The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-04-16

TIE WOMAN BEGINNING POSSIBILITIES.
 grounds they were surprised to see 1
 negro and ncgress eng ,ged in wrestling
 over pint bottle of gin. The negro
 finally wrcstcd it from the woman ant
 started to run away with it.
 Nobody interscred. There was not q
 policeman in sight. The capitol police
 force is made up of politicians, who re
 ceive $l,000 each per annum. and who
 do nothing but walk around the capito
 building in beautiful blue uniforms
 Not one of them was out in the capitol
 grounds to prevent the disgraceful | scene.
 There ought to have been one Of our
 city policemen somewhere in the vicin-
 ity; but none appeared, and the fight
 went on. The woman grabbed the negro
 by the coat collar, struggled with him
 for the bottle, and finally he threw it away over the bushes which line the
 capitol grounds. It struck tree trunk and was destroyed. That did not end the fight.
 The woman began pounding the negro with her fists, while she uttered trade of ghastly profanity. The statesmen and newspaper men did not feel called upon to enter the arena in be- half of either contestant. Moreover. it is dangerous to interfere with the negroes of Washington, for nearly all of them, of both sexes, carry razors. So the fight went on, the woman doing all of the swearing and pounding. Finally the negro shook her from him, and again tried to run, when she again grabbed him. He then took hold of her halr, and swinging her around like a top. dropped her upon the hard cpbble stones on the south side of the street.
 All this occurred within 200 feet of the capito; building, and at the edge of the beautiful grounds surrounding that splendid legislative temple. When the woman dropped, the city policeman ap- peared block away. He was called to by the assembled crowd. Everyone beckoned to him, but he walked uncon- cernediy down the street, as though he were merely out for promenade. There might have been murder com mitted; but it seemed to make no diff ference to that alleged guardian of the law. He was in no hurry. If any wom- an of ordinary physique had fallen as that negress fell, it must surely have fractured her skull. But she arose and went after the man again, and, long be- fore the policeman reached the original scene, the woman caught the negro a block away and again began to assault him.
 The policeman now saw what was gc- ing on, and he leisurely walked towards the fighting couple. Somebody must have told them that policeman was coming, for they desisted from strug- gling, and ran away. Still the police man walked slowly along down New Jersey avenue, and he looked us pretty a picture of the majesty of the law as one would care to see.
 The crowd dispersed, the majority going into the capitol building; but, so far as was observed, no arrest was made. The policeman was in no hurry.
 The capitol grounds are not properly policed. Numerous outrages have been there at night, and the rec crds of the police court show that sev- eral murders have occurred. Probably the fault is with congress. It is certain that the superintendent of police for years past has made annual reeom- for appropriations which would enable him to employ additional policemen, but the appropriations have not been made.
 At the foot of Capitol hill, on, the west side of the grounds, are the botanical gardens, and beyond them for fully a mile are the arsenal, Smithsonian, ag- ricultural and monument grounds, continuous park, containing old trees with widesprea ading branches. There is an excellent drive way along the entire distance and there are numerous pretty walks within the parks. But no part of this beauty spot is safe at night, because the police force is inadequate. It may be said that, as a general rule> the members of our metro politan poliee force are diligent and brave; and the specimen referred to, on Capitol hill is an exception.
 You must not infer that the negro and negress are types of their race in the national capital. But the quarre cling couple. who began their fight .ver bottle of gin, represents majority of iheir race in this city. and large ma-1 iority of it, too. But therei are some