Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-21
BILL BROWN" JUDGED
]. h. LAWSON, DRIVER OF THE
GRAY MULE, SERVES HIS TERM.
A Clever Piece of Detective Work and
the Finale in the Police
Court.

the same old Brown" whom no one knows
or could identify, was accused again in
Police Court this morning, when John H.
Lawson, the latter of flesh and blood, was
arraigned before Judge Kimball on a charge
Of larceny.
Judge Kimban heard the thrilling story
of how bill Brown must have stolen the
articles Lawson stood accused of taking,
and of how the latter was the innocent
holder of the property waiting for Brown"
to come and get them.
Get out" said the irate judge. you've
got to find some better tale than that to
fool an old hand like me. I've heard of
Brown a thousand times. I'll sentence
Brown to three months in Jail and give
you the pleasure and privilege of serving
the time for him.
Lawson. apparently much aggrieved, skunk
back into the dock, giving long, low, rakish
looks at the judge.
Meantime Lawson, who is almost much
of an offender the BILL Brown of his
ina gina ton, will have time to repent his
nefarious ways and swear never to go
a-stealng In the bright moonlight again
Lawson seems to be an unlucky offender at
best, for he has served several terms IN
jail and q three years sentence in the pen1-
tertiary. the latter being for housebreak1ng.
He is charged at the present time with Vio-
lating the policy laws and will have to be
tried for that after leaving jail ninety days
hence He's known to all the police The
story of his last adventure however, is an
interesting one. 1t is a tale of the moons
temptation. perfidy and betrayal.
The Old Gray Mule.
Driving along the military road on the
edge of Rock Creek Park in the early hours
of last Wednesday morning, Lawson, with
a rickety wagon and old gray mule, all
bones and bandages, spied silver pitcher
unattached and ungrarded on the front
porch of Mr.. Rudolph Kauffmann's summer
residence. 1t shone brightly in the pale
rays of the newborn moon. 1t dazzled
Lawson's conscience, if the man ever had
such a thing, and shattered all his last re-
solves to "be good Meath the shadow OF
an overspreadng tree the queer team stop
ped. A dark form crept upon the porch.
The pitcher disappeared beneath a coat.
The game was too easy for Lawson. He
could not withstand the temptation of seiz-
ing also a fine wicker table on which the
pitcher had reposed, and a porch rocking
chair which sat alongside. All these things
were bundled into the wagon and spread
over with hay. Evidently the man and his
equipage had started forth on the nocturnal
journey in the suburbs for no good reason;
the preparations for crime We're complete.
County officers patrolling their beats and
riding horseback along the outskirting
roads noticed his queer outfit moving along
In the moonlight, but as things seemed to
be regular, no action was taken. More than
one brass-buttoned policeman, however,
cast wary glance at the strange team APP
pedrlng on the roads at such an unusual
hour. 1t was also noticed by some of them
that hay had been arranged in the wagon
so to hide the contents most effectualiy.
Thus came about the clew which led to
Lawsons downfall in the Police Court
today
Wednesday morning Mr.. Kaufman re-
ported his loss to police headquarters, and
Captain Boardman, chief of the detective
bureau. assigned Detective Tom Hartigan
to the case. The preliminary inquiry
brought forth the information as to the
gray mule ambling laboriously along in the
moonlight. The team had been noticed in
the vicinity Of Mr.. Kauffmanns house. A
general notice was sent from headquarters
instructing the force to look out for the
old mule and the wagon.
Lawson's Arrest
Friday afternoon Officer Brown in
Georgetown, observed the desired cornbina-
ton coming down the street. He halted the
outfit. John Lawson, colored, was the man
at the reins.
Mule wagon and driver were taken to the
station and headquarters notified. Detec-
tive Hartigan at once went to Georgetown
One look at the prisoner told him he was
on the right track, for Lawson was recog-
nized of the most troublesome col
| ored criminals in the District. His picture
Is one OF the best known in the local rogues'
/ gallery.
| Hartigans only inquiry was as to the
| mans address He was confident if he ar
| rived at his quarters before any word could
| be sent there the missing table, chair and
| silver pitcher would be forthcoming The
! address given was 40 street southwest
( Hartigan FASTENED there. In a corner of
| the mans room were the stolen goods The
| detective also discovered two iron-frame
chairs in the room. All of the articles
| were bundled into a wagon and taken to
| headquarters
The Story of BILL Brown"
| In the Police Court this morning Mr.
| Kaufman appeared to identify his portion
| OF the stolen plumber Detective Hartigan
| told of his search related above He
! said that after recovering the stolen goods
| he again questioned Lawson, who denied
| having them in his possession. When shown
| the goods, however, the negro said that of
| course he had those things" He didn't
| know what the detective had been driving
| at. He was keeping the things for man
! who had hired his team to go into the coun-
| try and move some goods he. had bought
Lawson told his story to Judge Kimball
! He said a man named bill Brown" came
to him last Tuesday evening to hire his
| team.
| He said he knew my father, Judge" de-
| clared Lawson this morning hoping to lend
| effect to his story. Il told him to take the
team and move the things he wanted to
move couldn't go with him. for l wasn't
.
| O'Clock. he came back to my house and said
| he didn't have the money to pay ME for the
| team and asked to hold the goods for
| him until ne could pay me-"
| Lawson has not seen Bill" since and
| hasn't been able to find any one who knows
/ him.
We'll. Lawson. that is a great one" said
| the judge. so old Bill Brown must have
! taken the things, eh?''
! Yes, sir, judge, your honor" eagerly re-
| Piled the prisoner
1
IT'S too bad for you that he did Bill
| Brown is an old story with me. I've been
| told about him and I've had him before me
| about a thousand times. although he neve,
| OWNS up TO his right name and wears differ
| ent faces. You go down and serve Bits
| sentence for him this time. Three months.
And still Bill Brown" bad man, stalks
| around, but the old gray mule has Temporal
| rily lost its master.
| However. clever police work brought
| about Lawsons confinement and the au
| thorities have one less Bill Brown t.
| worry over.
Bay Ridge, the Queen Resort Of the
Chesapeake bay Salt water bathing, or