The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-05-31
REMARKABLE

One morning not long ago the good
people OF Havana woke up and found
themselves in possession of n brand
'hew, made -to-order police force, fully
Equipped and clad in handsome uni
forms. During the past few months
IA band OF nearly ono thousand men
have been drilling under the direction
OF United States army officers, and Mt
>the same time becoming fully
ncquniuted with all the duties which
"one of the finest" is supposed to
{know. The larger number OF the new
force had served in the Cuban army,
but in their selection no distinction
has been made because of previous
| affiliations, the preference being given
to those who were physically superior
ard who understood the peculiar con-
8tions Of government and people
which obtains IL Havana.
When John McCullagh, the famous
ex.Chief of Police, went from New
York City to Havana to help reorganize
the force, and the police system gener-
ally, he undertook more difficult
task than he had at first anticipated.
Under the recent Spanish regime
there were three different kinds of
police, each responsible TO different
head, and whose duties, often conflict
ing with each other. created friction
and jealou' Under the new rules
Hpverninp lavana's constabulary this
bnfict 6 authority has been avoided.
here Sut ono executive, General
emo 4 Chief of Police, whose
bw, hre supreme, and responsible
., fhe except General Ludlow, the
AIRY Governor OF Havana. There
IS Board Of Commissioners, but in
ther respects it is patterned closely
pom New York's police organization.
There ara six inspectors, twelve cap
tains, twenty-four lieutenants and
sergeants, and nearly one thousand
patrolmen, all of whose duties are clear
and we'll defined.
Frederic Remington gives in Col
lier's Weekly an entertaining account
of police conditions in Havana before
and after the Americans reorganized
.he force. He says:
The last time I was in Havana Wey-
Ter sat in the palace and dirty Spanish
and by night. These much starved
and abused men held up the honest
wayfarer on the principal streets and
got from him wherewith to buy bread.
The stretches down by the wharves
were little battlefelds for decently
dressed men after dark. The old
Havana gendarme walked about or
~ aned against buildings, firing their
garettes, but no one ever took them
Rriously-they interfered with no.
bdy, no matter what his purpose
light be.
The Prado at evening was gay
s9ene, with its swarms of Spanish
officers and pretty women strolling
SLOWLY about to the music of the mill
Nary bands. Much more cheerful than
iih these days, I must confess; but the
back streets were made dangerous by
Starved soldiers; the insurgent bands
rlaided the country about to the out
d Uosts on the neighboring hills, and
d he people in the theatres insulted
americans, thirsted for their blood,
a md told them so by word of mouth.
Q)onsul- Gener.l Lee employed his
Aime in saving American newspaper
orrespcadents from the Cabanas, and
be United States Government signi-
ed no more to these poor ignorant
otls than a yesterdays edition-the
lan Lee in person was the United
tates OF America. He was not sup
brted by Washington, but he pound
the table in Captain General Wey-
RS presence, talking loud and vigor-
isly, to good effect.
This has all changed. The city is
ivided into four districts, and our in