Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-03-23
HAVANA'S POLICEMEN
ARE a CREDIT TO THE CITY.
sersss Chief MeCaiiagh. Of New yesh.
hss Woiksf Wa.dsrs with . Set Of
hAs Asn-AM Eisnssats Represented.

davahn's police force was organized
during ihe latter part OF last winter
by former Chief McCuiiagh of New
York. who selected and Instructed,
from several times as many appiIcants,
ABOUT i'Sn men 10 guard the public
peace. The applicants wer. mostly
young men who had seen hardship, II
not service, ia III. army Of iiLeratiOn.
with liberal spEinklins OF stay, AT.
homes who felt that their services az
nsitntofs, often more dangerous 10 life
'iinh held service. wer. deserving OF
substantial recognition. Among the
candidates there Were also numerous
members OF the former Spanish police
force. who's. familiarity with police
duiy nhd with the crooks, dives and
dens OF Havana gave them. some claim
upon the formative government.
Among them We're some whose prsvi-
ous record was not severely against the
Cubans. and whose domestic relations
We're 50 intcrmiSed with the latter as
TO make II satisfactory that some OF
them should b. retained.
In III. early weeks OF the service
there Were some gross blunders COM
fniitcd. making II necessary that the
American provost guard should resume
80 - ss4' tt' W tut tu
the more public places. especially In
Central park. Al one time. indeed.
the feeling ran 10 high between the
new police force and the American SOL
dicry that armed conflict was immi.
ncn'. Several soldiers wcrc shot upon
what seemed To H. trivial prctsSis.
ihcs. wnnton killings causing the blood
TO boil In every American vein In iln.
Nnhh. \ Few removals and punish
tnchis for lndsscrction and wrongful
use OF firearms corrected this vicious
tendency. the police force to-day being
crctii; TO Its organizers nnd the city.
Hnrnnn's police nr. ns n rule fairly
wcll'einca'ci young men OF good fam
lily connections. They have been Sc
lsctsd not for their size or strength.
but because Of their intelligence. Tho
brigade. taking Its personality rs a
force pa,rcllinS any city In the western
hemisphere. They are clean. clever.
gcntlcmnnly corps, not given TO bibu-
lousncss aud cnrousinc. irihc over
xcaious, perhaps. In the making OF ar
rests and In dealing with American cit
liens. not always conscious ns they
might be OF the debt that country owcs
the people OF the United States.
The l!cutcnanis nnd scrccants are
nntty looking lot. who do,c on their
handsome uniforms. Silver braid
adorns their shoulders and borders
their nobby caps. Their sleeves arc
also banded with II: and II. pcrchnncc.
one OF them has obtained any special
distinction there IL some insignia to
Indicate II. worn where the attention
OF nm approving world cannot miss II.
These youthful looking officers are
very popular among the fair sex and
arc decidedly inclined to sporiincss.
They loitcr about the cafes and the
n,crs during the evening and are al
ways TO he found where there Is
gathering of the swclls OF Havana.
The police band Is a feature In the
Prado life OF the promenading popu-
lace. II has altogether superseded
military bands which formerly gave
evening concerts In Central park, alter
mating Its evening appearances there
with afternoon appearances down
the Prndo four or five blocks.
occasionally changing Its position
n block or two during nm
afternoon concert for the pleas
TIRE OF different residence sec
tions. The band Is composed Of about
sixty pieces. the players being equally.
or nearly so. divided between Span
inrds and Cubans.