Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18

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ton fugitive was arrested in the south and
brought here after he had experienced
many trials and tribulatfons. He had been
days without food and was afraid to ask
for assistance because he thought he might
have to make an explanation that wouio
result in his arrest. After being brought
back here, he told of how he had spent
part of his time lodging policemen and
supposed detectives. He had remained in
one place more than q few days, nor
had he eaten three meals a day on many
of the days he was fugitive He told of
his experience in southern city when he
had but five cents left and lived on the
strength of having such an amount of cash
for nearly week. He attacked free-lunch
counters, and 1t was not until he was
called down by a colored waiter that he
felt keenly his position and concluded he
would surrender.
Each time he went into a saloon he
watched the counter and the employees.
holding the nickel in his hand. He was
always ready to say he was patron OF
the house and prove it by showing his cash
and ordering fve-cent schooner, but when
spoken 10 by the waiter ali thoughts of his
cash vanished and he quietly departed. His
only regret when he returned here a pris-
oner was that he had not remained here
in the first instance and taken his dose of
justice.
'eThese cases. the sleuth concluded,
''show that it usually pays a man to face
his troubles and have them over as soon
as possible"
The other afternoon elderly lady called
on a senator from one of the western states
to ascertain the trend Of some business
which the legislator was pushing for her
before one of the departments. She called
at the hotel where the senator stop
ping and was greeted by his secretary.
well, Mrs. Blank, what can I do for
you?" asked the young man in his pleas
ATTEST way.
Mrs. Blank evidently did not like the idea
of telling her business to the secretary, so
she asked him rather shortly to tell the SEN
ator that she wished to speak to him rela-
tive to business.
Well will you please tell me the nature
of the business?' inquired the handler Of
the typewriter keys.
mo, ] Will not discuss the matter with
you at ALL rejoined the lady.
We'll. madam the secretary explained,
1T is always customary for those calling
upon the senator TO explain the nature of
their business to me-
Ry this time the lady was indeed wrathy.
and with a toss of her head exclaimed as
she brought into play touch of slang:
You need not think that you are the only
tin can on the shelf.
The secretary was nonplussed for a mo-
ment. but regaining his equilibrium re-
Joined:
No I'm only piece of scrap iron"
The visitor Immediately left the room and
the senator has received no more calls from
her.
A pair Of old veterans, one of whom had
worn the blue and the other the gray in
the civil strife, stood at the corner of Tth
street and Pennsylvania avenue the other
evening and snapped war stories. The ex-
reb had been the listener for some time and
the Yank was bantering him about an oc-
currence at the battle of the Wilderness.
There were just six of u.s." said the for
rier Yank. land made full company of
you graybacks run Ike deer
II reckon you did" replied the southerner.
Did you fellows have any grub In your
Yes. they were chock full of bareback
and bacon.
''That accounts for IT. rejoIned the for
ner confederate. Now I understand how
YOU fellows made weuns run. We were
chasing you to capture that bareback and
bacon you had in your sacks, for we were
mighty hungry those days. -.-...
x j. 4
Gen Greedy, chief signal officer" re-
marked high officer of the army, re
Gently declared with pride that the signal
service was prepared for any emergency
that might arise. Well, that may be the
case with the Signal Corps, but certain
other departments are not by any means
50 well equipped for war. Take the En-
gineer Corps. for instance. Through the
continued failure of Congress to make other
provision, the pontoon bridge equipment
now in use, dates back to the civil war,
and through old age, the greater part of it
is absolutely unfit for field service. To
meet that condition Gen. Mackenzie, chief
of engineers, reports that in order to have
any field bridge equpage fit for service it
will be necessary to thoroughly overhaul
! 10 inv
parts of It. This equipment Is an essential
part of an army and cannot be procured
in the open market. Lack of 1t in time of
war would prove most disastrous.
* K
A human interest story that was sent out
broadcast from Evansville, Ind. and which
described the branding with the letter d.
of man from that place because he de-
serted from the army during the civil war,
has itself been branded with big letter
'F'' as a fake of the first water. Corporal
Tanner, commander-in-chiefo of the G. a.
r., in speaking of the matter to a Star re-
porter, declared that it was his belief that
the story was made out of the whole cloth.
mo officer he added, would have dared
to do such thing as to brand one of his
soldiers with red-hot iron. Furthermore,
such punishment was not necessary, as the
act of desertion in wartime called for the
most severe of all pun1shments-death."
The general publication of the branding
story has called attention to other forms
! of punishment that were melted out to SOL
| der offenders in the sixties Among these
| was the wearing of a large placard in
scribed Thief" which was imposed on
! some fellow who had committed larceny;
! the drumming out of camp of others, while
| the drummers and ffers played THE
| Rogues March," the "bucking and gag
! ging'' of other classes of offenders by tying
| their arms and legs and placing a bayonet
/ crosswse in their mouths. and running
/ the gauntlet" the most dreaded of ali
| "a rpiD n cprrapfiOD IA la
consisted of making the victim run between
| two long lines of soldiers, each man being
| armed with paddle or thick switch, and
| taking a hearty whack at the running SOL