Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-27
STATE CAPITOL PLACED
UNDER HEAVY GUARD
All Doors But One Are Locked and
Barred With Heavy
Chains.
DEFINITE LOSING HOURS
After 3:i5 No Ono Is Admitted, and
List of Clerks ut Work Is Handed
to DOorkeeper-Aiiner and Tim
Der Museum Closed to Public.

Capitol officials and clerks who left
their desks Saturday afternoon under
normal peace conditions returned yes
terday morning to find most of the
entrances TO the State buildings lock cd
and barred and armed sentrics sta
TONED at the doors left open for the
transaction OF business
Order after order came from the
Governor $ Office during the morning
by noon regulations had been posted
placing the government Offices on a
military routine that brought to the
men and women who transact the Com
monwcalth's official business an unmis-
taxable foretaSte OF the riSors that
accompany state Of war with n for
eiGn foe. The inclination to smile at
the warlike precautions gave way
quickly to n Somher ealiZation that
peril was knocking al Nirginia's gates
and the public accepted the new rou-
tine without protest.
ALI. DOORS BUT ONE
ARE LOCKED AND CHAINED
Early in the morning Colonel John
W. Richardson received orders from
the Governor to lock and ba:, prefer
the Capitol Building except the north
door. facing the City Hall. The order
was promptly executed. Richard Blank
enship, for more than Il score OF years
elevator operator in the building. and
a trusted employee. was stationed at
the single entrance. and scrutinized
every caller Just outside stood q
member of the Engineers Corps. rife
on the shoulder.
Supplementary orders followed fast.
one OF the iirst of these fixed $50
o'clock as the time for opening the
Capitol and State Library BuildinGs for
the transaction Of public business. It
fixed 3:l5 O'Clock in the afternoon IA
The time for closing the Capitol and
5:lJ o'clock for the closing of the State
Library. Between these hours callers
having business in the buildings. unless
they present a suspicious appearance,
will be allowed To pass in and out un-
challenged. Before or after these hours
no one Will be permitted to enter un-
less accompanied by II member OF the
Capitol police in uniform
LIST or EMPLOYEES
IL HANDS OF DOORK EEPERS
orders were sent in the afternoon to
The heads OF state Departments asking
them TO prepare at once a list OF all
persons employed In their divisions. the
positions they hold and their addresses.
The head of each office was instructed
to prepare daily. at 3 o'clock. if in the
Capitol. and at O'Clock II in the Lii
brary Eui!dng, list of employees
whose work will keep them in their
Offices after the stated closing time. the
lists to be left with the elevator man
on duty. The latter will check OF the
persons as they leave. and will thus
have record Of all persons in the
building
Heads Of departments were urged hy
forts to avoid OBTAINING any Of tacir
clerks or assistants after the respcc-
tive closing hours. Most of the Capt
tol and Library Building employees
were inclined 70 look forward To the
new regime with a high degree Of COM
placency.
II was stated at the Governors Office
that no passes will bc issued under
any circumstances The Scntrics have
orders to halt everybody. from the
Governor down. Jnnitors whose work
requires them to be in the buildings
before S:i5 o'clock will he admitted.
on tho presentation of letter from
CONTINUED on Ninth Pagc0