Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-01-20
LOCAL NEWS.

food.
Rev. W; Charming, d. D, president OF the
National Freedmen's Relief Association, pre.
sioso, and q. E. Parker acted as secretary
Dr.. Claiming said that there were a large
number Of this class OF persons In the District,
but it was impossible To ascertain their uuun.
ber. Most of them were " omen and children,
whose natural protectors were the army as
soldiers or in the Onartermaster'e Depart
ment and around hospitals as laborers, and
some were in the rebel lines. Many Of these
people, swept into the District as they were.
were necessarily helpless, coming In the fall
months from their former homes. bringing
nothing except the clothes they wore. They
had show ed a spirit of self reliance, refusing
any aid, which reflected credit on them as
race. They wanted to gain sn honest liveli-
hood, and all they wanted now was TO be uded
over the winter The high rate of rents, fuel
and provisions was the cause OF this suffering,
but II they were helped through this winter in
the spring they Will all go ont TO gain a honest
livelihood. lie W shed 1t understood that IL
was only temporary relief that Is proposed,
and he believed that temporary relief was all
these people expected. Mr.. Charming closed
by paying compliment 10 the culored race,
who had show ed q tact in adapting themselves
to their new pos itIons W hich Is wonderful, and
De read the report OF Mrs Griffin the princi-
pal visitor OF the association.
The report states that there are thousands of
these people in the District many of them hay-
lng he ads TO their families, who were thrown
INTO the District when the abolisnrusnt OF
slavery had caused q surplus of laborers TO he
here The employ yment OF many In the Navy
Yard, in the Quartermaster's Department,
&c, had in a measure improved this state OF
affairs. census taken last June showed tina.
there were about $4,000 In the District nearly
all within the city limits. and the number now
cannot be less than 10000
Out OF 900 families of this class not more than
% pay less than "a per month for the miserable
shanties in which they live, and not more than
so less than SIS, while some who have been able
to put up shanties pay Sl5 TO $50 per year
ground rent. She had not found an able
bodied man but who had some kind OF employ
ment. Not more than half of these families,
at the last visit, had any wood. The report
narrates the condition of families, some OF
which are living in stables, some without food
for "a hours
Mrs. Griffin was called on, and addressed
the meeting at length, stating some OF the
cases she had met with, and appealed for aid
They wanted clothing, food and fuel, and un-
less something was done immediately the pa
pers would chronicle In a few days a numbe
of deaths from starvation and the severity of
the weather.
Rev. H. H. Garrett, eolored, fully endorsed
the statement OF Hrs. Griffin, and suggested
that the Government, if informed of the suf-
feriDgs OF these people, would do sonnet thing TO
aid them. He was Tor taking hold OF the mat
ter i'm Immediately, and he will bring il TO the
notice of his congregation on Sunday.
MIR. buckingham said he had visited some of
the families referred to by Mrs. Griffin, and
endorsed what she had said. Hundreds of
them were on the road to the grave by hunger
and frost. The plan proposed was similar to
the plan adopted in New York Volunteers to
visit each house, and gather clothing, money
and food, which is TO be stored in some central
place, from which 1t will be distributed ON
tickets issued by visitors.
Mr.. Dudley, OF the New York association,
spoke of the action in the North, and stated the
public there wanted to see w ashington and
Georgetown moving He would volunteer the
aid OF the teachers OF the schools of the assoeia-
tien on Saturday and Sunday. Mr dudley
stated that in an interview with the Secretary
OF War, the latter stated he had no authority TO
give rations to the teachers of the schools, but
he had assumed the authority TO give rauons to
the starving.
Mr. Buckingham said result OF an appeal to
the SECRETARY of War was the iss uing of rauons
to the Boston and Philadelphia associations
and to the soup house on the Island.
The Chair stated that the Government had
distributed $500 rrem the hospital fund, which
was not limited, and also wood, blankets, and
rations.
Mr.. Buckingham remarked that the officers
Of the government had too much to attend TO,
and thought they could not be charged with
neglect He was gratified that the Secretary
of War had ordered the distribution OF 1900
blankets and Gen. Meigs $50 cords of wood.
In answer to question, Mi. Buckingham gave
q short history of the freedmen and the ssta5-
lisnment of Freedmen's Village, which was
established under the direction of Col. Greene,
Who stated 5nsS MRs n9i eny
Mrs. Shade stated that m ueh had been done
by the colored people of the District; that they
had relief society in successful operation,
which had accomplished much good las. win.
ter and the winter before
Rev. Mr.. Kimball OF Boston, said that Wash
ineton had dene very little for the freedmen,
and he hoped that every door.bell would be
rung and an answer required.
Oiher remarks were made by Rev. Mr.. Fisk,
Judge Day, Mrs Coleman and others, and be-
fore the meeting adjourned the following COM
mittees were raised to call on the families in
the different wards for assistance:
First Ward-Dr. Upton, Surgeon at Circle
Mr.. J. H Brown, Rev. Mr.. Garnet, Mrs Gar
net, and Mrs Foot. Third Ward-Jndge Geo.
E H. Day. Fourth Ward-Mrs. Brown, Mrs
Caldwell, Mrs. William Slaae, and Miss
Slade
The following places were also designated
rs depots for the contributions viz:-The Soup
House, Island, + street, between Ninth and
Tenth streets. Mrs. Griffin's, IS Louisiana ay.
VIM. SHADES 4Sl Massachusetts avenue
POLICR RRPoRTs-Second Precisc..-Charies
Powers, Moses Larkin, disorderly: S5 each.
Maggie McDermoN, grand larceny; aismissea;
also, disorder1y; wOrkhouse. j.. II. Dewey.
selling without license; 800 ]. H. Snyder,
creating a nuisance; IS. Charles Powers. car
larceny; jail for court.
THIRD Precinct-Johanna Allen, receiving
stolen goods; Harrod Jackson, larceny; Peter
kearn, drunk dismissed. Francis Brook, fan
Ing 10 take out a license Sc 25. James Surgu.
son, fighting; S1062. Lucy Tabbs. Kitty jam
merson and Fanny Warren, disorderly; s54l
each. James Segroves, do; military. Wm.
Carmon, assault and battery; bail for peace
Mary Gately, fugitive from workhouse; dis
missed Thomas Kelly, oisOrderly; do.
Fourth Precinct-Edward Holiday, carving
weapons; workhouse. Arahells Foster, disor-
derly; 50. Catharine Brannan, drunk; work
house. p Carrico, do; dismissed.
Sirth Prectnct-C. Exander, violating city
law; So T. e. Parker and Henry kerner, do;
$40 each. p. McNallY, Hugh McAlur, fight.
ing; military. John Fare, S. Harrison. Thos.
J Johnson, Barnard RedmOn, BENJAMIN Cooms,
drunk and disorderly; military. John Ten
ley. do 50.
Eighth Precinct Tilos, disorderly;
81 50. VIM. Howell, 5. Howell, VIM. Lang,
August Burns, Henry Hood, Caroline Kosher,
do dismissed. Martin Eileuberger, grand
larceny; do. Charles Corey, dsorderly; 80 90.
Margaret Wilkins, grand larceny; Jail for
court. Margaret Stemm, drunk and disorder
"; SIS 80. Lawrence Norton, do; 80 so George
Mantz, throwing stones; 81. Joseph Hughes,
no number; paid costs.
SECOND WARD STATION CAsKs.-John Car
er, drunk; $3. Sarah Chisley, profanity; S3
John De Lacey, keeping disorderly house: bail
or court. Martin Welch, disorderiy; a3 Lizzie
Sutten, drunk and disorderly; S. SaIiie White,
iiserderly; IS. John B. Stewart. do; military.
m. Jordan, do do. Josephine Chapman,