The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-08

The Commissioners are in receipt of
communication from Dr. Samuel T. Lewis,
of 1913 Fourteenth Street northwest. in
which he complains of the inefficiency of
the police force in the vicinity of Four
teenth and Streets. He informs the
| Commissioners that he has had occasion
| frequently to complain of this matter,
and that his various protests have result
! ed only in temporary relief. II may be
| true. he admits. that the police force is
inadequate TO the needs of the District
/ as whole, but he is of the opinion that
I there is mismanagement OF the force re-
/ saiting IN the failure to keep the indi-
| vidual policeman 10 the strict discharge
OF his duty.
DR.. Lewis then recites the circum-
I stances connected with the breaking of
a show window in a building belonging to
( him. He states that the boy who did ii
! VIII probably be punished, but when that
I is done it does not pay for the window.
I the repair Of which, SIS at least, must
+ come out Of his pocket. He therefore
/ comes TO the conclusion that he and the
boy IRE sufferers on account Of inefficient
/ police protection
! The complaint having been referred TO
/ the Police Department, the Superintend-
( ent forwarded IL 10 Lieutenant Henner
I with the request that he should inform
Headquarters las TO the number of COM
/ pi.s tDts he had received from DR.. Lewis;
( IL he boys have cherised any iIl-feeling
toward Dr.. Lewis which would prompt
a revengeful spirit on account of the
complaints he may have made against
them: If there has not been an officer in
I constant attendance on market days at
the corner specified. and if matters are
maintained in good condition in response
! to frequent orders from Headquarters,
and after personal visits to that locality
! Ly the Superintendent Of Police?"
Lieutenant Heffner. in reporting upon
/ the matter. stated that he had received
! enly one complaint from Dr. Lewis within
/ q year relative to the conduct of the
boys in the neighborhood. The lieuten-
/ ant states that Dr.. Lewis has entered
/ several complaints about wagons push
carts, etc, standing on the street Lieu
! tenant Heffner is of the opinion that the
! boys entertain no in-feeling toward Dr..
! Lewis; that the boy who broke the win
dow was one OF a party who live in the
| vicinity OF Sherman and Whitney AVE-
nues; that on the evening OF the break
ing of the window they were on their way
/ 20 she theatre, and that scuffie ensued
! at hat corner, and that one of the boys
| threw a small golf ball at another one,
1 which went through the window. He says
( that officer Barnes was at the moment
I rot half a square away in the act of re-
/ porting to the precinct at the patrol
| box
Lieutenant HefTner states that a pc
/ licEnan has been in constant attendance
! on the corner in question on market days.
and that in his opinion the officers give
/ the locality as good protection as is pos
sible for the amount OF territory they
! have to cover.
In forwarding this report to the Com
I
/ In this connection / beg leave to state
/ that ! have frequently given this locality
( my personal attention, with a view to
! regulating conditions in the vicinity Of the
| market house on P Street, between Four
teenth and Fifteenth streets, and on mar
| ket days an officer is continually station
/ ed nearby. The patrol box is but half
! square away, where calls are be made er
/ cry half hour. and I feel that the locality
| is given every attention possible with the
number Of men at command.
| My active interest in regulating affairs
| in this vicinity is largely prompted by the
! complaints made by Dr. Lewis. the first
/ being against the dairy premises in that
vicinity, the second against fruit yea
| CaTs the third with reference TO grocer.
/ wagons blocking the way in front of his
| premises, and the last one the complaint
/ in hand. There are no other persons Nv
/ ing Whereabouts who have called upon the
1
ence, and I have reason to believe that
| the conditions are very much improved. II
| they are not as good as exist elsewhere
| in the neighborhood of a market house.
ON the occasion referred to the window
! glass was not broken by boys living in the
| neighborhood. but by a youth who resides
| in Mount Pleasant, who was passing at
| The time II would be impossible to look
! after the pranks and actions Of each of the
| thousands of persons who pass to and fro
on this busy street through the day and
nissht, but the officers have given, and viii
! continue to give every care and vigilance
to those who may have Interests or who
may live in the locality mentioned in the
hope that there may be no further cause
for complaint"
| The Commissioners have approved the
! reports and Dr Lewis will be informed in
accordance Herewith.
The Auditor today received from "A
Friend" the sumo OF 81 which the said
| friend intimated was owing by him or her
/ to the District. Mr.. Petty Immediately
entered the amount in the account of the
] conscience Fund