The times., 1901-05-19
IMPOSTORS ACT AS GUIDES
Complaint as to Persons Who LOi-
ter About the Capitol.
Stories Invented to Induce Visitors
to Go TO Points of Interest Else
where in the City and to Pay
Extortionate Prices for n Pilot

stories invented to Induce Visitors
to Go TO Points of Interest Else
where in the City and to Pay
Extortionate Prices for Pilot.
A number of complaints has reached
the Capitol police within the past two
or three days that strangers visiting the
Capitol have been imposed upon by men
calling themselves Capitol guides These
alleged guides, the police have been in
formed, are stationed, or rather loiter.
around the Peace Monument, and when
a party of strangers comes In sight the
alleged guides walk up to them and, in a
polite manner, say:
do you want a Capitol guide?"
If the reply is in the negative, and the
time is in the morning, the sightseers are
informed that the Capitol building will not
be opened until a late hour in the after
noon. and If in the afternoon, the strang-
ers are told that the big building is closed
for the day
A Capitol policeman, speaking Of these
complaints, said this morning:
We have made n investigation and
find that the complaints are well founded
We only have Jurisdiction of the Capitol
grounds, and we see to it that these men
calling themselves Capitol guides are
kept off the grounds There would have
been several arrests the other day. but
the strangers who made complaint had to
leave town the same night. so the offend
ers got off. All the guides in the Capitol
and there are thirteen, are authorized by
law. They are regularly appointed, and
their charges are fixed by the officials of
the Senate and House, respectively. We
never hear any complaint from them. But
those who impose on the unsuspecting
public are the ones we are after They
= can be found around the Peace Monument
at the foot Of the Capitol They wear
badges fashioned somewhat after the
badge of the regular Capitol guide.
when the guide who loiters at the
foot Of the hill, sees anyone who acts like
a stranger-you can always tell a stran-
ger, especially one on sightseeing bent
he approaches and offers his services.
which are frequently declined. Then It is
that the alleged guide gets in his re-
venge. AS general rule the stranger
viii say:
No, I don't need guide; haven't
much time and / can see all | want Of
the Capitol and the Congressional Library
before train time.
IF this occurs early in the morning the
guide says: 1t is too bad, you can't stay
over. You see, the Capitol is not open to
the public except when Congress is in
session or the Supreme Court is sitting.
and the Court has adjourned until next
week. The Congressional Library is only
open from o'clock until 10 o'clock in the
evening
Frequently the stranger will turn back
believing he has been told the truth
Again it happens that party Of six or
eight who are here for tha dav win con
into the clutches OF these guides. AS
these guides are not permitted to Div
their calling in the building, they tell the
party in hand that the Capitol is closed
to the public for that day, because of GER
tam improvements being made; and that
the Congressional Library is only open in
the evening.
This statement is generally accented
and the guide will then pilot his party
to various places Of interest around the
city, and for so doing Si!l charge an ex-
tortionate fee. II il is refused he viii
threaten to call the police. Rather than
create scene, especially when there are
ladies' in the party, the one in charge will
submit, and pay the fee demanded
Sometimes lone stranger will ne pick
ed up by the alleged guide who fer
showing him around will lead him to
some convenient spot in the Monumen.
Grounds and successfully work the shell
game. This used to be a common Cccur-
renee years ago, but it is only once i'm a
while that fleeing of this character comes |
to our attention. The regularly appoint
ed Capital guide is all right He Is a |
gentleman and a man of integrity, and
he must live up to the rules prescribed |
or be dismissed. Only once in a great |
while is a complaint iodG ID againS. n
Capitol guide, and an investigation will |
show that the complainant was |
at fault"