Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-28
LTJoaN3oM H. UN!FoRM

and the poor, manned form, Of Hirth
was found shortly afterward BIZ a white
man and colored laborer who were re-
turning from their work. and who sound
ed the alarm. Tire body was conveyed
to the drug store. which occupied tina
site whera the ar store is now located.
at the intersection OF 18th street and
Connecticut avenue. and soon vast
crowd surrounded the buldi and TIL,
tensest excitement prevailed for Hirth
was prominent in business and church
circles ard The family of his fiancee
was one of the best known of that
day. so that the dastardly murder OF
Philip Hirth became the leading sensa-
tion of the iloUr.
Every available policeman was placed at
work on the case. among this number be-
ing Lieut.. johnson. who was noted for
his skill in unraveling mysteries and his
clever ability In pumping information
from a prisoner Well as the police rec
ords will show, before the night was over.
and. although the officer had only the
most meager suspicion to work from. he
had arrested one of the participants in
the murder, and from the sweating that
this prisoner was given II was only few
hours before Lieut.. Johnson was able
to put every man implicated in the affair
under arrest: but in order to get the nee
essary discriminating evidence from his
prisoners the lieutenant had to bring into
play all the arts along sweating lines
known TO the police of those days. and
finally. under the ceaseless inquiry tao
tics Of the lieutenant. the prisoners broke
down and at last confessed, with the re-
suit that one of them was used for q
states witness and the other three were
found guilty and paid the penalty of their
crime
Daughter Relates Incidents.
Mrs. DeNeale. the daughter of Lieut..
johnson. gives a vivid description Of the
period during which her father served so
he
the second precinct. For so vigiant was
Lieut.. Johnson in those days in the fear
less performance OF his duty that on sew
eral occasions, according to Mrs. De-
Neale. it was necessary for herself ard
her sisters and brothers to be confined
to the house. for threatening letters were
received daily, telling her father what his
enemies intended 10 DO not only to him
self but to his family as we'll
Finally. these threats became so fire.
quent and alarming. Mrs. DeNeale states.
that when her father would leave the
house he would lock his entire family in
one room and take the key away with
him. so as to insure 1helr safety until his
return from duty. His children during
these notwithstanding periods mad TO be
kept at home from school, for Lieut..
Johnson firmly believer t.iat his enemies
would cheerfully take :hei. srite oIt
his innocent children. 50 that his
mind never at rest when he WIS
away from his beloved ones. Yet though
his mind was torn with anxiety In regard
TO injuries that might be done his FAM
lily, the coura geous officer never fiinched
from the performance of his duty and
neither did he let up in his prosecution
of the criminal and lawless portion of the
community with whom he had to con-
tend for like John Hays celebrated char
acter. Jim Bludsoe, 'he his duty 4
dead sure thing and went for IL then and
there" and when Lieut.. johnson finally
retired from the command of the famous
second precinct. after more than thirty
years service within IT'S confines the sec.
ton comprised in this precinct was of so
peaceful a nature that IL might have
been termed truly lamb-like in character.