Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-05
WATERWORKS GUARD
OF 500 TO BE PROVIDED
Bill in Councils Adding Men to
City Police Force to Pass
Next Week
FOLLOWS PLOT REPORT
Annual Cost Will Be 1920, ,0O0-Will Be
Used for Emergency
Duty, Too

| An ordinance authorizing 500 extra
| policemen to guard the citys S6O,OOO,0Oo
waterworks system was introduced III
| Councils today. was reported fayorably by
] the Finance Committee and Is slated Tor
passage at the next meeting of Councils
| next THURSDAY
This step was taken after the discovery
! of an alleged plot TO poison the city's
\ water. The ordinance. which is ac-
! companied by a bill authorizing the ex-
penditure of 100000 to buy uniforms for
| the new men, was decided upon at "A con-
| ference between Mayor Smith and Director
! of Public Safety Wilson this morning
| Mayor Smith said the men will be used
| to guard the water system Director Wilson
| added that they would be used also for
| emergency guard duty.
The increase in the city's police force will
| make the strength 1900 men, II will cost the
| city 100000 annually This amount Will
| be paid out of the fund for policemen's
| salaries, which will be augmented later by
| Appropriation.
WATER TO BE TESTED
After Andrew Rleskey, who says he is
an Austrian, and who is also known as f..
Seski, had been held without bail In the
night court last night, as suspicious
person. Carleton Il. Davis chief of the
Bureau of Water, announced that he had
ordered two separate inquiries to learn
IL the prisoner had thrown poison or dis
ease germ cultures into the reservoir on
Thirty-third street. between Diamond
street and Columbia avenue yesterday.
Chief Davis said that II would take tons
of most poisoas to make the water there
unhealthful. although he admitted that
small quantity of certain poison would
affect it deleteriousy.
Rieskey who says he IS tkirty-eight and
lives at 1927 North Second street, was ar
rested by the watchman after Mrs. Annie
Powers of 2O30 North Twcnty-ninth street,
said that the man had thrown "a box into
the water, which is known as the Spring
Garden basin. John Marlin arrested the
man, who was only subdued after a spirited
struggle. Mrs. Powers became i'll last
night and was unable to appear at the hear
ing before Magistrate Pennock and testify.
Since the diplomatic I'~eak with Germany
an extra force of mer has patroled each
plant in the water department. Yesterday
as Marlin was walking his post Mrs. Pow
ers called to him and said that she had
watched a man acting suspiciously during
the afternoon. Finally, she said. few
minutes before he had hurled something
that resembled boX into the basin. Mar
lin ran around the in the direction
given him by the woman and came upon
R.eskey or Seski.
. FIERCE BATTLE WITH wATCHMAN
The watchman asked him his business.
and because the suspect gave such unsatis-
factory replies grappled with him. Rieskey
rebeled and In a moment fierce battle
was in progress. Mrs Powers who had
watched the fracas, ran to the street corner
and summoned a policeman. He arrived as
Marlin was finally getting his man into SUBJ
mission.
Later the man was arraigned before
Magistrate Pennock, and because of the
illness of Mrs. Powers. the chief witness.
the case went over until today at o'clock.
The man was held under $500 bail for
n further hearing next Wednesday by
Magistrate Beaton on accusations of tres
passing, attempted felony ana carrying
concealed deadly weapons. The last ac-
cusation was the result of finding in the
mans pocket a pair of brass knuckles. An
undershirt was also found in his pocket.
James L. Marlin 4707 Fowler street. told
his story which was that he saw the man
walk up the bank of the reservoir, and as
he was requesting him to come down Mrs.
Powers who is seventy years old. ran to
him and said. "He just threw a package
into the water.
Lieutenant Scanlin testified that the man
had been arrested two years ago for act
ing suspiciously around the Midvale Steel
Works and had been sent to Norristown
for treatment. In his own defense Rieskey
said he had merely lighted a cigarette and
had thrown the match into the water.
In the room of the prisoner was found
a bottle which was thought to contain
poison A careful analysis disclosed the
fact that the poison" was cough medicine.
The detectives. however. wanted the man
heidi until they could have "A test OF the
water in the reservoir made,