Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-24

year of 2,37s). 11.734 being white and 1903
colored. Percentage of whites, .464; color
ed, $50. OF the total cases of arrest .612
resulted in convictions and 1888 in acquit-
tails. OF the total number ,09S were made
in the central. or first, precinct
The most important feature in the police
service, next to that of making arrests of
those guilty of crime, is the recovery of
property. The estimated losses during the
year past reached the sum of S74,4l4.61 of
stolen property and S.. $3.50 reported lost
or mislaid, while the estimated value of
the property recovered was S36, 1874, or
nearly one-half.
Crime Statistics.
During the year 1897 there were ten cases
of murder. while the past year the total
reached fifteen five of which were charged
to white persons and ten to colored), an in
crease of five over the preceding year. The
District does not stand alone in this re-
spect, crime of this character prevailing
throughout the land in all large cities.
Although the figures for the past year
seem formidable, they do not reach the
maximum of previous years, seventeen
cases of murder being charged in the year
1899
Major Sylvester appends to his report de-
tailed statistics of Grimes against prop
erty' in the District showing that during
the year there were 273 cases of house,
breaking in the night, and 1853 arrests "a
cases of HOUSEKEEPING in the day reported,
anu II arrests, seven more than were
ported by citizens: 3T3 cases of grand lar
ceny, and 13S arrests: 2,673 cases of first
orense petit larceny, and .625 arrests; 2O3
cases OF larceny from the person. 166 ar
rests; ~ cases of highway robbery 10 ar
rests; 56 arrests for embezzlement and %
convictions, out of 60 cases reported: So
cases of false pretenses, and IS arrests,
thus exceeding the number reported.
After instituting a comparison with other
cities. which he regards as favorable to the
District, Major Sylvester says:
mis- Is not given as an excuse for the
failure of this department to apprehend
those who have escaped Justice, but as an
evidence of the fact that it's members are
earnestly working to secure the ends for
which the force Is maintained. The public
should understand that when the depart
ment fails to apprehend a criminal no one
feels it more than those charged with the
duty of arrest. 1t is looked upon as a loss
just as much as merchant would feel the
loss of his goods through his inability to
obtain payment for the same.
The disposition of the outside world Is to
find fault and criticise those charged with
the important duty of arresting offenders
against the laws. but if the details of the
work were more fully understood. that
ready disposition to condemn would be
changed in measure at least. The officers
give their time by night and by day, losing
their rest and meals in order to ferret out
and follow up clues they may obtain, and
which they hope may realize for them a
successful termination of the case Police
to be intelligent and energetic in their spe-
cial line of work They supposed to APP
ply their skill would physician, but not
always do they attain that success for
which they strive.
A statement of minor offenses follows,
and the superintendent adds:
Much more attention has been given she
dumb animal during the past twelve
months. resulting in AIS convictions out of
400 arrests, eighty more fines being i'm
posed during the year than for the year
before.
Although stringent law exists against
the carrying of concealed weapons, and
tive efforts have been made by the courts
for several years to prevent this offense,
there is no apparent diminution in the vio-
lations, as shown by the fact that during
the last year 200 convictions were secured
on this charge, while in the previous year
there were 1S3.
Sale of Sunday Beer.
The best interests of society demand
renewal of the recommendation of the late
superintendent that Congress be petitioned
to make such amendment to the existing
excise laws will prevent the sale OF
beer in any quantity by brewers or manu-
facturers on Sundays. Much of the intoxt-
cation and disorder which prevail In GER
tain sections of the city on the days OF rest
can be attributed to the practice of young
men and boys purchasing kegs of beer from
brewers, conveying them to out-of-the-way
places and there excessively partaking of
it, Legislation on this subject is necessary
to further preserve peace and order in the
District of Columbia.
There were 674 more cases of dlsorderly
conduct held by the court during the year
1898 than there were in 1897.
Fast driving has always been a matter
of interest to the residents of the city, and
the advocates of a stringent enforcement
of this law will be pleased to note that
there were JOG convictions for this offense
he or han ftr he
previous year.
In 1897 nine convictions followed the ar
rests upon the charge of foruication, while
in 1898 there were fifty-seven such convic-
tons.
The habitual drunkard is factor in po-
lice circles. Cases of this character where
convictions were obtained numbered seven
ty-four during the year, while for the
twelve months preceding but thirty-five
cases We're made and convictions had.
1ntoxication is not a violation of law in
the District of Columbia, but the police
exercise the right under the law to ar
rest upon this charge and hold for safe
Keeping such persons are unable to care
for themselves by reason of overindulgence
in drink During the year 3.12s cases were
entered upon the station house books
while in the year preceding there were
2,793.
Intoxication and disorderly. a branch of
the former offense, caused go arrests. 92}
OF these being held by the court In 1897
A62 convictions We're had
Cases of Insanity.
70 bear out the theory that the hard
times and other like causes promote
diseased minds, the statistics show that
the courts held upon the charge of insan-
ity in 10 cases during the year Just closed
while the year before there were but
seVenty-four held upon like charge.
fffty-four convictions were had for keen
ing disorderly houses, while the wear be-
fore twenty-six convictions We're obtained
TWenty-one cases We're held upon the
charge of maintaining bawdy house
while there We're twelve the prior year
Forty cases out of fifty-one arrests for
conducting gambling house or tables were
sustained by the court, while for the wear
previous twentythree were held
Unlicensed bars received the attention of
the police in ffty-five cases where the
courts upheld the officers forty-two being
held the year before.
Eleven open bars were discovered on Sun
day In which the proprietor suffered the
penalty of the law; but three such eases
We're made during the preceding twelve
months.
II might be added in this connection that
the increases noted in the minor offenses
referred to above may be accounted for in
a large measure by the fact that the citv
has been stamping ground for a large