The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-09
FIGHT ON THE CIGARETTE.
Three Alleged Violntors of Law Be.
fore Judge Il imInlI

The anti-cigarette crusade in which I.
Q. H. Award. general superintendent of
the Confederation of Young Peoples So
cieties of the District of Columbia, is a
prime mover. took definite shape yesterday
when sixteen defendants appeared in the
Police Court TO answer the charge of SELL
ing cigars, cigarettes. and tobacco to
minors. OF the sixteen who answered to
their names only three were prosecuted,
and of those one was convicted, one ao-
quilted. and the other released on pei
sonal bonds for his appearance in court
Thursday. when the case against him viii
again be taken up. The continuance of
the case was suggested by Judge Kimball
in order TO give him time 10 consider a
legal point raised by Attorney Albert Sill
iers. who appeared for George T. Fordham.
As the question of law raised will proba-
bly, figure in the thirteen cases untried,
the decision of Judge Kimball in the
Fordham case will be important.
The question at issue was whether George
T. Fordham. the accused. whose case was
continued, sold package Of tobacco to an
adult or a minor. 1t developed from the
testimony of Richard Patten. a boy ten
years of age that he was sent to the store
of Fordham by Award. who instructed him
to buy tobacco and tell the proprietor. in
the event he asked for whom the purchase
was being made. that it was ''for man
down the street" Attorney Sillers held
that inasmuch as the Patten boy was sent
for the tobacco. related that it was pur-
chased for "a man down the street and
then delivered the tobacco Immediately
after the purchase to the man down the
street tAlward). the sale was made TO
Award, and the Patten boy simply acted
as a messenger or agent. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Mullowny held differently.
and Judge Kimball reserved his decision.
The cases against Fordham and the others
were then continued until Thursday, when
a decision will be announced.
The first defendant arraigned on COM
plant of Award was James A. Butler. of
the firm of Butler & Clarridge, druggists.
at Third and ID Streets northwest Rich
ard Patten testified that Mr.. Butler sold
him a cigar. Guy Butler and Willis Brown,
both boys. testified that they saw the CT
gar purchased. Mr. Butler claimed to have
no recollection of the sale. He could not
remember ever having seen the boys. A
fine of $40 was imposed and paid.
Charles Downing the next defendant.
denied that he sold a package of tobacco
to William Asey. boy. though Guy Butler
claimed TO have witnessed the sale Al
ward testified that he saw Asey go into
the store of Mr.. Downing in Seventh
Street and return with a package of cigar
cites Award explained that the boys
had the place of the defendant on trial
COMPOUNDED with that of another defend
ant Asey was then asked to identify Mr.
Downing. but failed to do so. Judge Kim
ball dismissed the case for lack of proof.
Richard Patten was the first witness cx-
amined in the case against George 7. Ford
ham. He testified to purchasing pack
age of tobacco from Fordham on May 2
He identified the tobacco and said the
memorandum on 1t was written by him at
the direction of Award. When asked
where the store of Fordham was located.
the Patten boy replied that it was located
at the corner of New Jersey Avenue ard
II Street. The memorandum on the t.
bacco showed the address at Third and II
Streets. Patten then acknowledged that
he had made mistake.
Several questions put to Patten b. At
torney Sillers ELECTED answers to the eff
feet that he had been engaged by Award
10 make cases against tobacco dealers;
that he had received at one time twenty
five cents and another time ten cents from
Award for his services: that he was p:o-
vided the money TO make purchases. and
that he had beer instructed that in the
event a dealer questioned him about the
purchase to reply that it was being made
for a man.