The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-31
CAILDREN's FANCY DRESS BALL
The Custom of Keeping Open House
on New Years Day
of the Week in the
Society World.
by ANNIE KENDRroK WALKER

by ANNIE KENDRTCK WALKER
The question of adequate police protee-
ton for the resident portion of Birmingham
has been discussed with recurring frequen-
cy and yet there is scarcely a day that The
news columns of the papers do not record
attempts at burglary in residential parts of
the city, where there is no police protection
whatever. The burglaries which in some
Instances were not reported to the authOrl-
ties, have recently increased SO alarmingly
that there should no longer be any delay
in this matter of, urgent need of relief.
Attention has already been called to the
number of men in the city who are COM
paratively well dressed and who really i'm
press the maid or the butler who answers
their ring at the door with their gentllty
until they ask for breakfast.
The past week at several private resi-
dences on South Highlands a man who
was rather well dressed asked for break
fast. At one of the houses at which he
rang the bell on the front door brave wo-
man, who had been told to 'be on her guard.
ordered the maid not to answer the ring,
and later on they distinctly observed him
walk around one side of the house. and, as
He really found his way into the kitchen,
and asked for a breakfast. He unu-
sually tall. but walked with noticeably
halting gait The bandanna nanny gave
him deliciously hot breakfast, but he
finally said he only wanted a cup of coffee.
At another private residence day or two
ago, man made a request for cup of
coffee. The young woman who by accident
opened the door when he rang declined to
give it to him. She told him that their
breakfast hour was over and that the
stove was cold.
the kitchen, make fire and also make
the coffee" The door was closed some
what suddenly, and there has been a great
deal of unusual locking up the part of
this certain household.
There are similar instances every day.
which, followed by the attempts at burgla-
ry at night, have naturally made the ques-
ton of increasing the police force a topic
discussed 10y both men and women. Even
at the most informal gatherings one hears
of attempted burglaries and depredations
of the preceding nights, and in many in
stances bright woman will recall her ex-
peTience in such a humorous manner as
almost to dispel the idea of fear.
frlghtfully daring incident was told me
yesterday by young girl whose expert
ence the past week eloquentiy demands the
need of police protection on South High
hands,
She and her younger sister occupied the
same room. They had both retired and
were asleep, when the elder one was awak-
ened by a slight noise in the room The
Goals in the CRATE We're burning brightly
and by the light she clearly observed the
figure of a standing at her toilet table.
Tremblngly she called to him, and as quick
as flash he pointed revolver at her head
and threatened to shoot her if she scream
ed. Her little sister slept peacefully on,
and not far away was the bed room of her
parents. The burglar tried several locks in
the room, and then deliberately ransacked
the tables and the dressing case. The girl
recalls now that she actually laughed
and that the burglar smiled when she as
sured him she would not scream If he would
only be kind enough to hurry For the few
moments that he remained in the room the
shining metal in the mans hand never re-
Taxed for moment. Finally he passed
through the doorway BY which he had per-
fected an entrance, and the little heroine
remained quiet until she was confident all
danger was passed.
birmingham women are complaining of
these suspicious looking characters who are
prowling daily around their residences, and
there are numbers of them who have been
the victims of these attempts at burglary.
Only an evening or two ago a man and
his wife were returning from dinner party
when they noticed two suspicious looking
persons quite near their own residence. The
two men separated and stepped into the
shadows, and the man and woman crossed
to the opposite side and were fortunately
at their own gate. They later observed
these men in cons ultation, and finally they
separated again, as they noticed a man
walking toward them. The latter crossed
the street and no doubt saved himself from
Highway robbery.
These occurrences are but the daily hap
penings in any city. but the frequency with
which they are recurring in the most fash
ionable resident streets in birmingham Is
simple problem that would be solved by
additions to the police force of the city.
The matter needs no further investigation,
and there should be possible disagree
ment between residents and the city au-
thorties
Unless better police protection is secured
Il will be incumbent upon the citizens on
the South Highlands to employ private
watchmen to insure the safety of their fam
lilies. In larger cities the residents at their
personal expense, employ private watch
men, the expense where the residents In
block employ the same man. being reduced
to a minimum This plan would undoubted-
" be advantageous in Birmingham in the
,.o-;dapt ,1ictr;ots 5Rvn'd NJ paliCe protection