Evening star., 1915-10-01

first, very popular with the public: The
| irrepressible small boy" had this to
say:
II like turkey, like geese,
But I don't like the new police.
i, Police Force Kept Busy.
The new force had a great deal more
to handle in those days, proportionally.
| than the present force. The city was
filled with the worst characters in the
country, and the soldiers themselves
were a problem to control. I remem-
Der on one occasion, with several COM
panions. watching score of Pennsyl-
Nania Bucktails in a hilarious mood,
taking the whole street as they passed
from camp downtown. About street
one of the men shouted, Look at the
COON"
Gazing in the direction indicated, we
saw a colored man coming toward the
soldiers.
Lets have some fun," said one.
Yes" replied another. I'VE came
down here to fight for the coon, let's
see how he likes. it himself"
Wen make him run the gantlet.'
The unsuspecting victim neared the
Bucktails. and as he approached the
| men formed double rank and a column
OF files passed on each side of the
COON Then they began to smash the
darkey right and left until the man
had gone down the line and fell The
bruised man got up and, when at 4 safe
distance, grinned and shouted:
You all done hurt yer hans wussun
Yer hurt mer haid."
After disposing of the first victim the
Buektails continqed down 7th street,
meeting and serving several others as
they did the first. At the corner of NJ
street Officers Noonan and johnson at
tempted to arrest the soldiers. But
they Jared no better than did the color
ed men. The two officers were both
game men, as their records have since
proved. Officer johnson was for some
time detailed at the Presidents house
lieutenant. But they were like chaff
in the hands of the stalwart Buck
tails, and the two officers beat hasty
retreat toward Pennsylvania avenue.
The festive troops continued their dep
relations until they arrived near the
patent office, where the provost guard
captured the entire bunch" and
landed them in the central guardhouse,
scraping Lint for Wounded.
In the early days of the war soldiers
Wore havelocks, which was cotton
covering for the cap and a loose fold
flowing over the shoulder to protect
the face and neck from the summer
sun. the sanitary commission fur
nishing the material, cutting them out
and then distributing them to the pub
lie schools, the children taking them
home, and their parents sewing the
havelocks together. Lint for the hos
pitals was also furnished by the people
of our city; whole families. at night,
would sit around tables and scrape
(iv
lation of the whole north contributed
invaluable aid to the sick and wounded
in the hospitals. The sanitary COM
mission held, fairs i'll the large cities.
One was held in the patent Office and
thousands of dollars raised for the hos
pitfalls. An additional incentive for this
important work was furnished Wash
ingtonians by the hundreds of MANNED
soldiers seen upon the streets.
One afternoon. while engaged in SELL
ing Stars, playmate and myself were
standing on the corner of 7th and X
streets, where We observed a group of
soldiers in earnest conversation.
Wen try it on the store in the mid
die of the square," remarked one of
the men.
Three OF the party started down eth
street. leaving five on the corner. We
followed the trio, convinced that some
thing exciting was about to happen.
Arriving in front of the store indicated,
which was boot and shoe establish
ment, two of the men went in and one
remained outside. My comrade and !
stood near the curb and saw the sol
diers in the store try on new boots.
the one waiting outside beckoned for
the five on the corner and they re-
sponded hastily. Then the whole party
rushed in the store. crying:
Here they are, boys, give it to em,
give it to EN-.
The men with the new boots on ran
from the store, the others smashing
them with their fists as If in earnest.
the entire party disappearing around
the nearest corner. No police were in
evidence. as the proprietor explained to
the gathering crowd that a number of
ruffians attacked two customers before
they could pay for the boots they had
put on.
Crackers Charged to Mule.
One day. while passing a grocery
store located on 7th street. between L
and NJ, l saw a teamster ride a mule
over the pavement into the store. The
man asked for crackers. which were
wrapped up and passed to him. TAX
ing the crackers the fellow turned his
mule to leave the store.
Hold on" cried the clerk. You
haven't paid for the crackers"
Charge EN- replied the teamster.
ITO who? said the clerk.
ITO the mule"
About 1863 ex-slaves began to arrive
in Washington in large numbers.
Sometimes train of government
wagons would pass through the streets.
loaded with men, women and children
These unfortunate people were located
in various parts of the city and issued
rations. They were polite and dociie,
ma u streets 1 IeaT-
ing to jostile the white folks They
would hold religious meetings, sing.
pray and thank the Lord for their lib
erty. There being no work for this
contraband army, the majority were