The morning times., 1896-09-25

that the Third precinct stable occupies
an elevation several feet above the level
Of the station house, and recommends that
the yard IN the re'.r OF that station be cut
| down and leveiled. and roadway made
through the wall into the adjacent market
ward. The cost OF this change is esti-
mated to be So ,673.
Mai. Moore also refers IT, the constantly
growing police force and the Consequent
increase in the number OF arrests for mis-
demeanors.
The capacity OF the station house cells,
he says, have On more than one occasion
been tested, and it has been necessary at
tIu.es q I transfer prisoners from I he precinct
10 which they b ,iolgrd 10 some other. The
Recommendation follows upon this state
inent that station houses be made more
ample by the additions OF second stories
and more cells.
Measures should also be taken, the major
says. for the relief of the reserves and the
full force at roll calls. AS matters now
stand. they are crowded at times into quar-
tiers IN a MANNER which ca mot fail to prove
detrimental to health and efficiency.
hut few OF the houses have rooms for
athletic recreation OF baths. arrangements
which in vogue in the improved stations
of other cities. The Fourth and Eighth
precincts are named as being much in need
of an additional story each.
The Superintendent refers to the change
in the law which authorized the selection
of policemen from the civilian ranks, and
comments upon il favOrably. He also COM
mends the adoption by the Commissioners
Of the civil service method VI appointing
men to the force.
After n satisfactory test Of six months
the superintendent says IL was determined
10 relieve the police department of the
conduct Of the civil service examinations.
and the work was transferred To the
United States Commission.
THE RESULTS NOTED.
The initial examination before the com
mission was held March 6, when out OF
n total of nineteen applicants, but five
succeeded in securing the requisite 40 per
cent; March "a, a second class. numbering
IL. appeared, and three passed; May II
there was class of nineteen, and six
passed: June %, OF rirty-three candidates,
sixteen passed, making a total of thirty
only who successfully stood the test.
In his discussion of criniinalogy, Major
Moore says:
Were it not for the depredations charge
able to theft, there would be comparatively
little crime TO chronicle.
1t may seem strange, in reviewing the
operations of the past year, taat with an
increased force OF police, there were
fewer cases OF arrest than in the year
previous, but such in the fact. The year
1896 noted %, 1O4 registrations of names
under various charges upon the rec ords,
while during 1896 there We're 22,562, a
decrease of 542'
From these premises the superintendent
disputes the proposition that crime is on
the increase in the District.
In this connection, he adds, it must be
remembered that there is no law here
against intOxication. and that the lieu
tenants of police, exercising their dis
cretion, released 2,759 cases, where
drunkenness was the charge.
The most startling and heinous crime of
the year, Major Moore says, was the muir
der of Elsie Kreglo, yet fresh in the public
OF u crippled aud infirm shoemaker, Hall,
by parties unknown. The escape of the
perpetrator OF this last crime is the second
OF the kind recorded against the Dis
trict since 1872. 1t is believed by the
superintendent that the culprit will yet
be apprehended.
ANNUAL PROPERTY LOSSES.
The losses of property and money reported
to the police during the past year amounted
20 $6S,7O4, or 1859 less than the pre-
ceding year; lost or mislaid property.
$4.725, or 1925 less than in 1895; re-
covered by the police, $1S,910, less than
sho wn for the previous year by $4,56S.
''IL might be stated" the superintendent
continues, Ito the credit Of the department
that the hard times and activity on the
part OF the authorities in other cities in
dnced an unusual number Of expert thieves