Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-14
EPIDEMIC OF ARRESTS.
Many Cranks Captured by the Police
All Over the Country.

TT is a matter Of coincidcnt interest.
said one Of Major Sylvester's clever de-
tectives this morning, that during the
consideration and at the passage Of the bull
by Congress designed for the protection or
the life OF the President an unusual u,lm-
Der Of persons have been arrested as crsuks
in Washington and in other cities
1t is a fact which has apparently os-
capped notice that during the past tv,,
ponths there have been times when the
arrest Of such persons, often at the White
House, and at the depots in this city. has
oeen matter Of almost daily record IN
Inc Star. While large proportion OF
these cranks have been apparently harm
less In their insstence upon securing en-
trance into the presence of the President
o. III other cities. in their announcement
mat they We're on their way to Washington
to see the President there have been OH
pearances 0P
This almost epidemic Of arrests ALI over
oIe country carries with ii its own lesson,
ana ought TO tend TO disabuse the Ameri-
can mind on the point that the President 10
me same as any other man. Liberty Of in
GINlQual action Is one thing, but license il
another OF different color Police ana Is,,,1
| ABIDING circles all over the country are
glad that the act has become a statute. and
tenure me prediction that the numerous
| arrests OF the persons in question Will show
almost at once decided falling Off
IN TACT. 1t is a misnomer 10 form n
oialh harmless Men in their right senses
are uahserous enough, al best while par
a1lis with dlsordered senses ought 10 be
paced at once under restraint This no.,
| peen demonstrated I'm 50 many notable ~
minor instances that the police are at n
loss TO account for the ready exr,,sa -
PeoplS Ihoughtlessly find for the eccentric
ana the demented. Though a nersn, 49,
nave been harmlessly insane FOR te,, -
II uOes not follow that that person ,,,a,,
| not inlet bodily injury UNION another ~,
b ~ M mug OF the eleventh year But FOR
| Ihe vigilance of the police in Wasbino~to,
ana other cities, who appreciate this ,e,f,t
more thoroughly than the general nibiic
acls OF violence on the part Of these SIM
| tiplied without number. al
ana TINS brings up an important noInt
as regards our local police and detactiro
forces winch Congress may well take INTO
consideration. The police records s1ou- tba+
| Washington is the natural Necca j." 10 10
country Tor persons with grievances Of an
KINDS and especially against the govern :
ment and its officials. Persons from The re
mote state OF Washington to Florida will
| start for the city of Washington ,1,,rS;r1r -
grievance of some kind under the deIusIon
| that 1t can be rectified here The cot oF
sUNtihhieht attracts these unfortunates as
a Ioadstone attra cts particles OF iron IN ~
SAND IL none of the other important are11
inents advanced for the increase of ollr no
nee and detective forces were brought to
me lore thls one fact in itself is sufficient
to commend itself to those who e,c,-',r "a, 'lS
The detail of police at our railroad Sta
uohs steamboat landings. public places ana
thoroughfares ought to be largely aug
HIenteu: AS IL Is, with our limited force IL
is but justice to all concerned 10 Cav, 49,
| as body our men deserve much moro
| praise than they receive. Our men seem al
most by instinct to be able to spot this
very undeslraole addition TO our population,
as the record at headquarters shows Nav-
ertheless in dealing with the police oues-
ton In Washington Congress has thus far
overlooked an element Of actual or intend
Ing Wrong-doers which is a very dangerous
element In any community, and especially
mere Unhappily, these people act covertlv
and slyly, and it is often only when they
nave committed an offense that their pres
ence is even suspected While they are NOT
criminals in the sense that housebreakers
are criminals. they are even more danger
Gus to the community"