Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-26

fingers.
s. Length Of the left foot.
4. The length of the left forearm.
3. The length Of the right ear
| 8. The height OF the figure.
z. The measurement of the outstretched
| arms.
8. The measurement Of the trunk, ie., meas
urement from the bench to the top Of the head
OF person seated.
The height is taken Of the person standing
| erect The outstretched arms are measured
from finger tip to finger tip, the arms being
| extended in right angular cross with the body.
Sliding compasses are used for measuring the
| foot, forearm, fingers and ears.
| Inspector Swindell said to STAR reporter
that he thought the new system would prove
an excellent thing for the department. Hair
and beard change color as much as sickness
will change the general appearance Of q man,
| SO that general description taken this year
may be of no use in few years to come. The
measurements taken under the new system af-
ford a means Of Identification which . criminal
| can never escape. Connected with the system
is an ingeniously arranged index which con-
tains room for II, 900 descriptions. Officer NJ.
! b. German, the clerk has charge of this book
The system is fast being adopted by the police
forces in all sections of the country.
The beauty of the index" said Clerk Cor
man, lis that no one unacquainted with the
| system can figure out the descriptions, and then,
| again, there are no names written in the index.
A criminal can change his name, but his identity
| can be learned from the figures, which do not
change"
| THE SANITARY OFFICER.
Officer John A. Frank is the sanitary officer,
and on account Of the position which he fills he
is often called Doctor Frank" His Office is in
small room in the rear Of the second floor
and there are not many tramps, either tran
sients or residents who do not know how to
reach this Office. All day long there is a con-
i ~ xyici 10 .,v,ls 81
| room.
| "What do they all want?' echoed the sani-
| tary officer when questioned by STAR reporter.
I'D like to know what it is they don't want?"
| Just then an old colored man. walking with
| the assistance of a crutch and cane came in.
| What can do for you this morning, uncle?"
| ask ID the officer.
-, Please, boss if you has no 'iections would
like to go to de hospital"
| whats the matter with your
| II tell you, boss" replied the decrepit old
man, Its ole age as much anything else."
How old are you? queried the officer.
| Deed, boss, amt jess able fer ter tell you,
but when de war broke out was too ole to go
| into it"
Where were you born?'
Virginia
How long have you been here2"
Cant 'zactly tell yer"
| Where is your homer
Lord, chile, 1 amt had no home for desc
many vars"
IN send you to the aims house." said the
kind-hearted officer. as he turned to his desk
and took up his pen. In few seconds the nee
| essary permit was handed to the old man
and an hour later he was safely domiciled in
| the aims house.
Every day the sanitary officer is called upon
to listen to tales of woe told by the sick and des-
titute.
Among other duties the sanitary officer looks
after people who are in hard luck-those who
come here and have no means to get away. In
other words he furnishes transportation free
OF cost to some worthy ones. Among those who
are frequent callers are the old soldiers from
the various homes in different parts Of the
country. These old men come to Washington,
but when their funds are exhausted the cues
ton arises, How can get back without walk
ing? The probability is that they then 60
direct to the sanitary officer, for they know
that they at least have some show of getting
sent home. They are not, however, always
favored. The same one will sometimes come
30 often that his credit wears out.
Almost every crank who comes here from
other parts of the country, either to see the
President or start revolution in politics or
religion is taken before the sanitary officer and
examined. If he is found harmless he is
placed on a train, in charge of conductor, and
either returned to his former home or sent far
enough away to prevent his returning in the
near future. Those who are termed danger
GUS" are tried by jury and are sent to st.
Elizabeths.
There are seversl cranks in the country who
make regular trips here and have to be sent
home. There is one man from Fredericksburg
who has been in the habit of coming regularly
and being returned home at the expense OF the
District. The last time that he appeared he
was threatened with the work house and he has
not since reappeared. In the spring and fall,
when tramps are passing through the city on
their migrations northward or southwark, many
OF them call and ask to be sent on their way on
railroad train, but they are invariably in
formed that the fund is not for that purpose and
are given to understand that unless they leave
town they will be ..jugged." The most un-
fortunate class who apply for transportation
are workmen who have lost their Job of work
and want to return to their former homes
When such men apply they are usually assisted.
In the sanitary Office Officer O'Neill, who is
detailed as an agent of the humane society
for the protection of children, has desk. and
he is usually to be seen there at O'Clock each
mornings
Last year he investigated 100 cases. In some
cases complaints were made by neighbors who
were aware OF cruelty inflicted upon little
children. but did not care to appear publicly az
prosecutors against the inhuman parents, and
so the officer brought the guilty parties to
justice. In some cases the utmost depravity and
humanity we're revealed and children were
| taken from their parents and placed in orphan
asylums. where they receive human treatment
While caring for the living the agent also
keeps a record Of the dead ones, and he reports
that last year seventy-one dead infants were
found in the streets and other public places.
THE AMBULANCE SERVICE
is connected with the sanitary office. Each
ambulance carries an outfit for removing sick
wounded or dead people. This service has
proved most useful and important The chief
Of the service is Mr.. Harry Hutton. Often
when persons who are sick want to travel they
are removed from their houses to the depots
and steamboat wharves.
THE RECORD DEPARTMENT..
On the third floor are two large rooms. The
| front one is occupied by the stenographer, Mr.
]. Arthur Kemp, and Officer Mattingly, who is
| detailed as clerk. In this room papers such
| as complaints and communications are indexed
| and the records of the department generally
are kept. In this room is also Mr.. Mckenzie,
| who was appointed to look after the street
sweeping. In the back room Officer Slater is
| detailed to make record of the entire work.
ings of the police force SO far as arrests are
| concerned.
Mr.. Kemp, the stenographer, is the owner of
a fine farm near Rockville and after Office
| hours, like Detective Raft, he is always ready
to give prospective farmer information as to
| how to conduct first-class farm, live well and
get wealthy and healthy.
| THE POLICE TRIALS
! In the rear room on this floor is where the
police trial committee meet every Wednesday