Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-12

was born here February 10, 1911. For the
past sixty-two years he has been living
in the same place on 10th street south
east, where he was reared and where his
children were brought up. When the first
call for volunteers by President Lincoln
went out young McCathran was among
the first to enlist in defense of the ma
tional capital. For three months, in the
most trying times in this city, he was
member of the District Guard, the first
troops to be sworn in for the civil war
He served in the infantry in Maryland
Virginia and the District, protecting the
government here. After his enlistment
expired he left the army service and went
back to his trade of blacksmith, until
he appointed on the police force May
81, 1865.
when the station house was on Louisiana
avenue northwest, and remained there
until he was made sergeant January 10
1876. In that position he served IN the
seventh, third, sixth and NTH precincts ana
the Anacostia substation. For about thir-
teen years he was q sergeant IN AnacoS-
tia, and during that time he was inter
ested in most of the important cases that
came up. January &c, 1891, he was pro-
NOTED to the rank of lieutenant and was
placed in charge of the NTH precinct
where he had been doing duty previously
About. one year later he was again pro-
NOTED to the rank of lieutenant ana IN
spector and was placed in charge of the
de; ective bureau. He remained there until
October Is, 1892, when he was needed
back in the fifth precinct and was sent
back there. After remaining there Tor
four or five years he was placed in com
maud of the ninth precinct, remaining
there about two years, when he was
again returned to the command OF the
fifth precinct, where he mas since re-
manned.
Lieut. McCathran has been Interested In
the arrest OF many noted criminals IN the
District 1t was he who arrested Jim
..9r... ,.f "a. old al
Grady went away to Baltimore after the
crime but when he came back lie was To-
Gated by Policeman McCathran. Lieut.:
McCathran also assisted in the arrest ana
conviction of Charles Shaw for the muir
der of his sister in q lonely spot in Ana
costa Another arrest for murder was
that of Gaines, who killed his father with
a club in Anacostia. When he was dong
duty in the first precinct McCathran ndd
the beat on what was called Rum Row
He made many arrests of gamblers from
this place and established reputation
for his campaign. At another time, when
sylvauia avenue, President Grant, VINO
was on his way from the Capitol to the
White House. stepped up to him ana re,
aucSted him TO lock up a man VINO Adu
been following the PRESIDENT LOT so,iic
hours. The arrest was made and the
prisoner was committed to the asylum
His long record of thirty-seven years or
service is an enyiable one, and while he
has been In service FOR a long perlod ne
is still active and energetic.
i
The senior sergeant at the station house
is Sergt. James e. Mulhall. another vet
eran on the force who has been doing con-
tinuous service for the past thiIty-four
years. He was born in Ireland and came
TO this country when quite young and was
naturalized In this city. He learned the
trade of house PAINTER and worked at 1t
for some years before he was appointed 70
the police force, August 10, 1871. lie was
FIRST assigned to the sixth precinct, and
did duty in the noted "Swampoodle" beat.
He made an excellent record as a private,
and was advanced TO the rank of acting
sergeant June II, 1870, being raised TO The
fulI rank of sergeant March /, 1919. Null
hall did duty in the sixth and eighth pre-
cincts and later was sent to the fourth pre-
cinct where he had the usual battles with
the classes in the alleys there. When he
was promoted to the rank OF sergeant,
twenty-eiX years ago, he was sent to the
fifth precinct. and he has remained there
ever since. He admits that there are few
inches Of ground in the fifth precinct which
he does not know, even blindfolded.
Sergt. Mulhall has been instrumental in
the capture of many important criminals
during his term OF service While in the
fourth precinct he arrested Charles Strobel
for the murder of a man named Altman.
ard Lee. alias Dick Sparrow. for the mur-
der of his wife While all the detectives
from headquarters and many officers were
working on the case. Sergt. Mulhall located
the man and arrested him. At another
time he arrested James Powell, who was
wanted for a serious assault, and who
broke out of the sixth precinct The SER
gednt stole march on others who were
working on the case and located the man
within block of the station house. lie
was also responsible for the apprehension
of a man by the name of Edwards, who
was wanted for killing New York poica-
man.
Another veteran sergeant of the police
force and one who has a record OF service
for his country is Sergt Robert Moatgom-
cry. During service of over twenty-five
years in the department he has made a
| large number OF important arrests and
| has an excellent record for efficiency. He
was born in the empire state April 80 1871,
and reared in that state. When the
| civil war broke out he enlisted IN the navy
| and served through the war He took part
in the battle of Shiloh on the Tennessee