Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-09
Policemen and Juvenile Fruit Thieves
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:

Policemen and Juvenile Fruit Thieves
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
While others are combining themselves tc
the moral and legal features of the Green
case, It. CARDS the shooter and the vic
tim, allow me to draw moral as regards
the duties of our police.
1t Is far noble and better that they
should give their best efforts to prevent
crime than to detect and bring the crimi-
nal to punishment.
Boys who are permitted to run at large
unrestraired, ard are allowed to pillage
orchards end commit trespass and waste
without check or hindrarce are being edu-
Gated to become burglars and thieves in
later life. 1t is notorious that in every di-
rection, all over the city and in the coun-
try round about, the same scenes are en-
acted with impunity as described by Miss
Flagler and her neighbors. Within a stone S
throw of the Capitol GEOGRAPHICALLY
white ones-have so raided my fruit trees
that l have cut down several valuable
ones, most exposed, to get rid of the nui-
sance of not only having the limbs broken
grounds filed with clubs and brickbats and
stones.
This very season, the moment the cher
rieS on one unfortunate tree, standing too
near twelve-foot wall, began to turn the
bombardment commenced, and during my
temporary absence the little thieves got
from the wall into the tree, and nee5y
ruined it by breaking the branches Snd
throwing them to companions in the alley.
Not only this, but they played burglars
by working mortar from between the bricks
in the wall so as to give them free access
to the grounds. And they did the same
thing to the wall of a building on the OPP
posite side of the lot.
| have also a place in the suburbs. odcu-
pied by a tenant who does business in the
city, and during his absence gangs of hood
lums, with whom are mingled boys of ap-
parent respectability, run through the or
cEards and openly rob the trees of half
ripe pears and apples, peaches and cher
ries. Some half dozen large cherry trees
were nearly ruined by the breaking off of
branches to get the fruit.
Not only this. but they have gone into
the corrfield and filled sacks with ears,
casting defiance to those who tried to re-
strain them. And this upon public high
way, along which a mounted policeman
gaily rides his rds.
My tenant tells me that he has repeat
edly asked protection of the police, but he
gets none. AS for my city place. l also
made complaint at the proper station, and
policeman was sent to look into the mat
ter. He made one appearance and some
Investigation and the treSrassing stopped.
I am satisfied that if the police We're
properly charged to give special attention
to these acts of vandalism and thieving
whenever they occur or their BEATS with
out waiting for formal complaints to be
made, the thing could be and would be
stopped, end this education of criminals
cease.
This raiding of orchards and gardens is
utterly destructive of the fruit industry
and should be stopped and our police force
must be so instructed and managed as to
effect the result.
To say that it cannot be done is absurd.
This raidng is in the full light of day and
close by the twirling clubs of the saunter-
ing policemen.
few trimmings in," a few fines or
"sendings up"-just enough to show the
boys that the cops were on the watch
ard meant business-wculd do the work.
We pay our police for protection: let US
have 1t! REFORM.