The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-07-19


good work.
Lieutenant Vernon has been a police
officer for over forty years and has
worked in every capacity known in the
Capital during that period. He com
menced as d private. was promoted TO
sergeant, lieutenant, captain. and major,
was private and captain of detectives.
plain clothes man. ana commander Of
the old guard which preceded the pres
ent organization. He is a man Of nerve
and sense and has faced some trying po-
sition with uniform fearlessness and
judgment He was an officer OF the
force when the Capital City used to in
dulge il the warmest variety Of election
riots, and he put in many hard days and
furious nights handling the turbulent
voters md the hoodlUms, Who always got
busy on such occasions lie has main
tanned the favor Of the people and the
fear o. the distuTbers through his long
career, and has many warm friends and
sincere admirers. lie is now on easy
duty at headquarters and is Of great as
sistance and moral comfort to the boys
on active duty. He is still a vigorous
and active man and would make a de-
cided impression should re be called out
IN an emergency The crooks who think
the:- old enemy is out OF the business
are seriously mistaken.
Lieutenant Vernon was a captain when
the shooting OF Garfield occurred He
was at the depot few moments after the
shooting and held consultation with
Secretary Blaine He had Guiteau ar
rested and the crowd became so furious
that violence was feared. Acting on the
advice Of the Secretary. the captain hur-
ried TO the District Building and secured
the warrant and commitment, so that
the murderer could be safely placed
without delay. His detail meanwhile
had charge az the station. Judge Smell
drew one of the papers, while Captain
Prince drew the other, and in very
short time Guiteau was behind the bars
Of the strongest jail in the District This
was an occasion when an officer needed
all his Judgment and nerve. and this Of
fcer came up 10 every requirement OF
the situation
In relating some OF his experiences
lately the venerable officer said that
the worst crime he had ever known was
the killing OF +-e Snyder children by a
crazy negro woman on the Duudas Road
about twenty yelrs ago. He says the
spectacle Of the two beautiful little
girls lying side by side at the side OF the
road with their brains beaten out was
decidedly the most narrowing sight in
his recollection Il was evideu- that
the deed was done by some insane or
fanaCicaI person. and one OF the evi-
dences was the sharpened cedar sticks
stuck up at the head and feet OF the
children. The discovery was made on
Sunday morning and the police spent
several hours looking for clues.
Finally Lieutenant Vernon concluded
TO try a ruse on the old negro woman,
having a slight idea that she had done
the killing. After a few preliminary
questions he abruptly asked her what
made her kill the little girls. She de-
MED all knowledge Of them, but soon
made statements that warranted her ar
rest The next day she said she would
confess II q gentleman whom she knew
was sent for This citizen was brought
in and Lieutenant Vernon and he went
to the cell
An officer was secreted near by to take
down her statement She told the whole
story and said that she got mad be
cause the children laughed at her, and
that she hit one pEetty hard She then
concluded to kill them both. Then she
laid them out and stuck the cedar sticks
as found BY the officers She vas brought
10 trial and convicted in a few minutes.
The lieutenant was asked by the judge
as to his opinion OF the woman, and
he pronounced her crazy. She was com
mitted to the asylum and died there a
few years later. She was about eighty
years old when she committed her ter
rible crime