Evening star., 1897-05-07
STORIES OF THE SQUAD

mounted police have done ts widespread
Inc scorchers have been overhauled, and
made to appear In tho Police Court, and
this harm inflicted through the medium OF
the pocket book has had q salutary ef-
rect. now the members OF the squad are
dreaded by the scorchers. who fail TO rec
osIi-e mem at distance, and having no
other way OF Identifying them are kept I'm
cneck the entire time they ride In the city
rms Is not only good for the pedestrians,
out also Tor the other cyclists. who keep
| within the law, the moderated speed les
| SEEMING the liability of q collision ON ac-
count OF the large number of new rider,
tne conservative cyclist 10 forced to mod
crate MS speed considerably for his own
| protection. to prevent accidents at street
corners and elsewhere. The bicycle polic.
nave done much good in this direction but
| tnere Is an abundance OF work left for
begun.
The men in chasing bicyclists meet with
| a variety OF adventure some bordering on
the humorous Two athletic men were
\ scorching up the avenue the other evening
Mhen one OF thes squad struck their trail
ne overhauled the rear Of the two scorch.
ers and laid his hand on his shoulder.
4 Going pretty good clip weren't you-~
| interrogated the policeman.
don't know IL it's any Of your - bus
mess. was the response Of the rider who
did not know the policeman
Il guess You had better come with me-"
fWaom msase officers response
Il don't think WILL" was the reply. The
rioer did not know what the man was, but
the idea flashed through his mind that Il
was daft cyclist. and he began to push
harder on the pedals. The grip on his
| shoulder frightened. and was holding the
rider back. The result was that the two
| Mheeis collided and both riders went down.
The whole thing happened in a few mo-
menus and by this time the companion OF
| the rider had reached the scene. thinking
| tnat MS partner In trouble
companion
This blankety blank fool. grabbed hold
or me and threw me-" was the response
| The companion was getting ready to de-
| hVer straight blow at the face OF the
prostrate policeman. who was still the
ground with the other rider. The police
man managed to throw his coat aside and
show his badge. This had a big effect IL
quieted Doth men at once. and they went
to the station house with him without eny
| resistance. In the Police Court the next
morning they paid a fine.
There We're group OF several colored
| riders talking over the arrest of one of
| thelr number for scorchng. The prisoner
mad only borrowed the wheel from n friend
| Tor short time. and was engaged in the
| meritorious performance of covering as
many miles within the allotted time as It
| was possible. He wanted to crowd ten
minutes of riding into five minutes In
eloentaiiy, 1t might be added. that a good
many OF the colored riders who come with
in the tolls come simply from this cause
Ihey feel like bird on a bicycle, and en-
oeavor TO skim over the ground like cne.
often to their sorrow.
The prisoner. IL seems, had been melting
the asphalt on Pennsylvania avenue. Vet
when overhauled by the policeman after
ehase OF nearly a mile, innocently replied
The congregation of his friends was for
the purpose Of raising sufficient collateral
10 get the unfortunate out of the station
nd noSd
arrest.
Dat policeman" said one. war a fool
Dat man warn't vioiatn' emmy OF de cy-
1 cling reg'lashuns. He couldn' gin to ride
like kin. an dat's no Joke"
Yes, added another. wen dat perllce-
man come cross him. he jes' said. L want
yer ma honey yes, do An he did, too."
said the speaker. grinning all over his face
Use glad it warn't me dat was kotched." !"
Dem men amt got no bus'ness nohow,
10 rest man., spoke UP a third. "Dey's
100 poh to hab police clothes, and dey
amt police It'll dey gifts dem clothes on and
carries de stick. OATS wat 1 say; and il
dey had kotched me bet ole KimbaIl
would hab let me co.
So interested did they become that they
forgot to raise the cash. aud the friend re-
mafned In the station house. taking a ride
In the Black Maria in the morning
the squad. Once such a thing was com.
mon, but II Is not the case now. Now and
then IT happens that a culprit escapes
one OF the members of the squad is now
searching for a rider who led him a FOOLS
chase. If this particular policeman ever
catches hold OF this particular cyclist the
former Will get more satisfaction than II
ne mad been made present of a $50 bill
Inc scorcher was sighted on a hack street
and he spied the member of the SQUAD
about the same time. He did not attempt
10 sprint to get away, as Is the case with
mos, rioers; On the contrary. he appeared
| SlaCken ND toI
bicycle policeman got within few hundred
Feet Of him. Then he bumped himself and
the chase began. The policeman counted
| on playing the man out in a short time
but for once his calculations went wrong
The rider was pretty swift. too much SO
Tor the policeman, and every now and
then he would turn back. as IL to maintain
| the distance and see II the policeman was
| Following him. He appeared to be anxious
| Tor the cop to keep the chase up, ami every
now and then shouted back to encourage
the pursuer The policeman began to play
out. but the rider did not even seem to be
| tired In the least. Up and down hill the,
chase continued. around street corners and
avenues. over asphalt and granite blocks.
| and yet the distance between the two was
| about the same as at the start
The rider took the policeman over the
Anacostia bridge, and then by way of va
Ration followed the road to the Pennsyl-
| vania avenue bridge and back into the city
| again. Only once did the policeman halt
He was tired. and got or his wheel, de-
termined to give up the chase. The rider
seeing this. and judging the state OF af-
fairs. did likewise. and walked back TO
within a suitable distance. began taunting
| the member Of the squad, telling him what
he did not know about riding would fll a
large volume. and sundry little things
This made the policeman mad. and he re-
mounted and spurted again after his man
| The chase ended at the beginning of the
| 14th street road. The rider, evidently tired
Of the sport. sprinted ahead at a great
| rate. and, bidding an adieu to the police
man. disappeared in the darkness He has
| never been seen since. but the cycle DO
| liceman and the other members of the
squad are looking for him.
| The public is warned against an individ-
| ual who has attempted TO pass as a men,
Der of the cycle squad. He has no badge,
no authority or anything else, but uses his
| nerve. He threatened to arrest a rider the
| other day. in fact, had laid hands on him,
| but told him that to prevent putting him
under any annoyance II he would deposl,
| with him s. collateral and appear In the
| Police Court the next day to answer the
| charge II would be all right. The rider re-
! fused to put UP the money, and also re-
| fused to accompany the individual TO the