Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-29

Star the policemen here protect property
primarily instead of handling crowds
There is vast amount of private wealth In
the precinct. but there are few places where
large crowds gather; therefore the police
mans duties are in the line of protecting
property. In the other two precincts large
crowds gather, and they must be handled.
Men of different caliber are thus needed for
this precinct
In charge of this precinct and the seventy
men who comprise Its personnel is Lieut..
r. b. Boyle, one of the oldest, In point of
service in his position, in the police depart
ment For the past thirteen years he has
been in charge of this precinct, assuming
charge when he was promoted from SER
geant, and his performance of the duties OF
position which require the utmost diplo-
macy tact and yet strictness indicates that
the choice was a wise one Over thirty
one years in the service of the police de-
partment, and for thirteen years q success
full lieutenant in charge Of one of the i'm
portant precincts, is a record Lieut.. Boyle
looks upon with pride.
Born in Washington.
Lieut. Boyle was born in this city in the
old first ward on June q, 1850. He comes
of a notable family, one which has been
prominent in the District for many years.
His grandfather was John Boyle, chief clerk
of the Navy Department for many years,
His sons were commander Boyle, U. s. N;
Capt Eugene Boyle, U. S. A; DR.. Cor
nelius Boyle, provost general in the con-
federate army banshed for many years
from this city, and afterward living down
the reputation, one of the prominent doc
tors of the city; John F. Boyle, a prominent
business man, and Mrs. Catherine Stubbs,
for some time the disbursing officer of the
State Department. Lieut.. Boyle is the son
of John F. Boyle. He attended the public
schools of the city until he was fifteen
years old, when he went to Rock Hill Col
lege, Ellicott City. Md. After remaining
there about two years he returned to the
city and soon learned the printers trade
while q clerk in store. He engaged in
the printing business for about eight years,
when he was appointed to the police force.
That was on February 49, 1874. He was
sent to the sixth precinct and served under
Lieut. Kelly. He remained in that precinct
until April Is, 1850, when he was made act
ing sergeant, and was sent to the second
precinct. He made good In his new posi-
ton, and In two months he was returned
to the sixth precinct with the advanced
rank. On April Il, 1856, he was made
full sergeant and was transferred to the
first precinct. He served there and in the
sixth precinct until June g 1892, when he
was made a lieutenant. He succeeded John
T. Guy, deceased in charge of the third
precinct, where he has since remained.
Has Many Scars.
Lieut.. Boyle has many scars on his body
which he received while in the line of duty
in fights with desperate characters. His
modesty forbids his speaking of them
Others, however, have given him all the
credit for some of the most prominent
scars. One he has is located on the nose
and on the right cheek 1t was learned by
the police that Frank Fosbonder a native
of New York. had bought a revolver and
cartridges and that he intended to do some
one bodily harm. Lieut.. Boyle went to the
house on b street near Sd street northwest
the night of Depau1 her 10
found the armed man in possession of the
premises and ordered him to give up the
gun. The reply was a Shot the bullet
piercing the nose and cheek of the young
officer and for time threatening his life.
His uncle, DR.. Boyle, extracted the bullet.
Boyle was off duty only eighteen days. An
other desperate fight in which Lieut. Boyle
was engaged while he was private was
that in Prathers alley, between 4th and
9th, l and K streets northwest. One night
he was on his rounds when he got into a
fight with a drunken man. A large crowd
gathered, but as they were from "SWam-
poodle a tough section of the city then
they took the part of the man fighting
Boyle, and the crowd turned on the officer
He struggled with numerous persons for a
long time, fighting all the way from the
alley to the street and down the street half
a block when aid reached him. He fought
for his life all the time, and it was only the
timely aid which prevented worse injuries.
The Senior Sergeant.
The senior sergeant, who takes the place
of the lieutenant when that official is alb
sent from his duties, is Sergt. J. A. Wil-
lams, man well known among the gov
eminent officials around this city for his
service at the White House and in the sixth
precinct Sergt. Williams was born on
March p, 1860, at Greenville, N c., and the
was educated al his home. At the age of
twentyfour he enlisted in the 4th United
States Artillery and served five years for
his country with much efficiency He was
appointed member of the police force on
July i, 1889, and was assigned to the l.rs.
precinct in view of his excellent war rec
ord He remained there for eight years.
when he was promoted to the rank of SER
geant and was sent to the seventh precinct
His work as sergeant was of high order
and he was only there eight months when
he was sent to the White House and was
put in charge of the exterior guard This
was an extremely important detail owing
10 the Spanish-American war, which was
on at that time. Sergt. Williams was in
charge OF the guard which escorted the
President, his cabinet and the ladies to and
from the rear of the treasury building on
the occasion of the return Of Admiral
Dewey and the peace jubilee. After eff
cient service at the Executive Mansion he
was sent to the sixth precinct. There he
secured the arrest and conviction of Moy
Lee for conducting gambling, he being the
hrst Chinaman ever convicted on the
charge. He was sent from there to the
first precinct, where he served six months.
From there he sent to the third pre-
einct, where he is still located He has
been there four years.
Saved Many Lives.
While at the White House Sergt. Will
liams was responsible for the saving of
many lives at the time OF the stampede
around the bier of the late President Nc
Kinley at the Capitol. The responsibility
for handling the crowds was a divided one
At an unexpected moment when MANY
thousands of people were waiting to see the
remains, there was wild rush for the east
entrance. Everything was disorder and
chaos; so great was the surgng that horses
were carried some distance up the steps
The entire portico was filed to overflow
ing and men and women were being pressed
to the coping, a fall over which meant
death or severe injury. Sergt Williams
saw the gravity of the situation at once.
forced his way to the portico and imme-
diately called for some soldiers He placed
the armed soldiers between each column.
cleaned out all the people from the portico
and then stationed six soldiers on each
side of the central column. Order was
soon restored and the people all saw what
they wanted and without danger.