The Washington times., 1919-01-28

DakSlUk VI ING NC1k III AASAAO
about SOL o'clock. but 1 did not no.
tice anything out OF the ordinary. 1t
was only a short time later that
reached the n street and Connecticut
avenue patrol box and that was told
there was trouble at Miss Geagan' s
home. 1 then ran across the man
walking away from the scene Of the
shooting. Had 1 then known what
had happened, 1 would have taken
him into custody and to the Geagan
home" -- g. 80.
cleaned" to City.
Peloquin is one of the soldier police
men loaned" to the Washington Po-
lice Department by the War Depart
ment. He is from Rhode Island. I'm
til recently he had been detailed in
front Of the British embassy, but
lately, because OF the repletion Of the
ranks of the Police Department, he
has been assigned to watch Conneeti-
cut avenue from Dupont circle to X
street, and particularly keep his eye"
on the home OF Secretary OF State
Robert Lansing, on Eighteenth street,
just of Connecticut avenue. He was
working this beat Friday morning.
Did Three Mems Work.
'eThe beat worked Friday morn
ing, when the three women were at
tackled, should have been patrolled by
at least three policemen" declared
Isadore Schechter, soldier-policeman
one or the six men on street patrol
duty in the Third police precinct that
morning.
1t was on Schechter's beat that the
mailman entered the home of Miss
Martha Geagan at 1872 Connecticut
avenue and shot her as she lay n
her bed. He was at the patrol box
at Seventeenth and P streets north
west when notified Of the shooting
OF Miss Geagan.
Schechter was manager Of a Scent
store in Philadelphia before he was
drafted into the army one year ago.
Because Of a slight physical defect
he was not assigned to overseas duty
and was loaned. by the War Depart
ment to the Washington Police De-
partment for police duty to help I'LL
the gap in the ranks caused by nu-
merous designations Of policemen.
Takes Hour to Cover sBeat."
Ordinarily three policemen patrol
the beat worked Friday morning.
1t takes about an hour to go around
the beat While I am at one end OF
the beat burglars and footpads could
operate and get away before I got
any knowledge of it.
"Then a policeman could be muir
tered before aid could reach him. For
80 minutes l waited, several weeks
lgo, for aid in arresting some bois- !
-erous negroes. Finally I blew my
,nlf1,
ties. Still no one came. The negroes |
hen calmly walked away. Had 1 at I
empted to arrest them single-handed |
am certain they would have tried to |
kill me. So let them walk OF.
Stops Many People. i
81 stop many persons 1 think are
If a suspicious character and demand |
explanation Of their |
IDENTIFY. One night saw Major |
Pullman at a patrol box. He walked |
III and ! stopped him, intent-upon |
Irresting him. He told me who he !
vas, and / was surprised because l l
lid not know the major.
Il always go about my beat when /
have the early morning shift, with |
ny hand on my pistol, ready for any !
do not take any |
chances. I don't think i was cut out |
or policeman, and am hoping to be |
mustered out of service so 1 can get |
Jack to the scent store In Philadel- |
'hia, suppose my boss will take me
,ack."
Schechter was the second patrol
nan at Miss Geagan's home. He
earched the house and says he found
10 clue to the identity of the mad
nan.
On Friday morning. SSchechter was
ding the regular work OF three pa
rolmen. He was trying to patrol
hat section of northwest Washington
etween N and Q streets and Fiji
zenith street and Rock creek. The
ONE of Miss Martha Geagan, 1912
avenue, one OF the vic
inns of the mailman, is on the eX-
ensive beat" he was patrOlling.