The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-11
POLICE EXPECT
BUSY HOLIDAY
MANY REASONS ADVANCED,
RESIDENTS REQUESTED To LOCK-
DOORS IN ABSENCE.

Burglars and Thieves Will Seek to
Ply Their Unlawful AvOcations.
Police VIII Have Practically
Three Days of Christmas This
Year-AutOmObile Will Greatly
Facilitate Work-PIan of Holding
Police Court at Night Popular.
Perhaps no Christmas within the last
ten years has had so many influences
brought to bear on the hilarity of those
who celebrate it as is expected for
1904, and the police are anticipating a
most strenuous tour of duty.
Commencing on Saturday, with
Christmas Eve, and continuing until
well into Tuesday morning, nearly
every member of the force will be on
extra duty, and there is little doubt that
the number of arrests will exceed all
former records.
The fact that Christmas Eve comes
on Saturday is not the only reason
that the police anticipate excessive hi
larity in the celebration of the holiday.
This, however, will largely induce the
excessive use of intoxicants. but the
fact that general prosperity prevails
among nearly all classes will be a
greater factor in inducing people to
celebrate with little more than ordi-
nary zeal.
Will Have Much to Do.
On Sunday, Christmas Day, it is not
anticipated there will be much cessa-
ton in the demands made on the DO
lice department. On that day most of
the crimes which the patrolmen will be
called on to look into are expected to
be of the more serious sort, as nearly
all of the vicious class will he in doors,
where fights and cutting and shooting
scrapes will be the order of the day,
especially in YamacraW and other like
districts.
On Monday, Christmas Day will be
celebrated. On that day heavy de-
mands will be made or. the police force
for men on duty at the Bolton Street
Park, where game will be played be-
tween Savannah and Jacksonville. AS
football crowds are always enthusiastic
and prone to get highly excited at the
slightest proVOcation, the fact that it
is also the season for many of those
who will be spectators to partake free
ly of exciting beverages, will make it
necessary to have a squad of at least
twenty-five men on duty there.
From the fact that an automobile
will be used in sending out special men
the reserve force will be much more
efficient in answering calls and han
ding those arrested. The auto will
also be used to send detectives out on
hurry calls where their services are re-
quired at places where serious crimes
have been committed.
Will Watch for Thieves.
A special watch will be placed on
all suspicious characters, and pick
pockets, shop-lifters and "grafters'' of
all kind will be kept under the eye of
the law Within the last twelve
months nearly every large retail store
in the city has added to it's force of
store detectives, and 1t is not believed
that theft will be so prevalent this
year in the retail districts.
With the ban placed on fireworks
north of Liberty street by the city
ordinance, which it is the intention
of the police to strictly enforce, the
sticks with cap popping arrangements
at the end will again make the lives
of the nervous miserable after dark
in the shopping districts.
Keep Houses Locked Up.
The police are especially anxious to
impress all residents of the necessity
of securely securing all doors and
windows when they leave their homes
during the holidays, as this is the
time which all members of the sec
ond-story'' profession expect to reap
their richest harvests. This will not
only lessen the losses of the residents,
but will greatly reduce the labors of
the detectives.
All arrangements for the holding of
Police Court on Saturday night have
been arranged, and in this way it is
believed the demands for cell room in
the city prison will be met by letting
many of the earlier offenders out in
time to give room for those who come
later.