The Sunday globe., 1901-07-21
SHARP CRITICISM
OF Lieutenant Burns by Citizen
Cunningham.
LETTING COUNTERFEITERS LOOSE
A Detailed Statement which Calls for an
Investigation by the Police Authorities
and incidentally the United States Secret
Service 0ficaIs-PIan and Jnyarnshed
Tale,
EDITOR OF THE GLOBE:

! dltt
EDITOR OF THE GLOBE:
am not a detective, and know but
very little about police regulations, but
it seems to me that Lieutenant Burns,
Of the Second Precinct, refused to do
sworn duty by turning loose three men
who, it seems are trying to pass coun'
terfeit money in this city.
On Saturday evening, the 18th inst,
| chanced to go into the restaurant Of
j, j. O'Keefe, on Seventh street North
west. Standing by a friend Of mine,
saw two men drinking beer. When
through, one of them handed out a
$40 bill' to pay for drinks. He hand
ed the SO bill to the bartender, who
looked at it and handed it back to the
man and remarked, That money is no
good. | don't want it. 1t is a counter
felt bill.
You are mistaken, said the sharper
who was trying to work off the worth
less money, that money is all right.
| got IL from laundry down town this
morning. | had $40 and got it changed
at laundry this morning"
Well" said the bartender, 81 don
want it. l wouldn't give you 10 cents
fort it,
At this period everybody in the res
taurant wanted to get a look at the
counterfeit bill, and every man said it
was counterfeit money. The owner Of
the counterfeit $40 bill expressed him
self as greatly surprised at being in
possession Of so much money that
old Of
he swore that he would make the laun-
dry-man suffer for having passed the
worthless stuff off on him.
But did he go at once and see the
laundry-man about passing off the
counterfeit money on him? No, sir;
not at all. | remarked to my friend
that l believed that that man is him
self a counterfeiter, and is carrying
money counterfeit money! around to
get 1t changed for good money, Said
|, Let us watch him and see If he goes
to a laundry and have the matter cor
rected." So the two men walked out
of the restaurant and, instead of going
down town, went up Seventh street to
NJ street. Here they stood and talked
about five minutes. They then walked
down NJ street to Eighth street There
they met another friend, and the trio
of gentlemen walked up Eighth street
to an alley between NJ and n streets.
They stood and talked a while (mean-
time my friend and I walked along
slowly and resuming their walk, they
went out N street and turned in the
direction Of Seventh street again. /
told my friend to watch them while
go for a policeman. / went out Ninth
street to o street, where found Police
man w, L. Caron. I informed him Of
what I saw (the counterfeit money! g,
and told him that the men should be
arrested.
Policeman Caron and | walked down
Ninth street to n street, where we saw
my friend standing at the corner Of
Seventh and N streets, watching the
supposed counterfeiters. He informed
us that the men were in the saloon on
the corner Of Seventh and n streets.
| told Policeman Caron that in order
to be sure about the matter, he had bet
ter go down to Mr.. O'Keefe's, ,restaur-
ant and find out more about the coun-
terfeit money. This he agreed to do,
and we both went together We went
into the restaurant, and Policeman
Caron asked the bartender what he
thought Of the money. Said the man,
in reply to Policeman Caron's question,
IL think it was a counterfeit bill"
"Is that the reason why you didn't
change it?" queried Policeman Caron.
That's the reason, sir" replied the
bartender
That's enough said Policeman
Caron. And we walked out.
As we were going up Seventh street,
in the direction Of N street. we met
Policeman Trussell, and related the
matter to him. Policeman Trussell
said, 81 will 90 and assist you in max
ing the arrest"
SO we went to the corner of Seventh
and n streets, where my friend stood
watching them, and the two gallant
policemen-Caron and Trussell-went
in the saloon and arrested the men and
marched them to the Second Precinct
station. But, fortunately, these sup
posed counterfeitsrs met a friend at
the Second Precinct in the person OF
Lieutenant Burns, who seemed only
too glad to be able to oblige these gen
tlemen by standing between them and
justice-the penitentiary. ! suggested
that the lieute' tant search them,
but the kind hearted. sympathetic
Lieutenant Burns said, Il will not hold
these men," and he turned them loose
to prey upon the good citizens OF
Washington with their worthless
money So the merchants and every
body had better look out for the money
paid them from now on. But, by a
little shrewd detective work the pub.
lie may yet be saved Of being bothered
with very much OF this counterfeit
money. Lieutenant Burns, had he done
his duty. could have brought those men
to Justice last Saturday afternoon. It's
your move, Major Sylvester.
j. c. CUNNINGHAM,
50 Defrees St. n. W.