Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-15
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Detail of Police Required to
Keep Avenue Clear.
RUMOR BROUGHT CROWDS
Reported That Bird Had Pulley En-
ploye Out of Window.
MAN WOULD NOT BAIT HIM
Refused to Take Chance, Which He
Feared Might End as Ad-
vance Story Figured.
MAN WOULD NOT BAIT HIM

Gaping, with heads up and eyes strained
skyward. curious people who gathered
In numbers near the post office building
this morning met disappointment in not
seeing a man dangling at the end of
rope from the tall gray tower.
Baron Hawk, rumor about town had 1T,
had seized piece of raw meat tied on the
end of a stick, carrying with these the
man who had held out this bait to him,
pulling him out of the turret window, to
hold him suspended between earth and
heaven. with salvation impossible. But
this was not truth.
Capt Williams of the first precinct po-
lice station was obliged TO send spe-
cial detachment of policemen. however, to
quiet the excitement and disperse the
throng that gathered at 10th and ID
streets northwest as the result of the
rumor.
Job Too Tick1ish.
The story probably arose from a care
less prediction following the announce
ment that Supt. Shaw had sent one of
his laborerS into the tower with a strong
line and sturgeon hook bated with raw
meat to try again to effect the capture
of the robber baron. At any rate. the
rumor reached the man. He forthwith
came down, declaring that he would give
up his job sooner IMAM Try the experiment.
Those who had a good chance to see
the brown marauder this morning say
that previous accounts as to his immense
size are far from exaggerated Many de-
clare he stands at least three feet high
as he appears on the top ledge of granite
that surrounds the great tower and runs
at the base of the blind towers on the
corners.
Paymaster Mooney is said to have been
among the recruits summoned to take
shot at the baron this morning. At least
two others were seen bobbing in and
around the windows of the tower. But
Baron Hawk sat. serene and unwink1ng,
on the northeast corner, secure from harm
in any direction and compacently sur
veyed the situation. At the time The Star
went TO press he was still sitting in his
place of vantage.
All day long passersby on Pennsylva-
mia avenue and the side streets involun-
tarily turn their eyes upward in the
hope of catching glimpse of the feath-
cred outlaw who defies even the United
States government. At each of the cor
nerS, even as far back as E street were
gathered groups large and small Of peo-
pie anxious to catch a glimpse OF the old
bird who has turned the town upside
down with his dastardly do1ngs.
Volunteers Are Numerous.
Many are the volunteers who want to
take shot at him from the roof of The
Star building and surrounding places.
Many and unique are methods proposed
for his capture.
]. T. Money. confidential clerk of the
District electric commission, expressed a
desire this morning to make an effort to
capture the hawk with an invention
purely his own. The device consists of
series of closely connected owl traps
baited with raw meat.
Mr.. Money believes that even il the
traps do not hold the old baron in their
clutches and he flies off with them their
weight will. enable him to get rifle shot
at the weighted-dOwn murderer Of car
rier pigeons.
Another gentleman who has achieved
some reputation with the rife announced
his intention of taking a crack" at the
bird at $50 o'clock tomorrow morning,
regardless of consequences.
F. p. Allen, visitor TO the city from
Fort Gaines, Ga, called at The Star Of
flee to suggest plan to put the quietus
upon the murderous baron. In the south,
Mr.. Allen says. where they are troubled
with hawks, they feed chickens upon nux
vomica, good tonic for them, but sure
death to the hawk He believes this may
be useful in dealing with the robber
baron of the gray tower.
Among the colored employees of the de-
partment the doings of the old brown
baron are regarded with superstition.
One aged seer said he thought the doings
of the hawk were simply forerunner
of what would be done with the employees
of the pest Office building when Presi-
dent Taft took his seat.