
efficiency.
Capt Garden is stout, good look
ing man, with pleasant face and a
brisk, bright manner. He steps quickly
and is ever active n his duties. Since
he was given his shoulder straps he has
endeavored TO secure better discipline
among the members of his force, and
without being harsh or uselesSlY strict
he has managed TO bring about many
little reforms that have tended to make
the force more effiOient at all points.
One Of his affOrtS has been to keep the
men on duty in the rotunda from sitting
about at tee four points eff the compass
and lounging in conversation with each
other or with friends who might have
dropped in TO spend a leisure bour or so.
This has become first habit and finally
a custom, aud it was hard to persuade
the guardians of the great building that
thew could do more effective work, es-
peclaly when there was "a crowd, by
moving about among The people.
"But to-day there is marked change
TO be noted in the rotunda. The po-
licemen are always in motion, walking
here and there and prodding up the
loafers who congregate In the great in
verted cup, keeping the groups OF sight
seers unconsciOusly in motion and pre-
venting the guides from growing too
enthusiastic in their rival efforts to Sc
cure custom. Then, too, the effect
upon the visitor is much more approprl-
ate. 1t may be more comfortable for
the policeman to sit at his post, but 1t
certainly does not look very business
like.
Another Of Capt. Gardens efforts has
been TO bring order out of the chaos
that existed on the hack stands on the
east front of the Capitol. The Jehus
who congregate on the TWO squares or
Belgian block are not over careful OF
their behavior at their best moments,
aud they have been gradually going to
seed, morally, Of late, until at the be-
ginning of the special session In August
they were more like Inhabitants OF an
insane asylum than peaceful drivers OF
antiOuated horse flesh. The mere APP
pearance Of an individual on any OF the
STEPS of the main building or either of
the wings was the signal for a mad
rush OF the tottering ex-hight liners,
and they would go sweeping over the
asphalt with terrific CHATTER and great
danger of locked wheels, and those
drivers who had not essayed the race
yelling in encouragement until there
was a perfect pandemonium.
"A few judcious arrests have had
the effect OF showing the drivers that
they can make just as much money,
and perhaps more, by being orderly
and systematic In their enterprise, and
TODAY the old order Of things is changed.
The men take turns to 90 for chances
and there are no longer exhibitions OF
the ancient chariot races on the plaza
of the east front.
capt. Gardens good work at the Cap
itol is thought 10 be due to the fact
that he has had considerable experience
10 the line of the preservation of the
peace before he came 10 Washington.
lie was born and raised in Wheeling,
w. Va, where he spent most OF his life,
I'D to last August, when be received
an appointments as messenger In the
Senate under Col. Bright. Four or five
years previous to his coming here he
had served as deputy sheriff of Ohio
county, OF which Wheeling is the seat.
The service in that part Of the country
is particularly hard and trying and it
proved an excellent training for the
captain, for he is perfectly we'll &C
ouainted with the diversities and arts
of the crook. His appointment as cap
tain was wholly unexpected by him,
and he was very much astonished when
Col. Bright told him, one fine morning
in September, that he had been pro-
NOTED.
captain Garden is aided by three
lientenantS. One OF Captain
Gardens first achievements was produc-
tive OF a most beneficial reform. II had
come TO his ears that the men on the
night watch was not as vigilant as they
might be, and be concluded not to trust
to hearsay, but TO investigate for him
self. So one night he slipped out OF his
house at about > O'Clock, ia his citizens
clothes, and walked over to the Capitol,
fau hlncks away Going 70 one OF