Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-31

Years ago when IL was not an unusual
occurrence for prisoners to get dubbed by
policemen there was one officer on the force
who, boosted that he had never used MS
club for such purpose. He renamed on
active duty until he was nearly eighty
years old, and only short time before MS
retirement he had a case in the Police
Court in which the. man under arrest was
badly disfgured. His eyes had been black
ened and his face appeared very much the
same as many faces of victims of the club
who had been in court before him.
The prisoner in the dock appeared at the
rail and the judge expressed astonishmert
at his condition when the identity OF the
prosecuting policeman was disclosed =
whats the matter with ~tnis man?' IN
quired the judge when the latter reacneo
the rail.
Nothing" was the policemans response,
"only his face was hurt little"
1T looks it," the judge remarked.
Judge" said the policeman, when
arrested this man last night he bucked ana
wanted to get In fight. These fellows
think il they get policeman to Us
figure them they can gei out. When 1 saw
what his game was l threw away my clue
and only used my fist and that's the rea-
son he don't show any marks"
He don't show any marks?' queried the
court. Don't You call those marks about
his eyes?'
why, no. sir" the officer said. HE
wanted me to use my club, and just sup
pose | had done it. He wouldn't have look
ed as good he does now
The judge accepted the explanation and
imposed fine.
:: =
In executing the order for the return
home of the United States troops in the
Philippines an exception will undoubtedly
be made in the case of the 9th band of the
artillery corps. The reason for this is
that that band is composed almost entirely
Of native Fihpinos. 1t contains but four
American musicians out of total of about
seventy-five men. The natives are natural
musicians and their band compares favor
ably with any other band in the archi-
pelago They like the service and feel
amply compensated by the pay, the gay
uniforms provided and the prestige they en-
joy among their people At the same time
they are able to make extra money by
playing outside engagements at concerts,
receptions and other functions for which
their services are in frequent demand.
The execution of a murderer yesterday at
the District jail had the usual effect of bring
ing to the front large number of persons
who are possessed of morbid curiosity to wit
ness the putting to death of human beings.
remarked a prominent official connected with
the local courts. For weeks prior to the
day a hanging is scheduled to occur the
warden of the Jail, the United States attor-
ney, newspaper men and others are bur-
dened with requests for cards Of admission
to the execution. All sorts of schemes are
resorted to by certain individuals in an eff
fort to get within sight of the gallows on
the fateful day. l think the limit was
reached recently when / received a letter
from an acquaintance who requested me to
please get him pass for two, his little
girl was very anxious to see hanging.
THE warden of the Jail has sole authority
as regards executions. and he is governed
by the law, which limits the attendance.
Invitations are issued only to the spiritual
adviser of the condemned man, his lawyer,
the United States attorney, a limited num-
Der of physicians and jury of twelve citi-
Zens to certify to the carrying into effect
of the sentence. The newspaper men who
report the occurrence attend as members of
the jury.
The desire on the part of some persons to
see a condemned criminal put to death is so
strong that even though they are denied
admission they habitually loiter about the
entrance to the Jail until long after the ex-
ecution is thing of the past"
The people who are saved from self
ridicule by considerate reporters and edi-
tors are more numerous than the army of
public men who are subjected to the pen
Of the cartoOnist and the caricaturist The