The Washington times., 1903-09-13

Soldiers Home on Sunday nights were
very apt TO be relieved of their watches
o. money. The robber worked so eau
tiously and so quickly that he eluded
Identification. and months passed be-
fore any clue could be found which pIac-
ed suspicion on any Of the negroes who
lived in the vicinity.
One night a Mr.. Venus was driving
about the park, and stopped with his
lady friend on one Of the roads, got out
OF the buggy and sat on a bench. They
had scarcely sat down when Hawkins
came up behind. so suddenly as TO startIe
the young woman. She glanced around
as did Mr.. Venus and had good look
az the fellow as he came up in the full
glare of an electric light That and one
other circumstance was the highway
mans undoing
The negro proceeded peremptOrily to
business. He tapped Mr. Venus on the
shoulder, told him he was intruding on
the grounds. and informed him he would
have TO go down some distance 10 the
Office of the captain of the guard. Mr.
Venus refused to go. whereupon Hawkins
drew revolver and threatened TO shoot.
Mr.. Venus kept his nerve, defied the
negro, and said he would go quietly out
Of the grounds, but would not stir one
step in the negro's company. Just then
Hawkins grabbed Mr.. Venus watch,
broke the chain, said that would do,
and ran of.
Mr. Venus reported the theft at the
Eighth precinct. and gave a good de-
scription OF the man. When this was
read out by the lieutenant at the sta
tionhouse Mccormick thought he knew
the man. but how 10 prove the theft
was the question. The watch had a
kcrse's head carved on the back Of the
case, which naturally precluded the
pawning of the timepiece. and McCor-
nick came to the conclusion that the
niger would sooner OF later show the
watch II asked to give the time. He took
ar old darkey who kept a pie stand.
into his confidence and asked him to
keep an eye out for gold watch with
horses head carved on the case. a week
or two later the old man reported TO
Mccormick that brother OF the man
suspected had shown the watch in his
place. The policeman then went out
and came across a crowd OF young
negroes nearby. and approaching them
he saw that John Hawkins was among
them. He went up with an inquiry
about the time. explaining that his watch
lad stopped. There was a general show
ing Of timepieces under the gas lamp.
the police were after.
The Game Bagged.
Later that night in company with two
policemen. Mccormick went TO John
Hawkins house. wakened him. and de-
manded the watch. John Hawkins ex-
planned that he did not have IL, but had
given 1t back to his brother an hour or
so after he had seen the policeman.
John Hawkins was a reputable man. and
the story was accepted Mccormick.
however, explained that the watch in
question had been stolen, and that
George Hawkins was under suspicion.
He asked John to help tnem get the
watch or he would be placed under ar
rest for harboring stolen goods. This
was sufficient, and John went with the
policeman to George Hawkins house
He was awakened, and a demand made
for the watch. He denied possession,
but the brother confronted him with a
demand that the property be produced,
as he did not wish to go to prison for
the misdeeds OF a brother. This suf-
feed. and George handed over the
watch, George Hawkins was fully iden-
titled by Mr.. Venus and the young
woman. and the negro went to the peni-
tentiary for a long term His punish
ment was heightened, as a case was
made out against him for assault with
the other charge of highway robbery.
Mccormick tells a ghost story. in
which he and his partner solved a mys-
terry, after 1t had bothered the good
people of lie Droit Park for months
Men who had been down town late, and
perhaps taking a drink too much, as
they were returning home past lie
DroIt Park, occasionally saw something
which made their hair stand on end
Negroes would come running down the