The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-04
EMERGENCY CALL SENT
| IN TO TEST POLICEMEN.
Excited Crowd Thinks Big Crime Is
Being Committed, While Scores
Of Omcers Answer Hurry Gall.
NEVER ISSUED
BEFORE
Alarm Turned In BY Mayor and Chief
To Determine How Men VIII Act
Observation-Disclosures Efficiency
Shown BY Force.

Busy men left their desks, and
rushed to the street: clerks in stores
left their customers standing astonish-
ed IN the aisles. and pushed their way
irantically to the curb; stenographers
stopped short Marlborough a dicta-
uon, and leaned far out windows, with
expressions of fear and amazement
on their faces: all Richmond's bust
ness section paused in it's activity
while everybody demanded of every
body else to know what was the
matter. From every nook and cor
ner a policeman seemed to spring
IKE handy just released from his
box. Newsboys yelled, and automo-
biles forgetting all speed and traffic
laws. flew wildly down the street.
Someone rushed by and yelled TO
someone else, Whats the natter"
and the reply came back. breathless-
~, Davis has the police force at bay,
and has shot five policemen" Further
down the street man was running,
coatfess and out of breath. declaring
that the gates OF the Penitentiary
were being battered down, and that
the guards were all being massacred.
A police patrol. running at top speed,
changed by. full of blue coated Of
ficers leaning forward with strained
expressions on their faces. A limou-
sine. purloined for temporary emerg-
ency use, whizzed past occupied by
policeman hurrying to the scene.
other officers ran by. some OF whom,
aroused from slumhers by the urgent
call, were slipping on their coats and
fastening on their belts as they went
by Bicycle patrolmen glided by at
highest speed, and the streets became
crowded around police headquarters.
Mobilize at Headquarters.
Men and women pressed closer in
the enormous crowd that was gath
ering. and all watched the head
quarters door, where dozens of of
ftcers were fighting their way in.
Several hundred people gathered on
the street outside the building, and as
the wonder grew. imagination took
new bounds. Men were being murd-
cred. wives were being strangled by
husband maniacs. children were be-
ing butchered by new Jack the
Ripper come to life. Somebody ex-
claimed that men had entered police
headquarters and were numbering the
policemen on duty there!
This was the result OF signal
from the fire gong. which read
SIS" and which is listed as police
Emergency Call" Yesterday after
noon following a consultation by
Mayor Anslie and Chief of Police
Werner in the latter's office, It was
decided to see just how well the
Richmond police had been drilled in
their duty of responding when sud
denly called. So the Mayor and the
Chief quietly assembled to the fire
alarm headquarters In the CITY Hall.
and turned in the emergency alarm.
This was the first time this call has
ever been turned in. and the efficiency
OF the police force in its response was
highly satisfactory to both the Mayor
and the polich chief
In less than twenty minutes over
hundred men had reported to po-
lice headquarters. about forty had
gathered at Second Precinct Station.
and sixty had answered present at
the First Station. Fifteen out of a
total of seventeen detailed there. two
of which were looking for fugitive,
were on hand at Third Station in less
than fifteen minutes
Credit to Department.
Mayor Ainslie said yesterday that
the promptness with which the police
force responded to the hurry cali was
great credit to the department. No
one knew of the proposed emergency
signal except the chief and the Mayor.
and while great many policemen.
who had been on night duty, were
in their homes asleep. almost the en-
tire force was on hand at headquar-
tiers or one OF the stations In less than
twenty-five minutes II demonstrated.
the Mayor declared. the high type of
efficiency which has been reached nv
the Richmond Police Department, and
the fact that citizens of Rlhcmond
may feel secure in life and property
in times of trouble.