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

fainteSt touch of the brogue of the Erner-
aid Isle, which through all these years
perience in particular, back in -, which
happened to me and Dick Boyle dick 5
an inspector now, but he was buck pri-
Vate then and We We're partners)
We were both at old No. q, and our
beat included the land where the Union
station is standing TODAY II looked diff
ferent then. 1t was mostly hills and
weeds. and in the center was n great big
pond. fed by stream called Tiber creek.
| guess Tiber creek is still running under
the Union station today.
There was a long interceptinc sewer
running into the pond. The pipes We're
about seven feet in diameter AID extend
ed back about four blocks. The water
which ran through the sewer was rain
water. and good and clear
Now. that pond was a regular nui-
sance. All the lads in the neighborhood
used to come there and 90 swimming. and
they never thought it worth while TO
wear bathing suits. We got complaint
after complaint about them, but when
we'd 30 after them they'd run to the
bank. grab up their clothes and then
run up the sewer. And of course, there
being always two or three feet of water
in the pipes, We couldn't follow them.
Finally | got tired of having the same
Old game worked on me day after day,
so ! Matched out little scheme. ! had
Boyle go to the pond and chase the lads
into the sewer. Then | went to the other
end of it. took off my shoes, tied them
together and hung them around my NECK
took off my socks and tucked them i'll
my shoes. rolled up my pants to my hips
and went into the sewer myself
"Of course. when the kids saw me com
ing, the only thing they could do was 20
go back the way they had come-and
there at the other end was Boyle waiting
for them. For minute the lads We're in
a pickle They didn't know whether to
take a chance on getting past me or
Boyle. Finally, though. they decided on
him. and so. turning. they made quick
rush a leap and a dive.
The whole thing was done so quickly
that they caught Boyle unawares. Three
of them We're in the pond before he real
lied what was happening. Then out
came the fourth and last OF them. making
a beautiful curvfng dive. As he passed
through the air Boyle raised his club.
took quick aim at the soles Of the lad 6
feet. and let drive.
That was one of the most foolish
things Boyle ever did In the first place,
he was excited. Second place. he swung
too hard. The result was that he not
only missed but his club flew out of his
hand and into the pond. There. being
loaded. II promptly sank to the bottom.
That put Boyle in one awful hole. Ii
d policeman loses his club nowadays il
doesn't make much difference But
III those days If you lost your club you
We're just about certain to be brought
up on charges of criminal careiessness, or
something like that. and fined just about
half a months pay.
ut was about this time that | emerged
from the sewer, sat down and put on my
socks and shoes. While | was doing this
we talked the thing overland finally
found a way out. How? Why. we called
to the lads who were out in the middl lie
of the pool making faces at us, and got
them to dive for the club. They soon
found it.
But do you know what those young
kids did? After finding the club they
had promised not TO touch single one of
them. but they made Boyle cough up
half dollar to boot
Capt. Charles T. Peck, general factotum
in precinct No. =. laughed when The Star
man approached and asked him If he had
figured in many arrests that never were
made.
Have l." exclaimed Peek Have T.
Well, | guess, Just few. Why ! fig
ured in great one just last week.
You see, there's a big merchant who
lives up in the vicinity of Thomas Circle
who closed up his house and went away
a couple of weeks ago Before leaving he
called up and asked me to have an espe-
cial watch kept on his house. 1t was
robbed once during his absence several
years ago.
well. one night last week, about II
o'clock. ] was sitting here in the station
when the telephone bell began to ring.
When l finally got connected l found
myself talking to a woman who lived
next door to the merchant. and her voice
showed that she was just about scared
to death.
Come up here quick she begged.
Don't waste a minute. and bring plenty
of men with you. Burglars have broken
into Mr.. IS house again.
- How do you know I asked. And
she had the answer waiting for me. i
can hear them walking around, she
gasped. They've even lighted the lights
in one of the rooms at the top of the
house. They're rif1ing the whole place
That was enough for me- l picked
out eight big strong men from my squad.
and then called out our ACKNOWLEDGING
precinct has the only one in the city. We