The evening times., 1899-09-22
TO GUARD THE SHOPPERS.
A Special Police Squad Likely to he
Appointed.

The establishment of a special squad of
policemen to patrol the shopping districts
of the city during the business hours is
plan to which Major Sylvester is now de-
voting earnest consideration.
For long time complaints have been re-
ceived at Police Headquarters in regard TO
the manner in which these sections OF the
city are protected, and it is claimed that
women unattended are frequently accost-
ed by passing rowdies, who make it their
business to walk along the streets and COM
ment on the crowds as they surge by.
short time ago The Times received
communication from one of the prominent
business men in the city regarding these
practices and in an article published shortly
afterward the matter was called to the
attention of the Chief of Police. Major
Sylvester had already taken steps TO have
the streets patroled by policemen in citi-
zen clothing, and several arrests had been
made. Now, it is said, the Chief OF Po-
lice proposes to establish a special detail
for this purpose, and have the men on the
streets at all times. The men will be Sc
lected from among all the precincts in the
city, and they will probably be garbed in
GERS thus attired mingle with the throng
will clear the streets of Objectionable
characters. The number OF rowdies who
make themselves conspicuous in the streets
has already decreased, however, and the po-
lice are very much gratifed.
THE article which appeared in The
Times some time ago did more to break
up the loafers on F and Seventh Streets
than anything the police could have done,
said one of the members Of the Police De-
partment to a reporter for The Times to-
day. There were several men detailed in
citizens clothes before and after the ap-
pearance of the article, but thus far they
have not made single arrest. There were
several arrests made, however, but they
were accomplished by the regular men on
duty on the street. The men who were de-
| tailed for the patrol duty were not able
to find a single person acting in a disor-
derly manner and yet We are sure that We
know some of the men who have given
cause for complaint They are very
cautious, however, and do not allow them
selves to be caught They know the po-
| lice as we'll as the police know them
| and they will not reveal them
selves while we are around. As said be-
| fore We know the men, but cannot arrest
| them because they do not give US chance
| We are morally certain that they do ad-
cannot prove it and we cannot arrest them
| until we have proof of their conduct. Then
there is another trouble in giving these
rowdies their just dues which greatly de-
ters us in performing our duty and that is
the inability Of the police to get any of the
women who have been offended to come
into the Police Court and testify. If We
| cannot get prosecuting witness We GER
tainly cannot prosecute, and few of the
on uil To ha in = fbo
| morning and testify against their alleged
assailants. 1t is very necessary that they
should do so.
In these cases the utmost pressure is
brought to bear on the prosecuting attor-
ney to have the matters nol-prossed OF
what value is the word of a common po-
| liceman against pressure of influence like
this. and how is he going to prosecute the
| case without aid? The attorney for the de-
! PENDANTS argues rightly, it seems to me,
| when he says that if the women were in