The times., 1898-01-16
ROME NOT IN HIS PRECINCT.
Tins Declines TO Answer Questions
Touching the Murder of Caesar.
From the New York Times.)

I0ucnIDG tue Oh caesar.
From the New York Tfmes.)
During the last hours of the report
ers' night watch in the TenderIoin the
warmth and comfort of the West ThiT-
tieth Street Station are much sought
after. From midnight until a. m. time
drags heavily to the workers on the
morning newspapers, who can usually
be seen sitting in circle around the
stove Half asleep, they talk of the lat
est "shake-ups'' in the various offices.
tell of the large bills that they used to
make before the new journalism flood
ed the Row with crafty WesterneTs or
gullible Southerners, and look at the
clock every five minutes to see If II Is
not yet time to call off the watch.
At regular intervals Sergt. Tins
takes the desk at midnight, and OH
these occasions the last two hours of
the Tenderloin watch find the newspa-
per men huddled closer around the
stove, as if for mutual protection.
Sergt Tins is a Tenderloin landmark
and withal good, generous officer.
and liked by the reporters, but he has
his limitations If necessary he viii
take an extra day off to consult musty
volumes in his library a home, storing
his mind with knowledge on rare sub
the reporters.
What is the greatest depth of the
Pacific Ocean? What is the highest
mountain of Asia? And. by the way.
can any of you young gentlemen tell
me what gave rise to the opinion that
there are open seas at both the arctic
and antarctic pOles?'
These are samples of what Sergt
Tins viii fire at the group huddIed
about the stove in the early morning.
Sometimes a return v0lley of wild
guesses will be launched at him. but
this is only sign of the mental havoc
played by the assault from behind the
desk, and the wilder and more fire.
quent the guesses the more delighted is
Sergt. Tins.
a few nights ago one of the report
ers entered the station with something
up his sleeve for the well-read sergeant
Just wait until he breaks loose said
the scribe to his fellow-sufferers, and
then watch me soak him one
Can any of you young gentlemen
give me a concise and comprehensive
definition of the difference between the
terms anarchy and socialism,"
The reporters edged up on the stove
and hurled back a chorus of Give it
up" When the difference had been
duly launched in elegant English from
the desk, the reporter with something
up his sleeve cleared his throat and
queried Sergt- Tins to this effect:
What year was it, Sergeant. that
Brutus killed Caesar. and what manner
of weapon was used in the tragedy
A series of nudges passed from elbows
to ribs around the circle as the learned
sergeant brought the forefinger of one
hand to his brow as if TO aid him IN
dusting off his knowledge Of history
Oppressive silence reigned in the sta
ton for the space of two minutes, and
it looked as if the sergeant had been
chased up tree. The reporters were
mentally preparing grand jubilation
in the event of Sergt. Tins being pun
ished with his own medicine, when his
voice was heard in answer:
Young man., he said, patronizlngly,
.'the murder of which you speak does
not require any comment from me- 1t
did not occur in this precinct"
The circle around the stove twisted
itself away from the glorious warmth
and filed out into the cold street No
one said anything, but the man who
had something up his sleeve for Sergt.
Tins paid for the refreshments.