Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-28
UNCLE SAM IN THE @CARIBBE,AN-.xT
}
ny FREDERIC }. IIASNIN.

chosen by President Roosevelt for tho
Job For three years he was chief ne
ponce. judge. c0roncr-in n word tho
source OF all law and order. During
mat three years he changed pann,n,
from nest Of crime and corruption
n''" one oil the most peaceful places
IN the tropics. The task called fn,
strenuous measures and he used then,
Men were dcportcd from Panama hv
the schooner load. Many men wcr.
hung in Panama. When a large mn,
hcr of South American rcvolutioui.,
gathered there to form Il conspiracy
STANTON went around and gathcrcd
them up. put them all on "a steamer and
shipped them to New York
Crcd 0ld-StyIe Stocks.
Lacking any adequate Jail faci,j,icy
stanton had some fine high grade ma
hoEany stocks made. and therein he
fastened bandits and rcyolu,io,,.r,
generals and pick pockets and yrartcrs
in long rows in the sun. Ills admini.
tra,ion WAS "a fine example of villa, am
application of direct and forthrirb,
methods may accomplish. lie dcpor,cd
all OF the criminals that he could ana
those who insisted on staying he huu:-
The result WAS that criminals il,
Panama became scarce TO tho point OF
extinction.
This brings us down to tho rcal be-
ginning OF our story. Just as Stanton
WAS beginning TO be comfortable in
Panama. and getting his job TO tho
point where ii would run itself thcrc
began TO be circulated rumors Of much
graft and scandal In the police force
OF Porto Rico Once more stanton
the III ofcssionai clcancr-up. was called
upon to change his abode. lie sent
two secret service mon to Porto Hir,
! ahead Of him. and when he arrived
they reported that conditions vera
even worse than any one had imagined
Gambling halls were running in al,
the principal towns. and the police
were collecting thousands OF dollars
OF graft every month from these. The,
chief and his assistants were practic- =
ing tho most brutal immoralitics upon
the helpless country people. The courts
were absolutely corrupt. The chief
OF this fore" was an cx-scrGeant in
J tho United states Army. who died be-
fore he could lie prosecuted
Borc Down on Gamblers
Stanton wen, over the force man BIZ
man. fired most of II. and kept a few
men on probation. His method OF at
lacking the gambling interests was
characteristic. lie found that largo
roulette joint was operating In Maya
Gucz TO the prof, OF its owner and
tho local chief and the judge. Select
ing Il young Porto Rican chief whom
lie could trust stanton sent him 10
raid the place. The young man did
large number OF prominent ci,izeng
the proprietor. and all the gambling
paraphernalia Then next day tho
judge assessed light fines on all tho
prisoners and actually returned to the
proprietor his gambling wheel
When stanton heard OF that he S6,
into his large, high powered car, which
was one Of the first on the island
He SAYS that he killed approXimately
nineteen head OF assorted live stock
on the way to Mayagucz. The rou-
lcttc wheel he took away from the
startled PROPRIETOR and brought back
to town III his car.
Tho next day the native papers con
tanned long editorials about tho CHIEF
OF police showing contempt Of court
and overriding the Law. Eut everybody
knew thar there wasn't any real law
stanton kept the wheel and s,ill has
IL in corner Of his Office. He soon
organized an honest police force and
the police force reacted favorahly on
the courts Porto Rico to-day IS an
extremely orderly island.
Lewis was with Stanton in Panama.
and has also had experience on the
, iiai,i-Santo Dom lingo boundary. which
- one Of tho most dangerous strips
"f country in tho American tropics
He il not only "a detective. but a writ
err He has keen sense OF tho ro-
nance and picturesque quality Of hiS
work. and cmbod!cs IL in verse and
story for the American magazines.
Stanton Is now considering a move
TO Santo Domingo. There arc not many
places left TO clean up, he says. and he
wants TO get in on that one.