Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-22

ride their wheels. Mr. j. D. Lasley. who IL
making the fight, feels confident that the
regulation will be declared unconstitutional,
and SO do large number Of other wheel
men.
Now that the crusade is on and the mem
pers OF the cycle squad have started to
make arrests, in which convictions are Sc.
cured. the question is being asked among
wheelmen If mistake was not made in let
ing a test case come up. A much quicker
way OF settling the whole matter, 1t is
claimed. would have been through the
| medium Of the Equity Court. An applica-
t1on Tor an injunction against the Commits
sloners to prevent them from enforcing the
regulation could have been applied for. A
restraining order would undoubtedly issue,
| and date be set for hearing the matter
The validity of the regulation could be fully
discussed before the Equity Court judge,
and, II proven to his satisfaction that such
was the case. the injunction would most
likely be granted, which would forever Kill
The law.
The advantage of this style of prosecu-
tfon can be well seen. If the restraining
order was issued no arrests could be made
under the act. and the wheeimen would
ride unmolested by the bicycle police squad
or any other police until the matter was
finally settled. AS it is now the police will
continue to make arrests, and convictions
will follow in the Police Court while the
| case is pending in the upper courts. Then,
again, wheelmen who are obliged to use
would not have been forced to go to this
expense.
The credit of the first conviction under
the law will hardly go to the defendant in
the test case. According to the records of
the Police Court another man was fined be-
fore the final disposition in his case
Though he may have been the first man to
be arrested under the new regulation, the
first rider to be fined is William Shire, who
was brought before Judge kimbal Thurs-
day forenoon, while the hearing in the 9TH
er case was in progress. The prisoner was
not represented by counsel, was held
guilty, and made to pay a fine of 81.
If the statements are true the local cycle
hoard of trade will not venture into any
year is said to have been a warning to
them. 1t will be remembered that the
board obtained sanctions for three race
meets. one on Decoration day, another on
the Fourth of July and the third the ma
tional circuit meet. The first meet was an
unqualified success. The second was hard
ly more than paying enterprise. if that.
While the third was something of a failure,
owing to accident to the car line.
Though the general impression seems to
prevail that the cycle board of trade came
'out about even on the three race meets, it
is stated by those who ought to know that
financially the meets were not successful.
SO much SO was this that the board does
not consider it advisable to run any more
meets this year.
Ths first bicycle race of the season will
he held tomorrow between noon and 1
o'clock, weather permitting, on the Con-
duit road, from the Anglers club house to
Cabin John bridge 1t will be a match
race between Pop DeMaine the we'll knowu
bicycle salesman, and an unknown rider,
Bill johnson, who claims West Virginia as
his home. There has been great rivalry
between the two for some time past, and
they have both been in training for the
event for some days. large number of
riders, friends Of the contestants, are ex-
pected to be on hand for the race