Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-31
DEAN OF DETECTIVES RECALLS
PERSONNEL OF 80 YEARS AGO
Return to Walker Building
Will Be Homecoming to
Frank HeIan.
Maj. Pratt Presents First
Gold Badge to Veteran
of Force.

Return of the head and official family
OF the Police Department to the Walker
Building. 462-466 Louisiana avenue,
after lapse Of 80 years, will be in the
nature of Homecoming to one member
, of the force. Frank M. Helan, dean of
the detective corps and still active in
the work of the department.
Detective Helan, the third oldest
member, in point of service. in the err
tire department, has rounded out 43
years of police service and still has no
idea of seeking retirement.
1t was during part of the time that
| the Walker Building housed the District
Offices that the Police Department had
its headquarters there, the detective
Office being In the basement to the west
| of the main entrance, and it was there
that Detective Helan held forth.
Recalls Names of Co-WOrkerS.
Discussing those days, when Mai.
| Richard Sylvester, superintendent of
police, boosted of the superiority of his
detective force, De ective Helan recalled
| the names Of his co-workers during
| that period.
Included among the members of the
detective force we're Edward Weldon,
George w. Boyd, Edward Horne, Thomas
P Hartigan. Michael Muller, Alfred w
Parham, Patrick O'Brien, Frank Baur
John Gallaher, Robert Hewlett, C. E. E
Flather and T. B. McNamee. Boyd
Weldon, Father McNamee and Baur
retired the past few years, still reside
in this city, while Michael Muller, the
only other surviving member Of the de-
tective force at that time, resides else
where.
Maj. Sylvester was the only head OF
the department who served during the
few years the Walker Building housed
headquarters Of the department, while
Louis H. Hollinberger, Joseph w. Mat
tingly and Robert H. Boardman filled
the position Of chief of detectives. Mat
tingly and Boardman had previously
served as members of the plain clothes
squad and were given No. ratings fol
ability.
Chief Mattingly had filled a detail ir
the Office of the United States attorney
both before and after serving as chief Of
detectives, and was succeeded In THU
detail by Helan, the latter having filled
the important detail for more than q
years.
Because of Helan's long and success.
full service in the department, Maj
Pratt recently presented him No.
badge, the first of the gold-pla ter
badges issued to the detectives, the pre-
sentation calling forth hearty congratu
lations for the dean of the corps from
other members.
Few Unusual Cases.
Detective Helan recalled that ther,
, were not a great many cases Of un
usual Importance called to the atten
ton of the force during the few year
, the Walker Building housed the depart
ment's heads and the Detective Bureau
Chiefs of the detective force during tina
period insisted upon tracing criminal
through this and other countries T.
bring them to justice, pursuing relent
less policy, and on one occasion tw
detectives we're sent abroad for
prisoner.
. Weldon and Hewlett were the one
chosen 10 go to London to return
prisoner wanted in connection with
, | street-car ticket swindle, and durin
their brief stay there they visited Scot
land Yard and learned much OF tn
English method of dealing with Grim
D., inals.
on another occasion Detective Hela
was selected to go to Canada for pris
. oner, a colored messenger in the ONO
= OF the collector of taxes who had robbie
a. safe in the office of several thousan
Y collars The messenger, whose identit
was easily established, was located in
Toronto boarding house, where he wa
living under an assumed name.
? Prisoner and Money Returned.
s Turned over to Helan, the prisont
8 was returned here with 5000 OF Tn
= stolen money, a reporter OF The Eve
3 ming Star accompanying him, and
was said his confession was brougf
- about through the combined efforts {
the detective and scribe. The prisont
!, later did his bit" for having robbie
y the Districts safe
K Inspector w S. Shelby chief of detec
, tives Is pushing ahead the work u gel
ting the Walker Building In readifikss r.