Evening star., 1909-08-22
ENTERED ON BLOTTER
"UncIe AIexander's" Name
Written at Station House.
HAS "MISS JIMMY" ALONG
Aged Coiored Man Who Makes
Money as Soothsayer.
CLAIMS TO BE lO1 YEARS OLD
But His Memory of Events Queers
His Statement-Behind Bars
Till Tomorrow.
CLAIMS TO BE l01 YEARS OLD

tSoothsayer is the occupation given OF
the blotter OF the second precinct police
station for Uncle" Alexander Shanks.
colored. who became a guest of Acting
Lieut.. Sanford last evening. Persons OF
that occupation are not as common now
adays, it will be. readily admitted. as in
the olden days: but that does not indicate
that the .appellation is wrong, for Uncle
Alexander is from past generations.
Wishing to be conservative and modest in
his claims, he told the police he is 101
years old; but as he talks of being a
grown man at the time of 1912. it would
seem that he is too conservative at piac-
ing the span OF his life at only one little
year over a century. Policemen of the
second precinct pointed out that a few
years one way or the other do not matter
when the century mark has been passed.
As interesting as was found this human
relic OF the past, the policemen around
the station house took a greater interest
in Miss jimmy and the two little
'Jinnys'' that accompanied Uncle Alex
ander'' to the station house. Their names
are not entered on the books of the sta
tion. but they are held In custody just
as carefully as Is Uncle Alexander" "
And it is really Miss jimmy that does
| most Of the work in carrying out the
business which, 1t is alleged, Uncle AL
exander' is engaged in-telling fortunes.
lone Been stole.
1t was Miss jimmy who received
the most attention of the police when
| they called at the home Of Uncle Alex
| ander,. at 1119 9Th street last night.
No sooner had Acting Lieut.. Sanford
and Policeman Hughlett stepped into
the house than they made inquiries for
Miss jimmy
Miss jimmy. she has done been
stole" explained Uncle Alexander" ac-
cording to the police.
The police records of missing people
did not show the name Of Miss jimmy
and so the blue coats were insistent.
iouS to Miss jimmy But the host
was positive that Miss jimmy was of
such q. retiring disposition, where police
men are concerned, that she would not
care to appear.
Finally Miss jimmy was pulled from
shoe box. where she had been resting
under a shoemaker's kit Miss jimmy
you see. is composed of the bones from a
monster and rare fish, the wishbones of
chickens and sections of the skin of a
snake all nicely wrapped in a piece of
red flannel. Miss jimmy is about six
inches long, with circumference
| throughout of about two inches. She was
given her name by Uncle Alexander"
"Miss Jinny's' Wisdom.
To Desk Sergeant Giddings Uncle
Alexander demonstrated the wisdom OF
Miss jimmy as he stood at the rail of
the station house desk He suspended
Miss jimmy by string from his finger
and started her swinging in the air.
Now, you all tell Miss jimmy which
way to swing" remarked Uncle Alex
ander.''
Swing north and SOUTH" instructed
Desk Sergeant Giddings, fixing his
penetrating eye on Miss jimmy" Soon
she began swinging north and south.
When he called for east and west
Miss jimmy" Is useful, according 20
the explanation given to the police, In
determining what is the matter with
persons who come to Uncle Alex
ander" for help.
You see.'' he explained through the
bars Of one of the dark cells of the Sec
ond precinct station last night. people
come to me who can't find work and 1
| find out what il the matter wifi dem and
tells dem how to git it,
do they get work after You tell them
hoW?' he was asked.
Il gives dem a piece Of luck and tells
dem how to git wuk." explained Uncle
Alexander" "Ef dey doan't git it and
bring back dat piece O. luck. returns
dem dere money.
rs business pretty good?'' the prison.
er was asked.
''Dey's too many who doan't wane
1
"Dey like to go to de barroom instead
O comm to me. Dey's too many lazy
folks now"
"You also remove spells, too, don't
your was next asked.
Dat depends on wat kind o. spell we
finds,'' explained the prisoner. He de-
clared he was able to remove some spells
| that keep people from getting work.
Source Of Trouble.
The doings Of Miss jimmy and Uncle
Alexander were a source of complaint
to the police, and warrant was sworn
out charging the old colored man with be-
ing an unlicensed fortune teller.
| Uncle Alexander has seen much his
tory made in the United States, he says.
He was born a slave and worked as a
slave when a youngster. He speaks of
the civil war with great familiarity. He
was then in North Carolina and remained
there for many years after the scene at
Appomattox courthouse.
He says he came to Washington
when Harrison was President and has
been here since. He told the police.
they say that he makes some money
out of his power to remove spells. but
his principal income is from repairing
shoes. Although he claims to be 10l
years old, he bends his gray hairs over
shoe bench every day.
He will have an opportunity to tell
Of his business in the Police Court to-
morrow morning.