The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-07-04
Observation-Disclosures,
Conveys NeW Police Boss
Says HOWLS Must Stop

NEW YORK. July Capt. James J.
Langan. who was In charge Of the de-
tective bureau once, and who now Is
rusticating at Coney Island. stood on
the corner Of Surf avenue and West
Eighth street on Sunday afternoon
Every once in a while the captains
brows would knit and a sickly. pained
look would come over his countenance.
Some got the impression that the boss
cop of Coney Island had partaken too
freely OF frankfurters and popcorn,
while another rumor got adrift 10 the
effect that he had wandered into Billy
Lakeland's orchard, near the Brighton
Beach race track, and sampled some
Of the green apples.
But these impressions and rumors
were all unfounded. Something else
was troubling the captain II was the
husky bowls that came from the bankers
IN front Of the various amusement places,
shooting galleries, photograph parlors,
and the like. On the previous Sunday
the new summer resort constable put
the kibosh on the bankers. He had dis
covered an old ordinance that seemed
to prohibit these unearthly yells and
put II into effect Captain Langan holds
the opinion that noises are unnecessary
at any time, but absolutely unlawful
on the Sabbath.
Damper on Langan.
A ruling by the magistrate in the
Coney Island police court put a damper
on LanEan's first move for the reforma-
ton OF the seashore resort. The judge
decided that barking was a harmless
pastime even on Sunday and threw the
cases the captain had brought to test
his plan with out Of court. Coney GER
tainly barked. Every time the captain
or his rubber shoe sleuths would stroll
down the main thoroughfares the bark
ers would roar fervently. They seemed
10 be making up for the stiffness OF the
Sunday before. when they were COM
PEELED to paint placards and display
them high in the air until their arms
nearly dropped off from exhaustion.
/ The captain was upheld in one con-
/ tention by the Coney Island magistrate
That was in the case of megaphones
! It was decided that the human voice
was sufficient to lure a Sunday crowd
/ without resorting to the artificial aid
rendered by a noiSe-magnifying horn
] So Captain Langan and his men spent
the greater part of the day in quest OF
| any that were bold enough 10 dety Int
law by using a megaphone. II noise
was heard that resembled in any way
| that of a megaphoned vocalism Captain
| I.angan would send his sleuths on tho
| hop in pursuit OF that noise.
Wild Goose Chase.
As a result there were numerous wild
goose chases. One reverberating how
was run down and found to have origi
mated in the honker of Fred Thompson.
automobile. Another terrific blast tha
could be heard from Sea Gate to thu
| Oriental Hotel at Manhattan Beach wa.
sleuthed after for a long time only u
be found to be Fred Mcclellan givint
orders from his ONCE in the middle o.
Luna Park TO the man at the top of thu
shoot the chutes. They tell story o.
how Mcclellan once decided that h
wanted a certain circus act booked IL
Europe and conveyed the order to FREQ
Thompson, who was headed for Europ,
on a ship that was rounding Sandy
| Hook lightship. They say that Nc
| Clellan walked only half way dowT
Feltman's walk to shout his order, bu
| this has been denied.
The reason for the marked hos
| tility or Captain Langan toward th'
megaphone has been learned. Th'
captain was sent to Coney only TIVE
4 weeks ago, He didn't like the transfel