Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-18
ATTEMPTED HOLD-UP.
The Robbers Mako the Mistake OF
Picking Out O Policeman.

It is seldom that policeman appears In
court as the victim Of "hold-up," but this
was the role in which Policeman Matthews
appeared before Judge kimball this morn
Ing. Fortunately for the officer, he had
called time on his assailants before they
had chance to injure him with stones
they had picked mp on the road. The pris-
oners are young colored men, named Dan
lei Newton and Henry Lucas, who are
we'll known to the officers of several pre-
cincts. They live IN the camps and last
night they had been visiting servant girls
in Mount Pleasant.
Because Of the numerous sneak JOBS COM
mitted about the neighborhood. OF Mount
Pleasant during the past few weeks, the
police are doing night duty there IN clti-
Zens' clothes, ard some OF them are SO
well disguised that even their pest irlen nus
would not recognize them. Such was the
appearance of Policeman Matthews last
night when he strolled through Mount
Pleasant looking for suspicious persons.
His beard was powdered and his clothing
gave him the appearance of an old soldier
inmate Of the home.
1t was only about o'clock IN the even,
ing when the officer in his disguise strolied
along the road, stopping and looking
around as If bewildered, and the colored
men, attracted by his strange conduct,
approached him and said: Hello, old
man, what's the matter? Are you lost
the officer answered, but l guess can
get along"
(Which way do you want to go?" one
of the men asked.
Can you tell me how TO get to Soldiers
Home.
go right down there" said one Of the
| colored men, pointing to a dark and dis
NAL place. go through that raVine ana
then you can get on the car
The officer knew that he had been mlsdl-
| rected,but as he wanted to ascertain some
thing mere of the men, he walked down
through the ravine and fell into the trap
AS he moved slowly along he watched the
mems movements. He saw them hurry
ing along, going in a direction, which indl-
Gated that they wanted to head him OH
in the dark place. j.. a.. .i,. ri.
While the officer covered the distance of
about one square the colored men covered
three, and soon they were brought together
again. ..tes~
The colored men stopped. and each APP
peared to pick up a. stone Matters then
took more serious aspect, and the ofncer
realized that he must act quickly when
the final clash came, and at the same time
he wanted to make no mistake. when
| they finally came close to the officer, one
in front and one to the rear one Of the
men raised his arm as II to strike blow,
and then the officer stepped back and said
up with your hands, or I'll blow the tops
off your heads
AS he said this he pointed his revolver
at the men, and it is needless to say they
obeyed his command, and to the order
face about they turned toward 14;h
street and marched. AS they proceeded
over the frozen earth one of them drop
ped from his hand good-siZed stone
When the police station was reached the
prisoners were identified as being well
known in police circles.
In Court Today.
These prisoners headed the procession in
the Police Court today, and plead not
guilty to charge of vagrancy and sus-
picion.r
Officer Dan Williams said he knew New
ten was a frequent visitor to the police
station and court
do you know anything of his char
acter?'
"Only from the number of times I've re-
corded his arrest"
Precinct Detective Barnes also gave evil
dence against them.
Newton has the reputation of being
thief" he told the court, land his brother
was sent to the penitentiary last week
for pocketbcok snatching."
The prisoners denied that they had done
as the officer had said. and claimed that
they had been In Mount Pleasant to see
girl.
Judge KimbaH required them to give real
estate security in the sum OF 500 or go
down for sixty dayS.