Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-24

Of the Joe blackburn all present were rss.
cued without single loss Of life.
The Patrol Boat.
The principal equipment of the harbor
precinct is the police boat In 1883 HAr-
bormaster Sutton was sent to New York
by the Commissioners to purchase the
Sadie Walker" the first police boat used
which was renamed the Joe Blackburn,
In honor of the Kentucky senator That
vessel was in service until 1897, when the
present boat was built under the direction
of Sergt Russell Dean for the special pur-
pose of patrol service In the local harbor,
The police force in the precinct is by Tar
the smallest Of any In the department In
charge of the precinct is Lieut. and Harbor-
master John r. Sutton. Second in author1-
ty is Russell Dean sergeant and pilot. The
acting desk sergeant Is Frank Monroe; the
crew on the boat is made up of the follow
ing privates: s. d. Lewis. r. Passeno
the boat by the following civilians: En-
gineer, w. B. Kersey; deckhand, Nj. W.
Hughes; fireman, Paul Underwood; night
Waterman, H. Ashford. There are four
footmen in the precinct. s. L. Cooper ana
w. F. Maddox serving in the day time and
s. G. Stang and w. G. Sweet at night
Commodore" Sutton.
known and universally liked Commodore"
Sutton, whose service as harbormaster for
so many years has received the commenda-
ton of his official superiors for faithfulness
and efficiency. He was born In this city
on May Ii, 1S47, and has lived here all his
life, receiving his early education in the old
Gonzaga College. In 1866, when only nine
teen years of age, he was appointed spe-
cial policeman, the first of the class IN
Washington, and performed duty on r
street from 18th to 14th streets. While
there he was instrumental In driving out q
gang of burglars who infested the vicinity
and made several important captures, the
one bringing him the most prominence be-
ing that of three burglars caught in the act
of breaking into Mrs. Burch's on 14th
street. Their entire outfit of tools was cap
tured also. His subsequent service as spe-
cIal policeman was at Harvey's restaurant
18th and Pennsylvania avenue northwest.
He served in that capacity until February
II, 1873, when he was appointed to the regu-
lar force and assigned to the first precinct,
being given the beat south of Pennsylvania
avenue from 11th to 18th street, which was
considered one of the toughest beats in the
city. Here he made creditable record,
doing much work with the detective bli-
reau. From there he was sent to the beat
covering Rum Row." the home of the old
gambling element. and to Crow Hill.
In 1878 he was detailed to the health Of
flee, under DIR. Smith Townshend, and
served for nearly three years as oyster and
fish inspector. In 1881 he was detailed as
harbormaster for the city. On July 1, 1885,
he was regularly appointed harbormaster
for the District, Congress having made pro-
vision for that office. From that time to
the present. period of more than twenty
two years, he has served continuously and
efficiently in that capacity. The Commits
sioners in 1883 authorized the purchase OF q
boat for policing the harbor, and Harbor-
master Sutton went to New York to buy
the Joe Blackburn. The vessel arrived here
June 8, 1883. and on that date Lieut. SUIT
ton was given police authority, in addition
to his duties as harbormaSter, and was
placed IN charge of the boat and its crew.
He continued in that capacity until July 1
last. Provision was then made for the har-
Dor precinct. and he was made 9 neuten-
well shown by the letter. Shown In his Of
fee. written after the burning of the ferry
boat Columbia, in May. 1903. from Commits
part: II thank you for the prompt action
on your part, which saved the District prop
erty under your care and propaoiy the
neighboring wharyes and vessels from ae,
piece with all your faithful service to the
District during many years, but its charac-
ter and significance call for special COM
mendation."
Pilot Russell Dean.
Russell Dean the pilot of the police boat,
holds the rank of sergeant in the police de-
partment. He has been with Commodore
Sutton for about seventeen years, or ever
since a boat has been used, and Ms serv-
ice has been the subject Of frequent COM
mendation. Sergt. Dean was born In south
ern Maryland on November 2, 1859, and re-
ceived his education in the local schools
there. In 1876 and 1877 he attended st.
Marys College, Charlotte Hall. After
leaving school he went on the sea as a sea-
man and cruised along the coast. Later
ni,,ta "a he cfofa Ach
Of Maryland and performed duty on the
Katy Hines. The boat was used to pro-
tect the oyster banks on the lower Potomac
river. He later followed steamboating as
a business and received a master and pilots
license for navigation on Chesapeake bay
and it's tributaries and he followed that
vocation until November II. 1886.
He was then appointed to the police force
and was assigned to the fourth precinct
He performed patrol duty east Of AZ street
southwest for about three years. When
the new police boat was purchased and
put in commission here he was detailed
for service under the harbormaster as
pilot. He has been the pilot of the boat
since, and has been acting harbormastor
on occasions when Lieut.. Sutton was away.
He was made private of class on Sep
TENDER l. 1890, and was promoted to the
rank of sergeant when the precinct was
created, July /, 1905.
One of the important duties performed by
Sergt. Dean was in connection with the
He designed the outlines of the boat and
when 1t was started In the Alexandria yards
he was sent there to have general supe--
vision of the building; and the success OF
the boat is regarded as testimony to his
good judgment in those matters. At the
times when the police boat has done etti-
cient service, in the rescue of drowning
persons, or persons in danger of being
thrown into the water, or in the rescue of
boats or the prevention of other catas-
trophies, he has performed efficient service
as the pilot of the boat, the most respon-
sib1e position on board. He is cool headed
and careful in time of danger, and that
has helped in the saving of lives and prop
erty many times. His familiarity with. the
harbor and the peculiar conditions which
exist here, from seventeen years of service
on the boat makes him valuable official
in such a position as pilot of the police
boat.
Members of Force.
The men chosen for duty at the harbor
precinct are picked for their special fitness
for the work in the precinct The foot
men, four in number, perform important
duties along the water front, especially
during the summer excursion season. w.
r. Maddox, the senior officer on duty dur
Ing the day. is a native of Ohio. where he
how, f,,1 Ia -al