Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-26

lieve this condition O. affairs but the slow pro
cess Of reaching decisions induces the oft
| repeated recommendation for the repeal OF
law which excludes from the police force tn
| son of veteran or any citizen, however de
serving. unless he has received an honorable
discharge from the military or naval establish
ment for services rendered in time of peace
" this clause is to be continued it would b,
sound policy to arrange with the War and Nav
departments that a record should be kept il
each of good, worthy and suitable men, from
whom selections could be made to ill vacancies
subject. however, to the requirements of Law
and regulations. In supplying vacant place.
| delay, which might secure good men, would b
preferable to prompt appointment solely upon
! an honorable discharge of one who might have
been a good soldier, sailor, marine, but
| who might not possess the qualifications essen
| tlal for an efficient policeman.
INEBEIATE INSTITUTIONS.
"The necessity for an asylum for inebriates
has been heretofore presented and it is hoped
that provision may sooner or later be made for
an institution for their treatment Drunken
ness in the District of Columbia is not an
oflense against the law. 1t is believed that
were II made such, public drunkenness would
| IN some measure be repressed. and the un-
seemiy appearance of inebriates upon our
| streets be considerably lessened.
LOTTERY AND POLICY.
THE act approved March 8. 1891. giving a
! jury to the police court and comforting upon
that tribunal jurisdiction in misdemeanors has
enabled the department to prosecute more sue
cessfHly lottery and policy cases. as is evidenced
| by the greater number of convictions. 1t is
not so with the club gambling cases. which
have to be Investigated by the grand jury, as
| the maximum penalty, upon a conviction under
the first section OF the law, permits a sentence
| OF over a year. 1t would be better if those
| oienses were classed the same as lottery cases,
mo Of n lyIntl yyh
| the maximum penalty has been imposed.
| Owing to the pressure OF other business the
| United States attorney has been unable to
bring to trial any of the cases, about twenty in
| number, pending before the grand jury and the
Criminal Court.
PAWN AND JUNK SHOPS.
'The new law regulating pawn shops and
| secondhand dealers is working very satisfac-
| torily; well in adding to the revenues of the
District of Columbia as in assisting in the re-
covery OF stolen goods. The law has been
tested III the courts and sustained. The Sec
ond-Aand dealers law should be SO amended as
TO reduce the license to IS per annum where
the capital invested does not exceed So SO as
to benefit persons who are engaged in gather
Ing rags on the streets, the tax OF $40 amount
ing TO prohibition.
The report notes the operations of the sani-
tary officer and approves his recommendation
that $4,000 be specifically appropriated for
transportation of paupers, ''cranks" and others
from the city. 1t likewise summarizes the dis
bursement of S2,SS641 for the relief of the
poor, the work of the patrol system, the police
matrons and the humane agent.
STATISTICS OF CRIME.
The report gives comparative table of the
number of arrests made under different
charges during 1891, and the three preceding
years.
The showing made by the police statistics
for the fiscal year ending June 80 1891, with
reference to crimes and misdemeauors in the
District of Columbia, the report says. is by no
means discouraging. During that period
there was a decided decrease in the commission
of the higher crimes. There was no legislation
put into effect making such commissions more
heInous. lawyers were no more fertile in de-
vices to clear their clients, and executions
were less frequent. In fact misdemeanors
were punished with greater certainty than cap
itai Otenses. 1t is but reasonable, then, to in
fer that the police have been more energetic
and cautious in carrying out the first duty laid
down for them-the prevention and suppress
sion of crime.
1t will he observed in comparing last years
figures with those of the preceding year, and
considering crime and misdemeanors of all
KINDS. that there were twenty-nine increases
and tweuty-four decreases, the increases being
for the lesser ofenses and the decreases being in
ARRAYS, arson, assault ana battery, assaulting
enticiEg child to prostitution, embezzlement,
forgery. grand larceny, habitual drunkard,
housebreaklng. intoxication and disorderly,
indecent assault, murder, profanity receiving
stolen goods, vagrancy and threats. Com
pairing every character OF crime and minor
Offense charged in 1891 with the same for
the three wears preceding. there is
found remarkable decrease in every kind of
commission, excepting in assault cases. which
exceed the greatest number for any prior year
by 225 and in concealed weapons cases, which
exceed the highest number tor the preceding
years by 1S The failure of Congress to provide
penalty in keeping with the latter offense as
recommended by the chief clerk of this depart
ment year ago. seems to have only en-
boideped the hip-poeket gentlemen Dis
orderly conduct increased all around BOG cases.
as did the number of cases of destroying public
and private property. There was one
more case of enticing prostitution over
the highest total for any of the former
years. and " increase in the cases of fast driv-
ing. 4 few more children displayed desire
to forsake home and fireside; there was one adj
ditional of interfering with an officer in
the discharge of his duty. 10 increase under
the charge of keeping disorderly house and
81 under the act to suppress gaming The list
of cases for selling lottery tickets was more
numerous. With the few exceptions Just
named there was a decided decrease, less muir
der by more than so per cent over the largest
number of cases in four years and less stealing
and intoxication-
These deductions are made from the daily
morning reports os the police heutenants and
with great accuracy, and they prove con-
clusively that notwithstanding the manner in
which the District police department is handi-
capped by the multiplicity OF laws, by the army
and navy appointment clause, by dilapidated
headquarters building. by a diminutive fund
for the detection and prevention Of crime, it
has succeeded in reducing crime and immor-
atty to a minimum. Murder will continue to
be committed. petty thIeving will never be
suppressed, drunkards and Migrants will con-
tinue to come and go. but that these evils are
being gradually reduced Is cause for reflection
as well as reorganization
OF the %. l66 cases of arrest there we're but
l.. 0o7 held for the action of the Criminal Court
for which there was an infection OF penalty
in the Police Court This reduction was
reached by l.5is cases being nolle prosecuted
and 1851 dismissed by the lieutenants. District
ATTORNEYS judges of the lower courts and cor
ouer, the first named exercising their peroga-
tive in releasing all cases of intoxication, which
alone numbered. as already stated 1895 cases,
Where the dog law was violated cases were
dismissed on production of licenses, and SO
when unlicensed peddles and hucksters were
approhended. There were numerous cases of
suspicion and vaSrancy where parties were
alike acquitted. OF the whole number
of cases of arrest and Of cases held
"a and fraction per cent we're against colored
persons. For this condition of affairs the
neglected state OF the colored child and youth
is In ID long wa responsible, as is evidenced by
the fact that out of 228 cases where petit
larceny was charged 1872 were against colored
chil iren under sixteen wears of age and ont of