Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-20
THE CAPITOL INCIDENT
LOCAL FIRM SUPPLIES COSTUMES
FOR THE MINsTRELs.
Lew Dockstader and Confederate the
Principals-Pfctures Wanted
for Monoiogue.


the costumes worn by Lew Dockstader
and his confederate in the impersonation
of President Roosevelt and Booker 4.
Washington at the Capitol yesterday
were secured from e. Gundiach, local
costumer To a Star reporter Mr.. Gund-
1ach said today:
Late Tuesday evening Mr.. Dockstader
and friend, whose name did not learn.
but who was the man that unprecedented
President Roosevelt, called at my place OF
business. Dockstader looked over my
stock of negro wigs, and after trying on
several, selected one which appeared to
fit him best and to look most like the
person he desired to represent. He then
secured from me a revolver and q GUAM
tity of burnt cork with which to blacken.
THE man with him asked for silk hat.
He tried on several and asked for one
that would be a size or two too large for
his normal head. as he expected to wear
1t over wig he had at his hotel. This
man also secured an old city directory,
which he said he wished to carry in his
hand to represent book. All OF these
articles were returned to me yesterday
morning. The gentlemen did not intimate
for what purpose they intended to use the
articles of makeup. and as it was none Of
my business did not inquire"
Comment Of the Police.
Lew Dockstader is a nervy man. was
the remark made at police headquarters
this morning while the case was under
discussion. HE was here two years ago
and succeeded in getting an amount of
free advertising by having his band fol-
low a company of English visitors. His
band played nothing but ragtime music,
and the English visitors were unable to
keep STEP
"If Lew had been in Germany yesterday
instead of the United States" commented
detective, ''he would be in bad FIX
now; he would be on his way to the salt
mines
A more serious view of the case was
taken by the higher police officials. Cap
tain Boardman professed ignorance In re-
gard to the case. but Major Sylvester ad-
mitted that his department had the mat
ter under investigation So far as ne knew
there are to be 10 arrests. An effort Is
being made, he stated, to straighten out
the matter. 1t was case for the Capitol
police, he said. and one in which the men,
bers of his department would not take
action unless called upon to do So :,
Detective Hartigan was not at roll call
at headquarters this morning, and his
absence was construed to mean that he
had been sent out of the city to make
an investigation respecting the case. When
the members of the police department be-
came acquainted with the facts yesterday
afternoon and started an investigation. De-
tectives Hartigan and Baur were selected
to perform the work They first visited
the office of the assistant United States
attorney and laid the facts before him.
Charge Of Libel.
The latter looked up the law and gave the
detectives the advice they needed. His adj
vice was that they arrest the photographer,
who had possibly violated the law respect
ing libel, and seize his camera. This done.
the attorney said. the question of libel
could be considered and the proper charge
filed. So far as Lew Dockstader and his
companion were concerned the attorney
thought they might be charged with vio-
lation of the District law against dfsorderly
conduct unlawful assemblage.
Under such a charge, he stated, 1t would
probably be impossible to bring them here
on a requisition. On the charge of criminal
libel, however. the photographer might be
brought from another Jurisdiction.
The clerk of the Police Court, Mr.. Joseph
Y. Potts, was consulted by the detectives
last night upon the question of issuing a
warrant in the case, but he was at a loss
to know what offense he could charge. He
referred the officers to the prosecuting at
torney, and the result was that no warrant
was issued last night. Detective Hartigan,
1t is said, left on late train last night for
New York to enlist the aid of the New
York police in an effort to locate the trial
and find the camera.
Prosecuting Attorney Pugh, who has
charge of prosecutions of District cases in
the Police Court, said this afternoon that
no application had been made to him for a
warrant in the case. So far as he had been
advised of the facts, he stated, he did not
know with what offense he would charge
the members of the trio If they are arrested
and the cases brought before him.
A dispatch from New York today states:
Lew Dockstader, the minstrel today
turned over to the police the moving pic
ture films that were used in a camera yes
terday in the Capitol grounds at Wash
ington. where photographs were made of
man made I'D to represent President
Roosevelt extending aid to a negro lying
on the ground. The films are as yet un-
developed.
Dockstader's action followed visit from
a police inspector, after secret service Of
ficer from Washington had made a call a,
the detective bureau and stated that the
Washington police wished the films.
Il wanted the pictures for a new mono
logue," said Dockstader, after leaving the
inspectors office, land I am sorry that my
venture should have caused such commo-
ton"