The Washington times., 1894-10-21

There was a Giving picture" on exhibition
in the police court yesterday which spoke
-nutely but cloqueutly il behalf Of the suffer
ing poor Of the picturesque Capital City. 1t
was one Of the most Ditlul Of pictures in the
panorama OF poyerty-a mother charged
with stealing bread for her starving children.
Julia Bell. - sang OUT Clerk Harper
Here Sir came a feeble response from
the motley and sin hardened Jnrong OF cul-
llrits in the dock. as . light cOlored woman
stepped slowly TO tDe front. She bore every
trace of suffering and almost starvation. Her
temples were sunken and her cheeks hollow.
Her large brown eyes looked appealingly 10
The Judge as the clerk read the charge.
she was charged with being a suspicious
person. the principal evidence against her be-
ing the fact that she was found about day
light yesterlay morning with several warm
loaves of bread in her possession. In answer
10 the Judges interrogatorY as TO where she
got the bread. the poor woman SAID the loayes
had been given 10 her by the driver Of a bak-
cry wagon. The case was postponed until
Monday ia order TO give the policeman an
opportunity to summon the bread wagon
driver who delivers bread in the vicinity OF
Twentieth and r streets northwest where the
emaciated woman was arrested. While in
the cage awaiting the arrival OF the prison
van, Julia told a TINES reporter that She got
the bread for her children, who were al home
CRYING with hunger.
The police Of The several precincts are re-
porting M unusually large number OF bread
r1bbereS. The ioayes are principally taken
rom tla boxes In front Of grocery stores.
The officers argue that these thefts are largely
due 70 the prevailing distress among the poor
Of the clJy.
POVERTY. SICKNESS AND OLD AGE.
Des.itU.iou. sickness and extreme old age
have Joined their grim forces in the case Of an
application made yesterday afternoon TO Act
ing Lieut.. Smith. Of the Fourth police pre-
cinct. for immediate relief. The case in ques-
tion is that OF an old gentleman who has lived
IN this vale oi tears over l03 years, aud his
venerable better-half who has seen the sea-
sons come and 90 70 times The application
stated that he aged couple found themselves
in the deepening twilight OF their ilyes-On
she very b0rter land OF eJernity-Ill, destitute.
and Oh ects Of charity. The kind-nearted
officer viii see 10 ii that something Is done
lOr the az g couple.
Away cut at lie Eighth precinct station. on
the northern boundary line o. Washington, a
TIMES reporter found Police Lieut.. Cess
lord last evening.
Yes be said in answer to the reporters
interrggatOry. i am satisfied from present
Indications that the poor are going 10 have a
terrible time during the approaching winter.
and there Will be much suffering unless the
good people Of Washington come to our as
sistauee Congress does not appropriate
much Tor the police poor fund. and we must
therefore depend largely on the charitable
citizens 10 swell our resources. As far as 1
am personally concerned / would rather that
the contributors send Us orders on grocery
4 q b.
that is sent in viii be thankfully received
Up 10 the present lime no contributions Of
any sort has been received at the station for
the relief Of the destitute of the Eighth pre-
cinct Where relief has been extended the
money came from the remnant Of the police
appropriation.
o2E CASE II POINT.
Lieut. GeszGord related a ease in which he
bad relieved one family fourteen times our
ing the past warm season. The family con-
sists %. a father. mother. and three children.
The father who was hard-working man.
fell ana u-1ke bis leg anJ was therefore in
capactatel from doing any work ior his wife
and .IItle ones. When the Lieutenant heard
OF the am.ir destitute condition he I'M
mediate-y supplied them with an order Tor
food and heel. This he was comuelled to do
again and again until the father had sui-
ferriuE 10 the police method OF distributing
relief. the lilurenauJ sand:
The 81 stem does not cost one cent for the
disbursement Of thousands of dollars. There
is not. as is The case with some Of the chaCt-
able examinations. any cost for clerk hire
pay Tor visitors OF investigators, for fuel
room rent or light. Every penny donated to
the pole. iual is expended among the
worthy poor absolutely without cost. The
police method oi investigation is q good and
quick one. Cases OF CestitutiOn are relieved
promptly and without any show whatever OF
red tape. lgl an officer reports case as
wortay Of relief wee At once make out an order.
usually yt.- -5. on a nearby grocery store, and
another for q similar amount on some wood
and coal Yard These are taken Immediately
10 o. SD rru- family, and often within one
hour after a ease j. reported 10 Us a bright
fire Is aura.ls on tho hearthsJone OF the
aiii. i lamv aud the tea kettle is singing
gladstone solo to the chorus from the ain
nor por.
I1s reported that there is considerable suf-
ferng a-eu- tue col0red residents Of the
"cal p. % large settlement Of frame shan
ties extending from First 10 Seventh streets
nOrthWr~f uld north OF the Ereedmen's Hos
pliai. lts ace is populated 10y the very
poorest class of negroes. and from the dis
tres tlal is said 20 exist there thus early IN
the seas p. tee outlook is that there viii be-
sad and a-r1rE Times among the denizens Of
the 'eoH Tlnn The north winds blow cold
and old I1.- tr1st frescoes window pane and
mea ow 1gfh bis .gntaslie designs
From tEc 'tecrl stoWn police comes the re-
port thar there Is a family of white people
living Cn thH Canal road who have lived
three days on raw turnips alone. These were
given tasra 5y a neighboring farmer, who
raised tie turHius 10 fatten his hogs. As
result @ THIS "Coi. Mulberry Sel!ers' diet sew
eral OF the children are suffering from severe
attacks OF illness. The father Of this family
started for Cumberland over one week ago to
seek employment, but nothing has since been
heard from him.
VERDICT Or ACCIDENTAL DEATH