Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-06

oahuei wilson He Is member of the police
iorce ana has been on duty long enough to un.
derstand the work thoroughly. Being a man
/ OF family he takes great interest and pride in
the iabors intrusted to his care and it is not a
rare thing to see him carving one or two
ragged children that have been ill-treated OF
neglected and looking for place of shelter for
| them where they will receive kind and tender
treatment such as motherly women only can
give Officer Wilson has desk in the office OF
Sanitary Officer Frank at police headquarters,
where he can be found every morning at 8
o'clock. Not only is there an agent to look
after such cases, but there is also good law
TO cover them, and there are numerous persons
In this city now who will understand how the
| law operates.
THE HUMANE socIRrY's POWER.
Under the act Of February, 1885, the Humane
Society was authorized to extend its operations
to the protection of children as well as animals
from neglect and abuse. The law provides
that IN pursuance thereof the said society
may cause its proper officers or agents to pre-
Ter complaints, before any court in the District
OF Columbia having jurisdiction, for the vio-
latlon OF any law relating to or affecting the
protection of children i'll said District. and by
Its proper attorney may aid in bringing the
| iacts Defore sucn court In any proceeding
taken"
HOW ARRESTS MAY BE MADE.
The second section of the act, referring to
the manner of conducting the Investigations
and making arrests, provides: "That the Com
mlssioners of the District of Columbia shall, by
| the police force of said District, aid the said
society, its officers and agents, in the enforce
ment of all laws relating to or affecting the
protection of children; and the Commissioners
OF the said District and their successors, are
authorized, In their discretion. to detail from
time to time, an officer officers to aid spe-
clally in the work Of said society, or they NAV
commission any duly appointed agents of said
society special police officers, without compen-
sation; and such agents or officers shall have
power to arrest. without warrant, all persons
violating, In their presence or sight, any law
relating to or affecting the protection of
children, or other parties so offending BY
virtue of warrant issued by the Police Court OF
the District of Columbia, which offenders shall
be taken by such agents or officers before the
said Police Court of the District OF Columbia
for trial. Said agents officers are also hereby
empowered to bring before the said court any
child who is subjected to cruel treatment,
willful abuse or neglect, or any child under
sixteen years of age found in house Of ILL
fame, and said court may commit such child to
an orphan asylum or other public charitable
institution in the District of Columbia with the
consent of the constituted authorities of such
asylum or institution, or make such other dis
position thereof now is or may hereafter be
provided by law in cases of vagrant destitute or
abandoned children: Provided, That any parent.
guardian or near relative who may feel aggrieved
by any order of said court in the premises NAV
appeal therefrom to the Criminal Court of the
District of Columbia"
THE EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN.
The third section devotes attention to the
employment of children and the places where
they cannot live Is mentioned. The section
reads:
That any person in the District Of Column
bia who shall torture, cruelty beat, abuse or
otherwise willfully maltreat any child under
the age Of eighteen years, or any person hav-
ing the custody and possession OF child under
the age Of fourteen years, who shall expose, or
aid and abet In exposing, such child in any
highway, street, field, house. out house or other
place, with intent to abandon it, or any person,
having In bis custody or control a child under
the age of fourteen years, who shall in any way
dispose OF II with view to Its being employed
as an acrobat, or a gymnast, or a contortionist,
or circus rider, or rope walker, or in any
exhibition OF like dangerous character or as a
beSgar, or mendicant, or pauper, or street
singer, or street musicians; or any person who
shall take, receive, hire, employ, use, exhibit
or have in custody any child of the age last
named for any OF the purposes last enumerated,
shall be deemed guilty Of a misdemeanor. and
when convicted thereof shall be subject to pun
ishment by fine Of not more than $3.50, or by
Imprisonment tor term not exceeding two
years. or both"
PROVISIONS FOR PUNISHMENT.
The last section provides for punishment of
persons Tor enticing young females in the fol-
lowing language: THAT any person who shall
entice, decoy. place, take or receive any female
child under the age of eighteen years into any
house OF ili-fame or disorderly house, for the
purpose OF prostitution, or any person who,
having IN his custody or control such child
shall dispose OF 1t to be 30 received, or to be
received in or for any obscene. indecent or i'm
moral purpose, exhibition or practice, shall be
/ al ,,Ahfx ,.,tt -
convicted thereof shall be subject to punish
ment by a fine of not more than 81 900 or by
imprisonment for term not exceeding ten
years, or both"
CASES INVESTIGATED LAST YEAR.
Last year Officer Wilson investigated S1A
cases. and during the year he made provision
for us children, either procuring homes for
them or providing for them temporarily until
their condition could be benefited. OF the ia
provided for they were sent to institutions and
| furnished homes as follows: Nine were sent 70
the House of the Good Shepherd, 7 to the
| House OF Mercy, 46 to the Industrial Home
School, to the German Orphan Asylum, IL to
the National Colored Home, 6 to the reform
school, II to St. AIMS Infant Asylum, / to st.
Mary's Industrial School, Baltimore; to the
Washington Asylum, 26 to the Washington
City Orphan Asylum, to the Hospital for
Foundlings, II to the Colored Infant ASYLUM. 4
to the Home Tor Friendless Colored Girls, to
the Newsboys' Home, 2 to hospitals and were
| furnished homes in private families. The
character OF the cases varied considerably and
In many instances the suffering of the children
resulted from the cause OF rum either on the
side OF the father or mother, and sometimes
both. In other cases the children were
orphans while others had been deserted BY
their parent or parents, and although very
young were left to paddle their own canoe
I'm every case, said Officer Wilson, ..where
complaint was made an investigation followed
and where the facts justified it the parties were
taken into court"
CASES TAKEN INTO COURT.
In the course Of his Investigations, he said
he had occasion to take several cases into thu
Police Court, and there the law was 20 enforced
that the most possible benefit was derived by
| the child who had been eated or abando nsd
| During the year, the officer said, he met with
some distressing cases of poverty and suffering
and assistance was rendered where such wal
possible, and in every case where young chill
dren were involved they were not allowed tC
suffer. Such was the case especially in the al
leys where whole families occupied single
room and where dirt and filth took the place oil
| carpets and, in some instances, where the only
| bedding was spread on bare floor. The wori
Of the officer did not relate solely to cases where
children were abused, ill-trsated or abandoned
but several children were taken and placed In in.
| situations against the earnest protest Of thsiI
mothers. These children were taken from
houses OF ill-fsms, where they were either born
| or carried after their mothers had started on
1 the Aowp~a>I "a -