Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-13

ity of law or justice any riehtful charges can
be preferred against these officers, as means
tn secure their trial and removal. Yet IL Is
undeiiabIe that these cases affect he ability
ard efficiency of the force unfavorably.
The suggestion MADE in former reports,
that the waichmen employed in the various
The charge or and become accountable TO,
the Board of Police, is deemed worthy of
consideration. Such an assignment would
add tn the patrol force nearly one hundred
officers, with the necessary sums TO pay
them, and IL is believed that police supervf-
sion OF the public buildings and places would
be made even more sure than under the pre-
sent systen1.
There have been charges preferred against
IA members Of the force during the past year,
IL dismissals, 81 reprimands, and fines.
LIQUOR LICENSES.
All applications for the approval of licenses
TO sell intoxicating liquors at retail were re-
proved and 40 disapproved. AS the old cor
poration laws relating to licenses for this
traffic are imperfect, and experience in en-
complete police control i is almost impossible,
IL is deemed desirable that Congress be
asked 10 revise them. 1t is respectfully sub
two classes Of licenses would not conduce TO
remedy many and growing evils arising
from the present system. As il is believed
that most Of the impure and poisonous COM
pounds Sold are retailed in the lowest class
OF places, IL is presumed a nealthful amelio-
ration in the condition of the patrons and
deniZens of these places would result from
any such penalties for the selling of poison
Gus authorizations of LIQUOR as would prevent
1t. AS means for this result, 1t is believed
that as a general rule this class of dealers
would be satisfied with, and that the charac-
tiers of their places would improve under
license for the sale of exclusively malt
liquors and light wines, with severe penal
les for their adulteration or the sale of
stronger liquors on such licsnSe-the sa ne
to be given at rates now paid. An
other class of license for the sale of
yuh felx cir md o,NH
intoxicating liquors, with like penalties for
adulteTatiOn, should only be authorized on
payment OF an increased sum of from $500 to
$500 per annum. These licenses would thus
answer all necessary public, private and
medicinal purposes, and exercise a health
full restraining influence upon a large class
OF persons. who seem unable. under their
existing surroundings, to sunder the bonds
by I'hich they are uDconsciously bound.
Ques. Ons have been raised by liquor dealers
as TO Il. authority of the board to disapprove
license for any place. after the applicant
has complied with existing laws by getting
the assent of certain hOusekeepers and prop
erty owners on squares where the license Is
asked; whether in its Judgment the public
interest demands such place to be licensed or
not, as also upon the power of the board to
revoke a license during the license year
where the public interest required that such
license should be revoked. In the estimation
OF the board, the provision contained in the
third section of the act approved July %,
1866, amendatOry of that establishing me-
tropolitan police, which requires that "no
such license shall be considered legal by any
OF the authorities having jurisdiction within
said District, until the same shall nave been
approved by the Board of Police" was in
tended 10 confer upon il some kind of dis
erection TO approve or disapprOve, as the ne
oessity for the place licensed to serve the
public veal, the propriety of its location and
It's effect upon communities, should impress
IL. Indeed, IL would appear anomalistic
were the board required in such terms to
simply register the requests OF persons inter
ested, who might be capable of conspiring
for the general destruction OF all order and
decorum in localities tainted with vile GRIM
inal practices.
PICKPoCKETs AND SNEAK THIEVES.
BY reason of the great increase of this class
of criminals, there seems a necessity for
some provision beyond the existing laws, to
enable the authorities TO prevent their ope-
ratiOns and bring them TO justice. The or1i-
nances relating to vagrancy are now the only
means of bringing them before the courts,
unless discovered in criminal act. The
board of police is OF the opinion that
special law authorizing the arrest on sight
Of any professional thief or pickpOcket, or If
any person suspected by the authorities of
engaging in such practices, would exercise a
wholesome restraint upon the visits of pro-
feSsiODai thieves. and materially diminish
the number of robberies committed here.
PAUPERISM.
IL is apparent that there is not sufficient
provision made for the care of poor aud pau
pers within the District limits. Outside of
charitable societies and institutions there ar.
large classes of persons who Ostensibly gain
living Dy begging. Inc Ola corporation ord1-
nance for sending Migrants TO the work
house has become nullity in the practice of
cur courts, ard the OFFSPRING or the idle have
become annoying and criminal. The number
OF persons now living exclusively by begging
in The District is about 5000. IL has been as
c6rtaired that families occupying rows of
Eouses are supported by children who go
about begging. Their parents have been
known 10 refuse 10 work, although healthy
and able bodied. The dens in which these
people live are the homes OF children, par
entless and abandoned, who are educated In
lawleSsness and crime. 1t is fair to presume
that the increase OF the mum Der or arrests In
the last two years is mainly due 10 the
criminal practices OF this element In the Dis
trct.
STATION HOUSES
Out OF the eight precincts OF the District
The Sd. 18th ard sth only have proper station
houses while for the remaining five excepting
the central guardhouse) buildings have been
improved for temporary purposes. The Dis
trict Commissioners, however, have recently
authorized the renting of buildings for the
fair accommodations. Still the evil can only
be wholly remedied by providing ample and
we'll RECONSTRUCTED station-houses for the ac-
commodatiOn of the service.
THE DETECTIVE CORPS.
The six detective officers in the service are
charged more especially with the cases of
piekpockets; frauds, robberies, and ferreting
rObberies of various kinds reported to this
corps. The total value OF property thus re-
ported 10 have been stolen was S51 $685..
Besides these there were rObberies of greater
or less importance that were never reported
10 this office, but which, coming under its
notice, these officers have not hesitated to
consider them, and have sometimes been in
strumental in arresting the criminals and
recovering proceeds of the thefts. Tire rob-
berry of the United States Treasurers office
Of some SIT 900 was notably one of these
cases, and of which nearly $4,000 was re-
covered, and several persons were arrested
by them and turned over TO the courts to
answer for the crime. Thus the amount re-
covered by the detective corps within the
year was S55 1886, exceeding by 81 POI 81 the
sum reported as stolen. These detectives
made 495 arrests, and ii is believed this
record exhibits due diligence ON the part of
the corps.
POLICE TBLEG RAPH.
IL is difficult TO estimate the great value of
the present lines of the police telegraph es-
Establishment. Its worth is shown by the
record of - .061 dispatches sent from different
points during the year. Recent changes
have enabled the board to obtain the services
OF two operators and the care of the instru-
ments and lines for about the same sum as
was formerly expended for a superintendent
as operator. The entire original lines have
been rebuilt and extended to double their
former lengths, all upon new poles, and with
new wire, at a cost OF 81 y3391I The original
lines cost S15, 600 in 1864.
ReeOmm endatiOns for COnYr essiOnal
Legislation.
1T is peculiarly an uQweicOme task