Evening star., 1896-08-26
HE HAS DISAPPEARED
Detectives Are Searching for Police
man Dan Williams.
BE MAY HAVE ENDED his LIFE
Police Court Fines are Short and
Suspicion is Aroused.
A POPULAR GER

Policeman Dan Williams, who was once
| fsmiliarly known as the Drummer Boy
| of the Rappahs mock" is reported missing,
and although no charge of a criminal ma
ture has been made against him, the detec-
tives are on the lookout for him, and Maj.
Moore is extremely anxious concerning his
| whereabouts. The major does not know
whether he is dead or alive. If there is
any shortage in his accounts as an agent
| OF the department in the collection of Po-
lice Court fines there has as yet been no
investigation to show it. The officials,
however. feel certain that an Investigation
| will reveal a deplorable state of affairs in
the methods of the missing man, as well as
| showing his continued inattention to busi-
ness and the turning over of the affairs of
his office to persons not designated to act.
| Just how this discovery was made is not
| known. On one hand 1t is stated that Maj.
Moore was Informed Of the officers fond
| ness for betting on the horse races while
| on the other hand it is said that the dis
| covery was not made until the officer was
| called upon to turn over 5000, as this
amount was necessary for the payment of
| police and fire department pensions.
Had Not Squared Up.
This demand was made Saturday. and
then 1t developed that the collector had
not squared his accounts since July 3, and
| this account included the courts business
up to the 1st of May. Why he made no
| more returns afterward does not appear
for the records Of the court have been
| nnlshed up to July 10, as the books show.
| But no matter whether not the court
! record had been completed, the officer could
| nave made several returns during his
time as had been his custom in former
| years. When the demand fol the 5000
| was made the officer turned over 81, 100,
| saving that was all he mad at that time
| Yesterday morning Williams was at his
desk, as usual, but early in the morning
he turned over the receipts up to that time,
~, to Policeman Elicit, who is detailed
| there for clerical work This he had done
many times before, and, of course. his
doing IT yesterday excited no suspicion.
| But Major Moore and Chief Clerk Sylyes-
ter had thought there was something ir-
| regular, and in the afternoon the latter
| went to the office and took charge of his
books.
| A Slow Investigatfon.
| Even then it would require comparison
| with the court records and as the latter
record is not up to date the investigation
| Will be somewhat delayed. If, however,
there is discrepancy, it is thought it will
| amount to less than $1,000, although it may
| &c more than this amount. Last night de-
tectfves We're sent to the Williams house
| on 9th street southeast, but members of
| ms family were unable to give them any
| information. Mrs. Williams has been an
| invalid for some time. Williams has two
| grown sons, and the absence Of their father
| was preying heavily on their minds. All
| night long the house was watched, but the
missing collector of fines did not return.
| This morning Judge Miller called on Mai.
| Moore and had consultation in regard to
| the case. but arrived at no conclusion be-
| cause Of the uncertain condition of the
| missing mans accounts.
| Well known Here.
! The missing man perhaps better
known in Washington than was any other
| member of the police force, as he was in
| many fraternal societies, being a member
| of the Masonic fraternity and a Grand
| Army man. He had been commander of
Lincoln Post, No. 3, and took such an
! active interest in G. A. K. matters that he
| almost imagined the St. Paul encampment
| would not be success without his pres
ence.
| Just think of it," he recently remarked,
| "a Grand Army reunion and I'm not
| there"
Williams. like many others. had a num-
| Der of hobbies. and many people who knew
| him frequently remarked that his mind
| was not exactly right.
| A Threat of Suicide.
! During recent months he has been af-
| fiicted with an incuraple disease. and this,
it was stated by himself, had made him
| despondent, and when last week he said
| he had concluded to end his life, his friends
| never suspected for instant that his
| financial difficulties had anything to do
| with his condition. 1t is true he was sick,
| but it is also true that he mad displayed
| a fCndnesS for the races, which, it is said,
| caused him to lose considerable money. 1t
now transpires that he has been going to
| the Baltimore pool rooms and playing the
| races because ne got better odds there
| than he could get across the river or even
on the track. These pool rooms, he had
| said, were fighting each other and that
| was why the odds were better. Recently
he bought 1,0OU-mile ticket on the Bal
! tiInore and OHIO railroad, and this, 1t is
| said, he used between here and the Balti-
| more pool rooms. Two days ago, 1t is
| stated, he lost more than 500 on the races.
other Dissipntions.
In addition to being a victim of the races,
he was also fond of women, and although
! a married man, he frequently boasted of
| his expeditions with females, among them
several young girls whom he had met in
lunch rooms about the city. Years ago he
| was drinking man, and then at times he
| was inclined to be violent, but later he gave
| up the liquor habit, and If he has done any
drinking during recent months, his friends
| know or Will say nothing about 1t.
| A Charitable Disposition.
Dan Williams ,as his friends always
| knew him, was kind-hearted and sympa-
| thetic man, who was always foremost in
| charitable work. Never he known to
turn away a worthy person. man, woman
or child, who needed assistance. He was
| generous to a fault, and probably holds
| accounts for money loaned against scores
| of persons.
| Saturday morning, when he called at lo-
lice headquarters. he met Detective Carter
| on the steps, and addressing him as Joe"
| said: I'm going to kill myself. 1 thought
| would jump in the river but I'm SO good
| a swimmer that l would probably swim
! ashore"
| That's nonsense remarked the detec-
| tive, who thought, of course, that Williams
| was joking.
Il mean it, said the latter Pm sick
and suffering, and I'm tired of it."
| Detective Carter paid no more attention
to what was said until he heard of the off,
| GERS present trouble.
| Not Much Surprise.
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