Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-05-15
THE BORDER OF MEXICO
AN ORDERLY PLACE
Neither Toll or Trouble Shakes
Pearian Sense of Columbus.
EFFICIENT POLICE PATROL
Equipped With Sombreros, Spurs,
Cartridge Belts and "Forty-Fives"
Especial to the Evening Capital by Jean
CabeIi O'NeiIl, Columbus, y. NJ,
MAY 10th. 1916.

May 10th, 1916.
1t would be difficuIe to find a more
orderly place in the United States than
where the population increased 100
per cent in a week where all sorts of
people in all walks of life have aug
mented the five hundred people who
called this place home before villa
made his mslnigth call of March g.
AT that time so per cent. of the pop
ulation was minor School teachers
were more in evidence than police but
now all is changed, for there is every
element here TO create a toll and
trouble for the officers in charge of
the army base and for the citizens OF
Columbus, whose territory reached TO
the railroad tracks, the camp being
on railroad property and stretching
from that limit to the international
wire fence. which represents the end
of the United States jurisdiction and
the beginning of the Mexican territory
over which Americans may not step
except by the courtesy of the de facto
government in Mexico.
But there is neither toll nor trouble
in the Shakesperean sense, for Co
lumbus bosts. in addition to the Dor
der patrol under the efficient direction
of Colonel Sickles, u S. A.. police
department created on March 20, when
the services of Capt. B. G. Snyder were
secured. Captain Snyder is in con-
r.F 10 % =,
sheriff, but his men are deputy sheriifs
and as picturesque as any wild west
show could produce. They are 100
proof, all wool AMI yard wide when
it comes to Strengthening out an in
cipient broil.
Captain Snyder, Notwithstanding his
name is thoroughbred, seven genera
ton American stock, is from Tennes-
see. He served six years in the Cav
airy. in the Canal Zone mounted con-
stabulary; in the Pennsylvania rurales
and in revenue work in Tennessee. He
is more than a crack shot, according
to rumor, but his reputation is such
none have given him an excuse for an
exhibition of gun work. He believes
in preparedness with a capital letter
and so he wears his gun with the
safety tied down and the hammer at
half cock Although none but the
chief is ready for anything that may
break" he is so forcefully quiet that
his six feet two of clean cut manhood
seems to have a deterrent effect on
any wouhl-be bad men who would love
to start things" if the chief was not
so necessarily on the job.
The police department is equipped
with sonbrer of spurs, low-hanging
belts and "forty-fives," and also with
whistles and during the night the faint
and oft repeated whistle from for dis
tant points on the outskirts of Column
bus tell the residents that the police
are on the job. The first signal is
given by the chief and if all is well,
point after point responds to his chal-
lege. If there is no response from
any particular point where a guard is
supposed to be. the quick scurrying of
the horse which seems TO be almost a
part of his master, means the chief
himself is investigating the silence.
So far there has been no signal but
the one which is the molern substitute
for "Al1's Well"-three whistles midi
cate something quite different and
most ofColumbus listens for the alarm
through the night. very definite news
coming of brewing trouble not thirty
miles away. But possibly because
Chief of Police b. G. Snyderw as on
the job, so say his many enthusiasts,
nothing happened to the newspaper
men and their sister of the typewriter