Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-08
THE HUMANE SOCIETY
The Record of Work During the Year Just
Closed.
Annual Meeting Of the Society Today
Reports Received and Of
ncers Elected. -'

this afternoon at the Shoreham. Officers
will be elected for the. ensuing year and
the reports of the officers and of the ex-
ecutive committee will be received. These
reports will show that the society Is in a
most prosperous condition, free from debt
and in a position to do even better work
than ever before, the past year having been
the most successful in its history. A num-
Der of changes will be made in the list Of
officers and in the membership Of the ex-
ecutive committee, but 1T Is more than
probable that the following will be elected:
President, A. s. Pratt; vice presidents.
Judge Arthur Macarthur, Rev. r. r. Ship
pen, Mrs. VIM. e. Chandler, Mrs. A. l..
Barber, Mrs. Florence Murray, Mrs. J. B.
Henderson, H. F. Blount, ]. b. T. Topper.
Mrs Hugh McCulloch, Mrs. e. c. Halliday,
Parker Mann, Crammond Kennedy, Miss
Loring; corresponding secretary, Parker
Mann; recording secretary, w. F. Stowell;
financial secretary, Mrs. H. B. F. Macfar-
land; treasurer, Edwin M. Truell; execu-
tive committee, the president, the treas
urer and the secretaries, ex-ofticio; Mrs. r.
]. B. 7. Upper. Mrs. Florence Murray,
Miss Harriet Lorng, Mrs. T. E. Hood, Mrs.
A. l.. Barber, H. F. Blount. Rev. X. X.
Shipper, Mrs. Crammond Kennedy, IL b.
Enoch Totten, Mrs. T. Cairns, Parker Mann,
Mrs. Parker Manu. c. r. Fosdick, w. c.
Mayo, Mrs. ]. B. Henderson, Mrs. VIM. E.
Chandler. r. Ross Perry. Miss Tiffany,
Miss Gale, Miss Elsa McKeever, Mrs. H. V.
Boynton. -
President Pratt's report for the past
year shows that this, the twenty-1oufHn
year of it's history, has been the most SUI
cessful of ali in the way Of lessening sur
fering and bringing to just punishment
those who have been arrested for cruelty
to dumb beasts. He expresses the opinion
that there is no society of the sort In the
country which can present a better record,
considering the amount Of work to be done
and the extent of territory to be covered
The report makes a plea for the further
education of young children In the princi-
pies Of the work, and urges the establish
ment of bards of mercy in all public, prt-
vate and Sunday schools. Tue pledge OF
the band is: II will try to he kind to all
harmless living creatures. and try to pro-
tect them from cruel usage.
Action of the Society.
The number of persons reporting cases OF
cruelty for investigation and action by the
society, the report states, has trebied dur
ing the year. The courts have frequently
commended from the bench the work OF
the society and its agents, the police have
rendered assistance on many occasions
and the press of the city has uniformly
given its valuable support. The society Is
free from debt and economically run. and
great credit is due to the agents for the
able manner in which they have discharg-
ed their duties. Reference is made to a
number of cases which have been acted
upon by the society. and a plea is made for
further action in the matter OF putting
stop to vivisection. The society's ambu-
lance, which was destroyed in the Knox
fire. has been replaced by a better one at
a cost of $500. The desirability of securing
society is also touched upon. and MIR. Pratt
urges that some concerted effort be made
in this line. - S'
The report of the executive committee,
prepared by Mr.. VIM. F. Stowell gives In
some detail the workings of the society
during the year just closed. In the course
of the report the committee says:
"a number of complaints have come to
the office in regard to dog tights and CHICK
en- fights that were to be held in the Dis
trict In each case, however, we have
found that those brutal scenes were not
penetrated within the limits of the Dis
trict of Columbia, but were held just on
the other side of the line in either Mary
land or Virginia; therefore We could take
no action.
Enforcement of the Laws.
Several complaints had been received Of
the needless destruction ST song birds in
the suburbs Of our city, and Capt. Prince
a gentleman much interested in song birds,
adore. sed the committee on one OCCASION
AMI informed them of the enormous num-
Der of these little birds that were annually
killed, and asked for their protection from
the different weapons used by small boys
especially. Various methods were suggest
ed as to what we should do, and 1t was
finally decided that the best thing would
be to send agents into the suburbs and to
arrest such persons as were found violat-
ing the law.
"The work Of preventing the violation Of
the humane laws has been vigorously
. arried on during the past year, and we
believe there is no other society working
under the same conditions covering the
same amount of territory with the same
force, and with as little expense as our So
ciety, that can show as great an amount of
work accomplished. Our agents deserve
great credit for their persistency in prose-
cutting vioators Of the law, and answering
calls at all times, day and night, and In all
kinds of weather.
MANY people in this city think we do
nothing but prosecute poor people, but
could they see our records they would soon
change their opinion. Many are the times
offenders are let off, have personal bonds
taken or their cases dismissed by our
agents, and, on the other hand, the cor
poratons receive strict attention when they
violate the law, for they do 1t knowingly.
and our records will show any number of
cases against street car companies. express
companies coal dealers, sand dealers. con-
tractors, ETC.
Work of the Agents.
Following is the summary Of the reports
of the agents for the past year:
Work for the prevention Of cruelty to
children-Number OF cases investigated,
go; number of cases prosecuted, 4; number
of cases fined l; number of cases sent to
Jail, 1; number OF cases nolle prossequi,
2; number OF cases amicably adjusted, 295;
children. taken from parents or guardians
and placed In orphanages and other institu-
lions, Us; number of cases committed to
beard of chiidrens guardians by order of
Police Court, -.
Summary of work for prevention of
cruelty to animaIs-Number' Of cases in
vestigated, 1871; remedied without prose
cution, 1885; prosecuted. 197; convicted;
ia; acquitted. ~; cases of animals unfit for
work, $40; cases of animals abandoned to
die %: animals killed by the agent. 65;
cases OF beating or whipping. %: cases of
overlooking, .; cases Of overdriving, IL;
driving when CALLED, 1876; driving when
lame, 1T; lack of food or shelter, -; col