Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-24
SUSTAINS THE COURT
Acting Prosecutor sinolairs Views Respect
ing Reports Required of Junk Dealers.
The PrOvfsions of Law Affecting the
Case-Absence of Clause Affect
ing Personal Property.

The action of Judge Taylor yesterday in
dismissing from custody Charles F. Hill
who was charged with failure to make a
daily return of transactions at his place OF
business, in violation of the police regula-
lions of the District of Columbia" an ac-
count of which was printed in The Star OF
last evening, has been generally discussed
by those interested, notably dealers in sec
ond-hand goods and members of the police
department, and it is feared by some OF
the latter that under the view taken by
Judge Taylor the operations of the depart
ment in seeking the recovery of stolen
goods will for the future be greatly ham,
pered.
Referring to the subject, Acting Prose
cutor Sinclair today remarked
Il say without any hesitation that, in my
opinion, the decision of Judge Taylor in this
case is entirely correct, the alleged ruling
of other judges to the contrary notwith-
standing. l am unable to see how any
other conclusion could be reached. But
some of the papers gave an erroneous idea
of the case. This man was charged with
failure to make daily return of transac-
tons at his place Of business. in violation
of the police regulations of the District of
Columbia.
Quotes the Law.
1.-THE act of Congress relating to junk
dealers, dealers in secondhand personal
property and pawnbrokers in the District
of Columbia, which was quoted in the pa
pers yesterday afternoon, provides:
Junk dealers and dealers in second
hand personal property of any kind or de-
scription whatsoever shall pay to the Dis
trict of Columbia license tax of forty dol
lars annually. Every person whose bust
ness it is to buy sell old iron, rags, pa
per, secondhand personal property of any
kind or description whatsoever shall be
subject to the provisions of this act and to
all the laws and regulations now in force
in the District of Columbia and to all the
valid regulations which may hereafter be
provided relating to junk dealers or dealers
in secondhand personal property etc.
Police Regulations.
Now. it is easy to see that man cannot
be charged under this act with failing to
make daily return of transactions; so we
must turn to the police regulations, and,
doing SO. we find this:
Every pawnbroker. junk dealer or per-
eon engaged in the secondhand clothing
business shall every day except Sunday
before the hour of II o'clock in the forenoon
deliver to the major of police, on blank
form to be prescribed by the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia, legible and
correct transcript from the book or books
provided for in the preceding section, show
ing the description of all and every article
or thing received by him, whether by sale
or in pawn or pledge on the business day
Immediately preceding Except in the case
of junk dealers as to the purchase of rags,
bones, old iron and paper, together with,
in the case of pawnbrokers, the number of
the ticket issued therefor, the amount loan
ed thereon and the description of the per-
son making the pledge; such transcript, in
the case of business done on Saturday, to
be delivered as aforesaid before IL o'clock
in the forenoon of the following Monday
That is the only regulation that l know
of respecting the return of transactions,
and IT will be observed that this merely re-
lates to pawnbrokers, junk dealers and per-
sons engaged in the secondhand clothing
business. The act of Congress presupposes
that regulation would be made relating
to dealers in secondhand personal property.
but such a regulation does not now exist.
venture the prediction however, that
we'll soon have one the subject"