Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-13
CHIEF SHOWS MERCY
Capt. MegreW's Method of En-
forcing Order at Capitol.
REPRIMAND AND WARNING
Annual Report Of Police Establish.
ment Recently Submitted.
FORTY-FOUR ARRESTS MADE
Summary of Happenings of Year
at the Big House on
the Hill.

Reprimands and warnings are two
classes Of punishment that are meted
out to violators of the law in the United
States Capitol buildings and grounds.
according to the annual report of Capt
j. P. Megrew, chief Of the Capitol police
force. The report was recently submit
ted to the sergeant-at-arms of the Sen
ate. 1t contains several interesting
passages.
Forty-four arrests were made by the
Capitol policemen last year. OF this
number five were "reprimanded and dis
charged from custody, ten were
warned and discharged" a Grabbing"
hackman was barred from the grounds
for sixty days. two drunks and park
sleeper were escorted OF the grounds
and discharged two newsboys were
barred from the grounds indefinitely
and one drunken man was taken
home"
1t thus appears that Capt. Megrew has
adopted a plan of tempering justice with
mercy in dealing with some of the
culprits who are taken into custody for
violating the law within his precincts.
The laws in force in the Capitol and its
grounds are provided with severe pen
alties in many instances, being acts OF
Congress for the protection of the law
making establishment and its surround
ings.
One "Iusane," One "Demented."
One Of the prisoners was denominated
as INSANE" and another as "demented.
They were both turned over to the Met
ropolitan police. The insane man had
scheme for establishing aerial commu-
nication between the earth and Mars. He
wanted a small appropriation Of some
thing like the insignificant sum of $780,
100000 to perfect his plan for eliminating
space in the ether country.
Thirteen Of those who fell into the
clutches OF Capt. Megrew's bluecoats
were suffering from the effects of too
much firewater. Three were fined in the
Police Court, seven sent to the sixth
precinct house to sleep off the effects OF
their jags, two were hustled off the
grounds and told to "go hence" and one
was CONSIDERABLY guided to his home and
turned over to his family. Five "vags"
were taken in and several persons arrest
ed for fast riding on bicycles. A homeless
wayfarer, who was found soundly sleep
ing beneath an Egyptian walnut tree
with its sweet oriental odor, was aroused,
taken before the captain. and after being
warned against converting the Capitol
Park into free lodgery was escorted of
the grounds.
The policemen in the park also conduct
a sort Of auxiliary to Sam Einstein's dog
pound. Last year thrty-seven luckless
CANNES were captured in the grounds
chasing the squirrels and doing other
mischief. The animals were sent to the
District pound to be redeemed by their
owners or asphyxiated, according to law.
Three captured dogs were turned over to
their owners.
The chapter of accidents in the build
ing and grounds in the year comprised
one person injured by falling on the curb,
two injured by street cars and one hurt
by the freight elevator.
Articles Lost and Found.
The "lost and found department OF
the Capitol police force reports fourteen
pocketbooks and handbags found; an
opal ring. valued at SIS; an odd pair of
woman's gloves; furs to the value of S7Sj;
a boys sled; a pearl necklace, valued at
500; thirty umbrellas; a pair of trousers;
one novel; four badges Of the Daughters
of the American Revolution, evidently
lost during the sessions of the society in
this city recently; eleven packages of
women's wearing apparel; one boys hat;
eleven parasols and the same number of
bicycles; money to the value of S19.O7
and long list Of other articles. About
81 per cent OF the found articles were
restored to their owners, Capt Megrew
states
During the year two policemen died
Walter Jacobson and N. G. Field. There
were nineteen dismissals and designations
and twenty-one appointments The ON
GERS of the Capitol police force are: I
p. Megrew, captain; E. D. Sterling, M.
V. Hanlon and John Hammond. lieuten.
ants; d. r. Nichols, T. e. Spencer and
Lloyd True, sergeants. F. N. Webber
and ]. l.. Bernard are detailed as CAPITOL
detectives and Will P. Hall as police
clerk.