Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-21

There was a time in the history OF the
police department when complaints of reck-
lessness on the part of policemen with their
revolvers We're made every few weeks. Such
complaints are seldom heard now.
1.-The shoe is now on the other foot,
policeman remarked to a Star reporter the
day after the shooting of two policemen.
THE police have to do the complaining
now. Many persons are reckless with fire.
arms. and 1t Is only because of good luck
that more people are not killed Proper
care is not exercised by owners of weapons
when they are handling or cleaning Them
and stray shots come near taking life be-
cause of the carelessness. .~.....
Instead of being complained against
he added. 1.-The policeman Is sometimes in a
position to complain because his weapon
will not do its duty. At the time the two
policemen were attacked by a brother Of
fcer in disguise one of them drew his
weapon in defense of the two lives. and
would probably have laid low the intended
assassin but for the reason that the revolt
yer furnished him by the department failed
to do its work.
This is not the first time policemen have
had trouble of this kind" the policeman
stated. 1T does seem singular that wea-
pons will fail in this way after they have
been fully tested, and, on the other hand
old, rusty pistols that are never even clean
ed will do such deadly work. In looking
that conditions usually favor the criminal
and not the man who is seeking to vindi-
cate the law or to protect his home
* X
You know that this Is very kindly
world" observed a man who is connected
with large financial institution. AS this
benevolent sentiment accompanied by
twinkle of his eyes. the friend to whom
he was talking at once concluded that he
meant the opposite of what he said. So he
Responded:
We'll, | suppose somebody tried today
TO get you to take a gold brick"
Not exactly that" was the rejoinder,
'but it was the intention to have me pass
the glttering bauble on to the outstretched
eager hands of the dear public. The plan
a simple one. First organize a
company and issue about a million in
stock. The objects of the company are i'm
materal-any old thing-the main purpose
Is to have the stock to sell. Each share of
stock is to sell for $50; par value. 500.
With these preliminaries go to some trust
company and ask it to give bond to
each purchaser of a share of stock, under
taking to pay back the entire $50 on each
share of the stock after the expiration of
fifteen years. 1t is, of course, an essen
tial part of the plan that deposit of S2J
on each share for the time mentioned is
with such guarantee from company
of good standing the promoter is ready for
the investor. Into the ear of the latter he
pours his tale Of large business and great
profits. that in addition to fat dividends
the stock will soar to far and beyond. But
in the event. he adds with a degree of
conservatism that impresses the liste ner
that these reasonable expectations not
realized and the stock does not appreciate
and dividends do not materialize the in
weston loses nothing. For he has the guar
antee of trust company that at the end
OF fifteen years the full amount which he
has paid in will be returned to him"
Where do the promoter and the trust
company come in asked the friend who
followed the unraveling of this gittering
scheme with manifest interest"
Neither is lost in the shuttle" was the
retort. THE promoter takes the fifty dol
lars paid on each share by the investor
puts half Of 1t in his pocket and the other
half on deposit with the trust company
subject to the conditions of the bond given
by the trust company to the stock pur-
chasers. The deposit remains untouched
for fifteen years. and in the meantime by
the process of compound interest the inter
est paid by such institutions on deposits
amounts to S25 at the end of that period
Then the individual secured by the bond
steps in and Is paid back in full what each
share of stock cost him, which he would
be entitled to If he had deposited S25 or
his own account and kept it on deposit fol
the period named. The promoter, suppos-
ing. of course, that the enterprise is moi
legitimate one. rakes in SO on each
share"
st have heard of funny replies made TO
the challenges OF sentinels by recruits In
National Guard camps" remarked Off
Ger Of the local brigade of citizen sodiery,
'but the answer given man on post in a
camp of regulars in an adjoining state last
summer was as amusing as any of the
others | refer to.
1T seems that a squadron of United
States cavalry had been ordered into camp
with the National Guard forces of the
state. A certain officer of the quartermas-
ter's department of the guard had beer
courteous to the regulars. two of the
cavalry officers Invited the quartermaster