Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-31
Dan Williams Wanted to Drown in
the Mississippi.
REQUEST FOR MONEY BETRAYED Elm
Notice to Report in September
Unnamed Him.
STORY OF HIS LIF E

lES Win POuceman Dan Williams, the
alleged defaulting collector Of Police Court
fires. and is expected here some time to-
morrow afternoon. Officer Williams was
always a great talker, and it Is said he
has. been doing some talking to reporters
| in st. Louis, telling them Of his conduct
here. 1t is said that he denies that there
is anything wrong with his records prior
to the LIST of May, when his accounts were
last approved.
1t appears that when he telegraphed to
his wife for assistance the latter called
upon Chief Clerk Sylvester as friend to
advance him $40, and that his capture
was the result of Chief Clerk Sylvestcr's
clever detective work. In the first tele-
gram sent here the officer said he was in
| distress and wanted $40 with which to re-
turn home.
Chief Clerk Sylvester then telegraphed
him. using his wife's initials to the tele-
gram. and the fugitive responded giving
his address. Then it was that the chief
of police there was given instructions
| which resulted in his arrest.
The Probable Loss.
The amount Of the deficit will reach about
$1,000. and perhaps a few hundred more.
SO 1t was said today, but the exact figures
are not yet known. The officers case has
been called to the attention Of the Commits
sioners in an official way. and his dismissal
this afternoon or tomorrow will probably
follow:
Thought of Drowning.
The st. Louis Globe-Democrat, in Satur-
days issue, printed a story of Williams
arrest and confession, and gives the fol-
| lowing account from Williams statements:
THE fugitive is shabbily dressed man,
about forty-five years old. He has wife
and two children in Washington. His wife
W St..L laft
| day. but he knew that to remain there
longer meant arrest. He came direct to ST.
Louis. arriving here Thursday morning
| He secured boarding place at 9O4 Chest
nut street, and then began to wander aim
lessiy about the city. twice he went to the
Four Courts to surrender himself he says
| and each time his nerve failed him at the
door. and he turned away. Once he went
| to the river TO drown himself, but his cour-
| age weakened at the last minute. Then he
determined once more to go back to Wash
, IN ana race the music He went to the
w estern Union telegraph office and wired
nome Tor money, saying In his telegram
| that he wanted cit to return home on. The
message was intercepted by the authorities
notifying the local police where Williams
could probably be found. The fugitive
called at the telegraph office, and then fol-
lowed his arrest.
Drummer Boy Record.
Gambling ON horse races caused Will
| liams' downfall. His story is interesting, as
| he told 1t last night. He was born in Phil
adelphia. When President Lincoln issued
| his first call for volunteers at the outbreak
Of the war, Williams was but eleven years
! of age. He enlisted as drummer bow with
| the list New Jersey Regiment at Beverly
| W men MS term OF service expired he re-
| enlisted in the 23d Pennsylvania Regiment
\ ana served the remainder of the war in the
| Army OF the Potomac a drummer in the
| 9TH Army Corps. At the close of the war
| he settled in Washington, where ne mar
| ried later.
| Eighteen years ago he became a men,
| Der of the Washington police force For
| ten years lie was patrolman. Then Mai.
| Moore became superintendent of police,
and as Williams record was exceptionally
good. that Official transferred him to detail
| work at headquarters. Seven years ago
| Williams was appointed collector of fines
| for the Washington Police Court, which is
! now presided over by Judges Miller and
| Kimbal.
| Told to Report.
From that date until his departure from
| home Williams handled thousands of dol
| lars in fines, which. under a law recently
| enacted by Congress. go to the treasury
| of the Police Relief Association. Williams
did his duty faithfully, he says, until last
| spring. He had the confidence of Mai
| Moore and all other officials Of the police
| department. He was a member Of Abe
| Lincoln fOSt, NO. Is, GranO Army, the larS-
| est organization of it's kind in Washington,
| and two years ago he was elected com
| mander OF the post.
| WILLIAMS can't explain just how his
! downfall began, but last winter he gam
| bled some. He won and then lost, and
| when the races opened for the season at
| st. Asaph track near Washington, in May,
| he found that he was short several hun
| dred dollars in his accounts with the Po-
! lice Relief Association. He began to play
| the races, but couldn't win. Deeper and
| deeper he dived into the funds intrusted TO
| him, in the mad hope of retrieving his
| losses, but luck was against him. He was
| $500 behind in his accounts, with no pros
poets Of making good the deficiency"