Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-04

thief. We had found that he was carry
ing his tools in an umbrella-took that
means of avoiding suspicion while walk
ing to job So we got orders to arrest
any man we saw carrying an umbrella
after midnight.
ing McTaggart and / We're standing
at the corner of Sd and VI streets
when We saw young negro beat
ing it down the middle OF the
street. carrying an umbrella. called
Macs attention TO him. and the two of
us promptly hid behind a tree box until
our man came along. Then we stepped
out and shouted Halt
But the man didn't halt worth cent.
Instead he gave us one look, then he
made wild leap and started running like
a deer. OF course that showed us we
were on the trail of the real house
breaker, so we started after him.
After the chase had lasted about half
a block the man began to yell murder
at the top of his voice. Windows began
to fly up, and heads began to stick out
Still the chase kept up. with US gaining
slowly but steadily.
Our man finally turned down 9Th street,
and We We're right on his heels when
suddenly he dashed into a front yard. up
TO house, flung the door open and rush
ed inside. We followed right after him
and found him crouching under a table.
painting like dog.
What's the matter with youo' | ask
ed Come out from there
But he wouldn't. He just crouched lower
and began to moan oh Lordy, Lord he
murmured de night doctors done got me
aftah ALL,
NO. We didn't arrest him. There was
nothing TO arrest him for. He wasn't any
burglar. He had merely taken his UNI
brella with him for fear 1t might rain.
Carrying an umbrella, whether the moon
or sun was shining or not was a habit
to1l
About two weeks later his father told
us something else, too.
cern'ly am glad you done what
you did to my son. said he. 'Befo' dat
he was away frum de house all de time.
But noW-well. sub, come night time, an
dat boy is home. Can't git him out
aftah dark, TO nothin.
For the very finest example of an
arrest you don't want to make-and
probably won't. even if you do want
tots to get yourself mixed up in a nice
little row between husband and wife, -
said Capt. Tom Hollenberger. who pre-
sides at No. probably the most i'm
portant precinct in all Washington. I've
had good many experiences along that
line, and / know whereof I speak
Il remember one incident in particular.
1t happened when | was patrolling a beat
down 9TH street in the southwest section.
] was walking down an alley one after
noon when l heard a man and woman
jawing each other in one of the back
yards. The voices kept getting louder
and louder, first the mans. then the
woman's. then the mans. and then more
of the womanS, and then came a differ
ent sound. OF course, l couldn't swear
to it. because l didn't see it, but it
sounded nightly like a slap. and a good,
hard one at that. Also, Immediately fol-
lowing that, came a little scream, and
then a big splash-a splash as if some
one had dropped a f1ve-ton boulder into
the Potomac from the Aqueduct bridge.
About thirty seconds later the gate
of the yard flew open and out bounced
a young AmaZon-she must have weighed
about 1870 pounds-soaking wet, and shout
ing 'Police. at the top Of her lungs.
Then she caught sight of me.
Come on, she commanded. Come on
in here and see what he did to me; that
husband of mine. There 1 was washing
clothes for the ungrateful. worthless cow
ard and not doin' a thing to him. an he
ups and slams me in the Jaw and then
throws me right in my own Washtub.
III bet he's spoiled every bit Of them
clothes. too
II stepped inside the yard, and for sew
eral moments husband and wife stood
get some explanation out Of the man. but
he was sulky and wouldn't say word.
So, finally. / reached out for him.
"'Come on, l said. Well go round to
the station. Assault for yours.
But before the man could take a
step, Friend Wife found her voice-and
it wasn't a gentle voice, either.
Go to the station she screamed. I
guess not. What right you got comm
in our own private back yard and ar
resting my husband for nothing? She
reached out soap-sudsy hand and
grasped me by the shoulder. 'What'd he
ever do to you, huh?' she demanded