Evening star., 1935-06-02

n March 81, 1884, Thomas r
~ Veile, night manager of fill
4 \ ing station at First and K
streets northeast. reported &
robbery to the police. He said he had
been held up, at the point of pistol
by two men. one white, one colored
who struck him on the head with the
butt of the gun and took $40 in bills
and change. According to the de-
partment's official records. Mr.. Veile
furnished good description of the
men who held him up"
A few hours later the manager OF
a flower shop on Seventeenth street
northwest reported he had been held
up and relieved of S35 in bills A de-
scription of the robbers and their tac-
tics Tailed with Veile's report.
About 1928 am. of that same night,
the night manager of gas station
at 1863 Maryland avenue northeast
reported that two white men and a
colored man had gotten $50 from him
and SIG from two customers held up
in his place at the same time.
Say the records: During this hold
up, the manager was hit with the
butt of gun on the head by one of
the white men. He and the two GUS
toners also furnished a very good
description of the bandits"
About $40 am. the switchboard
at headquarters flashed a light. The
operator on duty plugged in. A hur-
ried voice at the other end gave its
business briefly.
Never mind who I am. I was
passing by the gas station at Ninth
and Pennsylvania southeast in my
car. That station is being held up
noW!"
The operator didn't ask any ques-
tions. She got the radio dispatcher of
Station WPDW. located on the second
floor of precinct No. 10, on the phone.
She flashed" him the message. In a
matter of seconds his thorough knowl-
edge of the city and the exact loca-
tion of every scout car in the area Of
the hold-up enabled him to put the
warning oh the air.
IN THE even monotone of all dis
patchers, the words went out:
scout Car 51-hold-up at gas sta
ton, Ninth and Pennsylvania south
east; Scout Car 51-hold-up at gas sta
tion, Ninth and Pennsylvania south
east; Scout Car 5l-hold-up at gas
station. Ninth and Pennsylvania
southeast. Time, 3:43 am. That is
all"
A new factor had entered into the
chain of events of that night-radio
on the job.
BY an odd coincidence Ca relief
man was just then entering his
trick, three officers were in the scout
car No. 81, and passing Seventh and
Pennsylvania southeast when the
warning came.
The finale to that nights crimes
may be found in the tersely written
records of the department.
THE three officers went immedi-
ately Git was in something less than
q minute) to the station. They OBJ
served a roadster with the rear tags
bent up, listed to -, parked ir
front of the station with the motor
still running. A white man, latel
identified, was sitting under the wheel
Upon approaching the auto, the
man pulled a nickel-plated revolver
from his right coat pocket. Wher
ordered to drop it by Pvt. r. ]
Tompkins, he did so.
"Pvts. Salkeld and Bracey ap.
preached the window and saw white
man with a white handkerchief tiec
over his face. This man was Later
identified as a man who was rif1ine
the desk drawers in Office. Also one
colored man was inside, standing BY
the stairway leading to the basement
with a nickel-plated revolver in his
right hand, and facing the doorway
AT this point Pvt. Salkeld took
his service revolver and knocked a
hole in front window and commanded
both men to throw up their hands
and come out.
1.-The white man started running
to the rear and leaped over railing
leading to the basement. The col
ored man said, Come in and gel
me- leveling the gun In his hand al
Pvt. Salkeld and Pvt. Bracey. Pvt
Salkeld, seeing the gun leveled al
them In a menacing manner, fired
four shots from his service revolve,