The times., 1898-10-30
ANNUAL POLICE DRILL.
Fine Showing of Bluecoats at the
National baseball Park.


National baseball Park.
The annual drill and inspection Of the
Metropolitan Police Department was held
yesterday morning at the National Base
ball Park 300 policemen. divided into nine
companies, one from each precinct. taking
part. The drill was for the flag donated
| by Commissioner John 3. Wight, 10 be
drilled for annually by companies from
each precinct.
The flag was donated last year, and has
been held since by the First Precinct, TO
which it was awarded at the first annual
drill, which took place October IA. 1897.
| This year the winning company will not
| be announced until November !, the date
| of the annual parade, when the flag will
be presented and carried by the color
| bearer of the victorious precinct as the
men march in review before the Presi-
| dent.
The bluecoats made an excellent appear
ance yesterday as they lined up in bat
| talon formation across the baseball field,
their new Winter uniforms and helmets
and brightly polished metal trappings
shining in the occasional bursts of sun
| light. The appearance of each company
on the field was the signal for a burst of
enthusiastic cheering from its special ad-
herents in the grandstand and bleachers.
| Major Sylvester was in command. as
sisted by his staff, composed of Capt. Aus
tin and Lieutenant Inspectors Pearson and
| Cross. Major Burton Ross, of the WASH
ington Light Infantry. and Lieut.. Alfred
b, L. Smith, of the Twelfth United States In
fantry, as judges of the contest, stood on
either side of him. The companies were
commanded as follows: First Precinct
Lieut. T. b. Amiss and Sergt. Moore;
Second Precinct, by Lieut. Heffner and
Sergts. Daily, Coucher and Sullivan: Third
Precinct, Lieut.. Boyle and Sergts. Keefe
ana Byrnes; Fourth Precinct, Lieut.. Hol.
nnperSer and Sergts. Dunnigan and VIII.
llams; Fifth Precinct. Sergt. Mulhall and
Sergt. Smith; Sixth Precinct, Lieut.. Kelly
and Sergts. Lombardy and Falvey; Sew.
enth Precinct, Lieut.. Swindells and
sergts Connors and Passau; Eighth Pre-
cinct' Lieut.. Kenney and Sergts. Sprinkle
and Jones; Ninth Precinct. Lieut. Nc
Cathran and Sergts. Wall and Wright.
AFTER the companies were put through
the patton drill and foot movements thew
We're drilled In battalion formation by
MAJOR sylvester. During the drill the
nag was carried by color guard from,
the Fourth Precince company. This was
done. as Major Sylvester explained, to
nave the trophy in the center of the
neid, and Is not to be taken as an indica-
tion OF the final disposition of the banner.
The men went through the drill in a
style which would do credit to a body of
regular soldiers. Many of them have
seen service in the army, and those who
nave not have been put through frequent
drills during the last two months Major
sylvester and the two judges expressed
themselves as highly pleased at the
showing made
Lieut. Smith was detailed from the
war Department to assist Major Sylves-
ter, In the inspection and drill, and
at the request of Major Sylves-
ter his detail was continued yesterday
until Monday week, when the annual
parade of the police and fire departments
will be held and the flag presented.
For over a week past there have been
company inspections at each of the pre-
cincts, and 1t is understood that the per-
sonal appearance of the men will have
as much weight in deciding the winners
of the flag as their ability to do fancy
drilling. The same companies which par
ticipated in the drill yesterday will take
part in the parade.