Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-21

what are you saying to that jury"
sharply demanded the alert and vigilant
counsel for the defense OF the leading
counsel for the prosecution, as the latter
was heard to make a few remarks in a low
tone 10 the jurors in the course of the
summfngup arguments in recent triai
In one OF the local courts.
II was not saying anything TO the Ju-
rors," was the prompt response.
Yes. you were. l heard you, persisted
the opposing counsel
We'll. l did make some remarks 10
them" the other attorney admitted, Smll-
ingly, but they started to talk to me, ana
l was protesting. Yes, sir, l was protest
ing against being tempered with by the
jury.
A number of the older residents of the
city are interested In the question of pros
ecutIng the boys who battle without proper
bathing suits in the vicinity of the favorite
boating stretches on the river. The matter
In especially interesting to those who in their
youth had experience with the officers Oh
the law. .
''If the boys feel that they must bathe
IN the river and they cannot get in secluded
spots long distance from the city saiu
one of the older residents to a star report
err their parents should give them pathins
suits and not subject the children to frlghts
after they are in the water, Win posSipie
drowning as the result
Children have been drowned in just this
way. The sight of policeman, conStaole
or sheriff approaching boy IN the Water
is calculated to scare him and may cause
him to drown in his effort to get away
There are officers of the law who would 40
such a thing without giving any thought 10
the possibility of causing the loss OF human
life. and it is a serious question with me
which is the more serious offense-bathlng
without any wearing apparel OF the fright
enins of the bather.''
The old resident recalled an experience he
had some years ago while bathing in the
Eastern branch near BladenSburg. He Went
to the old Prince George town for the pur-
pose OF attending tournament. There
were several boys in the party and they
went in swimming, not giving other people
q thought. After they had been in the
water short while a constable appeared
upon the scene and gave notice that they
were under arrest
zone boy in the party" he said. became
so thoroughly frightened that he came near
drowning We saved him. however. and
he had to appear before the squire with
the rest Of us"
n x y
Only a few days ago a lady, who had
never been In the Police Court. was called
as a witness to the local court and there
she saw for the first time the daily grist of
prisoners who are every day sent to the
jail and workhouse. AS she sat In wit
ness room. in the rear of the building, she
heard some stnging-good sing .ng-and
many of the pieces were hymns.
is there a church near here?" she lues
toned. turning to one of the officials
mo, that singing is by the prisoners
The visitor kept talking about the fact
evidently much impressed that thu poor
prisoners should feel like singing at such
a time. Soon after the van drove up TO
the door and the choir began to file out to
ba loaded their trim all The laIV
who sat near a window, saw the line, end,
turning to the official, remarked:
There they are, handcufed. and singing
as II they were filled with JOY"
THAT is almost an everyday occur
renee" remarked the court official.
It is usually the old offenders who start
the singing in the cells of thu Court. They
have been to the Jail previously and there
have learned some nyrlns during the Sun
gay song service %. elsewhere. AS many
Of them are colo ed and have excellent
fagious. when they arc lacked closely in
che cells and soon nearly eyery prisoner is
fointng In
Persons connected with police depart
nents are frequently asked why people
peal and how they happen to start upon
fhe downward path which usually leads to
prison" observed a member of Inspector
Boardman's staff to party of friends who
were interested in his work.
II can recall case that happened some
years ago ne continued, in which the
mother OF a dishonest young man asked
me why her boy had started stealing, and
I told her il was easy question to an
swer. l had known her boy and knew he
had been permitted TO have his own way
too much but when / told her so she was
shocked and thought l knew nothing of
what ! was talking about"
The detective explained to his listeners
that he told the mother her hnv had hRap
permitted to run the streets at all hours
Of the night, explaining that good seldom
comes from late hour associations.
''Yeu may not believe It," the sleuth re-
marked. but the mother thought l was
absurd when l made the suggestion that
II or l O'clock was too late for boy TO be
on the streets but she really did say that
midnight was early enough for anybody to
retire.
when asked about how crooks happen
to become members OF bands OF profess
sional THE l always want to refer them
10 story that IS told by Col. William A.
Ptnkerton.' who. at a police gathering
short while ago said
~ remember asking an old "Profes-
sional sneak how he first became ASSOC
ciated with a band of first-class Sneak
thieves. He told me his early hoyhood was
in a country town in which general store
was presided over by a widow. that this
widow. going to the cellar for certain mer-
chandtse leaving the store unguarded, sug-
gested TO him how easy Il would be 10 rob
the 'till'' during her absence by another
boy ordering some article requiring her
presence in the cellar. This was carried
out and was his first sneak robbery
From this lie continued stealing from q
small show window IN the same store pack
ages OF chewing tobacco, pipes, etc, also
occasionally roobing the till, but one after
noon before a Fourth OF July, in attempting
TO steal some packages OF torpedoes one
OF the packages dropped on the floor. -e-
sulting In an explosion and causing his a.
rest. This started his career as a sneak
thief and he was eventually selected as
the sneak for q band of professionals