New-York tribune., 1917-12-25
Policemen Play Santas
For $4,000 Youngsters

handed presents to the children whose
eyes danced in tune to the music OF
piano, banjo and drums. n
In the Iaedougal Street station Pa
trolman George Kane, dressed as
clown, caused great amusement lot the
two thousand children who went there
TO find Santa Claus. Patrolman John
[. Chapman doubled as Santa Claus
and Charlie Chaplin and made big
hit. A police quartet sang CHRISTMAS
and patriotic songs.
In tho Greenwich Street station Cap
tain John p. Leary directed the dlstri-
button of S62 hampers containing
clothing and food and toys. There was
a Christmas tree in the squad room,
in front OF which police glee club,
led by William p. Dickinson, tenor,
furnished song for the festivities.
Captain Henry, in the Beach Street
station, supervised the distribution OF
baskets containing stockings, caps and
suits Of flannel to 775 youngsters in
the district.
Before 10 O'Clock in the morning
children filled the street in front Of
the East 12eth Street station, in the
East Harlem district. They were ad-
mitted in groups of fifty, to receive
their presents. Captain Patrick O'Neil
played Santa Claus there.
Captain James J. Wall entertained
two thousand children in the East Six
ty-seventh Street station. lie said Miss
Juliana Cutting, of the Colony Club,
had purchased 500 worth of under
wear, which she helped distribute to
the children.
Patrolman Barney Goldstein, who
lives in 4S5 East Eighty-ffth Street,
was interrupted by a telephone call
while engaged in the distribution of
gifts at the station. He learned he
had Christmas present at home-two
of them-twins.
In the West Forty-seventh Street
station Captain Byron r. Sackett was
host. sixteen hundred children were
entertained in the gymnasium on the
second floor of the building. The large
Christmas tree stood in front of
scenery furnished by the Shuberts. The
music was furnished by Shapiro, music
publisher.
An orchestra from Healy's restaurant
played in the West l52d Street station,
where 200 children received gifts.
In the l23d Street station Punch
ana Judy show helped entertain 500
children.
Gifts worth $1,000 were distributed
to 525 children in the 135th Street sta
tion. Sixty dinners were sent from
there 10 deserving families.
A Christmas tree twelve feet high
greeted the 1900 children who hoeked
to the Sixty-eighth Street station.
Patrolman Charles Behfeld sang sew
eral songs, accompanied on the piano
by MS little daughter.
In the Mercer Street station the chill
dren Joined in singing "The Star
Spangled Banner" Miss Margaret
Kuhn played several violin solos, ac-
compsnied by her mother. William
Booth, dressed as a sailor. danced the
horn pipe. His brother Victor, eight
years old, danced jig.
Miss Giulia Morosini, whose romantic
wedding 20 a policeman who stopped
her runaway horse ended in divorce,
wedding TO a policeman who stopped
tertain boys and girls in the Kings
bridge police station. Not all the boys
and girls were poor, by any means.
Many of the little guests arrived in
automobiles, and considered the ad-
venture as great a treat as did those
who trudged through the alush in
ragged shoes. In all there were about
500 children there.
About 1000 children visited Santa
Claus in the Alexander Avenue police
station without the slightest suspicion
that the old gentleman's business let
ters were addressed to Captain John
MeKeown.