Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-07

balins and an acting sergeant collecting fines;
the health department has two, one inspector OF
master At the workhouse are three guarding
prisoners; at the District building three as
watchmen, besides a clerk on ouI rolls; at po-
erty clerk and night and one day clerk in
charge of the detective offices. Besides this for
about three months in the year we have been
supplying the license board with q clerk, and
much time has been consumed by some Of our
officers In aiding in the collection Of personal
force as we have the work OF this department
necessarily suffers greatly in consequence OF
these illegitimate Details"
NUMBER OF ARRESTS. ETC.
Tables follow. showing the number Of arrests
in each precinct, classification Of prisoners, as
to nativity, calling, sex, age, etc. The total
arrests made were %, 225.
A table shows complainants' estimated value
OF money and property reported as stolen for
Estimated value of money and property recov.
cred for the same time, $40, 235.5S; and lost or
One Of the first things that attracts attention
In the tables is the very large increase Of the
number of arrests over the year before, in con-
ment Of law generally, Especially ' the sO dog
law, and the arrest of suspicious characters.
Between February 20 and March the average
number OF arrests per officer increased from So
to 1O1.
"If we deduct twenty one patrolmen on spec
ial duty where arrests are not made We will ind
Iuc dCtuhl uuHDcT OI arrests per Oulcer 10 De
III Chicago, believe, having the next highest
number with 6O)."
THE PATROL BOXES
The work done the past year through these
patrol boxes is given. This system has only
been in operation in the It'll precinct since the
LIST day of May, 1885, and the major says: 81
respectfully report that during this short time
have found it to be of great service, both to the
police department and residents of this precinct
The preceding tables show that larcenies
grand and petit and from the person., house
breaking and robbery reported durirg the past
year aggregate ,316-the bona fde cases being
only 1919, i. e., Al more than the year before.
The increase is due to the fact that the past
Opportunity for thieves to ply their Calling, be.
tween the Goth of February and the 9th of May
last-especially as pickpockets. 1t may be add
the year as vacant is known to this depart
ment as having been entered by burglars In
fact, none SO reported during the past three
years IT
STOLEN PROPERTY.
The amount Of property reported stolen, ETC.,
was $4S, S16.24, against $50, S.O2 for the pre-
ceding year. This increase occurred during the
three weeks described above. OF that amount
$12,235.53 of the amount reported stolen, &C.,
was recovered. The number OF arrests for the
above described offenses was 1.S16-that is 122
per cent of the number of caSes-a slight increase
over the past year. The decrease in the amount
recovered is partly accounted for by other
necessary DuL unusual WOrk I'M OSeO upon our
little force during the year-that is, taxing the
census, making lists of business places and Of
projecting gas and water pipes, &c, but particu-
larry to the fact that about one-fourth of the
amount reported was lost when our little force
was taking care of hundreds Of thousands OF
strangers in the city,"
THE CENSUS, ETC.
The census taken by the police in June last is
given as published in THE STAR at that time
showing the total population of the District to
be 2OS 459
During the last and preceding years the
Police Court sent to Jail in 1888, s96 persons;
house, 1883, 1,255 persons; 1854, 1,7eO per
sons; 1885, 2.311 persons. Reform school,
1sss 90 persons; 1ss4 80 persons; 1882 SO
sent to the penitentiary in 1883, II persons;
1884, 80 persons, and 1885, 80 persons.
INCREASE OF DRUNKENNESS.
"The tables of offenses against the person show
that intoxication, and such ofienses as ARRAYS,
assaults, disorderly conduct, &C., as are mostly
committed by persons when under the influ-
ence of liquor, are on the increase; habitual
upon ocers have decreased from o 10 " 10 az
While the number of places where liquor is
sold lawfully und unlawfully increases arith-
geometrical progression. The existing laws re-
lating to the liquor traffic are very unsatisfac-
tory. Prohibition, were it desirable, is imprac-
ticable here But step in that direction may
be made, and this is far preferable to a step in
the opposite direction. Each policeman on
nef auar Ues
satisfactory law to aid him."
HIGH LICENSES ADVOCATED.
''The low groggeries, where, in consequence Of
which much disorder occurs, may be broken
up by high license. The saloon which pays
only S25 license is obliged. under the law, to
dispose of several drinks and DRINKS at one
sale, while the dealer who has 800 license
may sell only one drink. II must be
low places at the same price that
q small glass does ct the retail place.
dr"nkenness and disorder: and there is no rea,
unless it be desirable to make a distinction in
hundred and nifty dollar, or a higher, license
the remaining places could be kept under more
matter should be directed principally against
liquor as luxury and against its abuse and
While the consumer Indirectly pays the tax
and license. the producer and seller alone have
any criminal responsibility in the District.
pie and by obstruction in public places, with
the comfort and well-being Of others, should
nos there Be- Law to protect the public against
"wITH RESPECT TO OTHER NEEDED LEGIsLA-
TON,
your attention is respectfully invited to my
reports of 1883 and 1884. Were the Commits
sioners vested by Congress with sufficient
authority to make tor the District police regu-
lations having the force of Law, we could then
walk abroad at MONDAY without fearing the
ridicule of every village mayor OF the land. The
city's position Is anomalous and deplorable In
gress is too ponderous and slow q body 70 be ex-
pected TO meet In the proper manner and at the
proper time every emergency which may arise,
and such as are continually arising, In jeopardy
Of the public welfare.
POOL SELLING.
"Besides the suggestions in those reports this
may be said: The worse forms Of gambling had
disappeared from our midst when pool selling
Is respectable in comparison with this new
phase OF sport with its element Of fraud UNI
known upon the race track and unseen by the
unsuspecting. It Is very dem0ralizing among
the young. While 1t is the province OF the
police TO execute the lawn, not 70 make them,
our experience enables and our duty requires
as to say that IL the existing law be not sum
cient-as the recent action OF the Police Court
such frauds In the city, then do We need Q new
law, and that Immediately"
"cLUB" GAMBLING
1.-THE greater number OF the obstacles the
police encounter In their endeavor to preserve
order and q decent state Of morals In our midst
arise from the defects In the laws themselves or
In their construction. The mere name CLUB
protects persons who live by gambling The
Law should be stringent enough Certainly to
certain class Of poker rooms 20 be fleeced The
narne club has been 60 successfully used IN
protecting the gambler that the whiaky eeller
seems ABOUT 70 use the same name TO pFk,tecf