Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-04-04
Tho pol;ee RfII


ting TO Metropolitan Police OF the District of
Columbia" reported by Mr.. HamlIn this morn
ing ON the Senate District Committee, besides
re-enacting the greater part of the several po-
lice acts of August 6, 1861, July 10, 1862, and
July q, 1se6, contains several important amend
ments and additions to the present law.
Ii is understood that this bin was originated
by the Board of Metropolitan Police. 1t was
originally introduced in the Senate by Mr.. Har-
Ian during the last session of the 10th Congress,
as Senate bill No. Tg7. 1t was subsequently, re-
introduced by the same Senator in the LIST ses-
sion of the present Congress.
We give below those portions of the bill which
materially affect the present law. The sections
not noticed contain no material amendments to
the police laws:
United States, by and with the advice and con-
sent OF the Senate, shah appoint five residents
of the District of Columbia, three of whom shall
De residents OF Washington, one of GEORGETOWN
and one OF the county outside of the cities of
washington and Georgetown, who together
MIN The mayors Of the cities of Washington and
ueorgetown ex'ofhclo, shall compose the govern
Ing board of the Metropolitan Police of the
Dstrict OF Columbia, majority OF whom shall
constitute quorum for the transaction of BUSH
ness Before entering upon their duties as mem
beers OF the board OF police the said commits
soners and the mayors of Washington and
georgetown shall take and subscribe the
hereafter
no police authority shall be exercised by any or
either of the municipal authorities of the bis
triet, but such authority shall be wholly vested
10 me BOARD OF police.l The term of Office OF
ore OF the i've commissioners appointed under
tins act shall expire in one year after the date
OF MS appointment; and annually thereafter ON
the same day of the year, the term of office of
one commissioner shall expire. when he shall he
reappolnted or another citizen of the District
appointed in his stead The order in which the
terms of office of the first appointees under this
act shall expire shall be determined by III. The
commissioners in Office at the time of the an
prevail OF this act hall remain in ONCE till their
successors are appointed and qualified
Section enacts that the board of nolice shall
nave power to issue subpPnas, attested in the
name Of its president, to compel before it the
sr 1,h OF witnesses upon any proceeding
authorized by Its rules and regulations; and in
case OF the neglect or refusal OF witnesses duly
summoned to appear and testify before said
board, the superintendent of police shall cause
the witness so negiecting to appear and testify
to be arrested and taken before a police maeis-
uate, who, upon proof OF the neglect or refusal
OF the person so summoned to appear and testify,
snail De nned by paid police magistrate, unless
he offers sufi cient excuse for his neglect to an
pear and testify, sum not less than ten nor more
man nity dollars, or imprisonment in the District
ian not less Than ten nor exceeding th;rtv days.
Eaeh commissioner of police, the superintend-
ent OF police, and the secretary of the board of
ponce, are hereby given power to administer.
Jake, receive, and subscribe all affirmations and
oaths to any witnesses summoned and appearing
In any matter or proceeding authorized as afore
SAID, and to any depositions made nesn,,,,,v mn
tne rules and regulations of the board of polics
any Wiifui or corrupt falseswearino Nv anv Wit
he esa OF person testifying or making deposition
materisI vi s..ncers last mentioned to any
:, .aet, in any necessary proceeding under
-ne said rules and regulations, shall be deemed
gulty OF perjury, and punished in the manner
now prescribed by law for such offence.
Section increases the pay of the Commits
sioners from 1915 to $3.50 per annum: the Treas
aaeI from 81 ,2oe to $1,000; Superintendent from
g s1, . 70 $500 s Captain and Inspector from
affected in their pay.
Section Is provides that the Commissioners of
romeo and the several members of the police
iorce shall have power and authority to imme-
diately arrest, without warrant, and to take into
custody any person or persons who shall commit
or threaten TO commit any breach of the peace
or ohence directly prohibited by act of Con-
gress, or by any ordinance of the city or county
within which the offence is committed, threa-
tened, or attempted; but such member shall inn
mediately and without delay, upon such arrest
convey in person such offender before the near,
est metropolitan Police magistrate, that he
may be dealt with according to law
Section IA same as the present law erceDt that
stolen property is placed in the entire custody
Of the property clerk, under direction of the
Section n ensets that if the superintendent
OF the Metropolitan Police force shall believe
mat any house, room, or premises within the
mon gaming house, os .m nSea a Toe GG% Or
common gaming premises for therein playing
for wagers of money or article of value at any
game of chance, or to be kept or used as a
bawdy house, or for lewd or obscene public
amusement or entertainment, or as a house of
pro prostitution, OF for purposes Of prostitution or
policies, or in which to vend offer for sale,
from which to circulate or cause to be circu-
lated any ticket, certificate or chance, or evil
dence OF chance in any gift concert en-
terprise or rattle, il shall be lawful, and
it shall be the duty of the superintendent
OF the Metropolitan Police, to authorize
any member or members OF the police
force TO enter the same, who shall forth
with arrest all persons there found offending
against law, and seize all implements OF gaming
or lottery tickets, lottery policies, chances or
evidences OF chance, and convey any person or
persons so arrested before a Metropolitan Police
magistrate, and bring the articles so seized to
the Board of Metropolitan Police, and the said
Board are authorized to cause such articles to
be destroyed. And if such police magistrate
upon a due hearing of the evidence, is sat
lsned that the person or persons so arrest
ed are guilty OF the offences charged as
above, or either of them, he shall impose a fine
upon each and every one Of the persons
so offending of not less than ten nor exceeding
fifty dollars, and by his order, in writing. COM
mand the person or persons keeping such
gaming house, room or premises, or such bawdy
house or place for lewd or obscene public amuse-
ment or Entertainment, or house Of prostitution
or for the purpose of prostitution, or for the
deposit or sale OF lottery tickets or Of lottery
policies or in which to vend offer for sale, or
from which to circulate or cause to be circu-
lated any ticket or chance or evidence of chance
IN any GIT concert or enterprise, or raffie. to
close said house, and cease to use it for any or
either Of the unlawful purposes above named;
and for each and every day which such house or
place shall be kept open and used as aforesaid
after the due PRONUNCIATION of the command in
writing to close 1t, the said magistrate shall
impose q further fine of not less than ten nor
more than fifty dollars, and in default OF the
payment Of such tine so imposed, the magistrate
shall commit the offender 10 the United States
Jail in this District, where he shall remain for
three months, unless the tine Is sooner paid.
Section p provides that any and all persons
who may, within the District of Columbia en-
ter upon any agreement tor any personal en-
counter as pugilists, or who may come within
the said District for the purpose Of passing into
The territory OF neighboring State for the pur-
pose OF such encounter, or the owner or owners
Of any steam or other boat, railroad car hack
ney or private carriage, who shall knowingly
convey, or attempt 10 convey, such pugilist or
pugilists to the place of encounter, whether
within the District out Of II, shall be arrested
and conveyed before any metropolitan police
magistrate, who. upon satisfactory evidence,
shall, in default Of sufficient bail to appear be-
fore the Supreme Court of the District of Co
lumbia to answer the charge, commit the party
or parties to the United States Jail to await their
trial before said court; and upon conviction be-
fore said court shall pay hne OF not exceeding
one thousand nor less than two hundred dollars
or be imprisoned not exceeding one year nor less
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