The times., 1901-04-23
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT
A Citizen Complains of Ill Treat
memt in the Police Court.

! The Alleged Rude Conduct of the
| Clerk Toward WitncsS-Advers,
! Report Remission of Tax Pen
aIty-District Day at Buffalo
| Rufus w. Pearson, of Cos ! Street north
| west has forwarded a complaint to the
! Commissioners of the manner in which
he was treated when summoned to the
! Police Court as q witness. He declares
that he was both insuted and Inundated
| 10y the officials Of the court
/ "On the 18th instant" he states, Il re-
/ ported street fight in front OF my resi-
! 1yncc to the Chief of Police. l received
Il courteous reply in which it was stated
! that the parties would be apprehended
! and brought to trial. On the 18th instant
] was summoned as witness to appear
| against the parties. The man was not
! tried, but the clerk of the court told me
very rudely that he had forfeited his de-
| post The woman was called and was
/ fined S. In her testimony she admitted
! that she had been living with the man in
| the alley back of my residence, and that
! she was not his wife. 1t was the condi-
| tions existing in the alley that l had re
! ported to the Chief of Police, and nothing
! seems to have been done in the matter
| further than arresting the offenders, turn
! ing one loose, finng the other 50, and l
suppose they will live together again and
light as usual back of my residence.
Il certainly do not want to appear again
in the Police Court, for | was Inundated
and insulted at every turn, and left the
courtroom feeling that l was not better
than a common 'vag. l know that a
citizen is supposed to be treated civiIly and
with some consideration by a court of
any kind. and if this matter were fully
investigated you would not have to throw
my plea for justice in the waste basket. p"
1t is understood that the complaint of
Mir Pearson will be referred to the Police
Department for investigation and report
j. +. Douglas. representing Mrs Mary
S. Murphy, has requested of the Com
missioners the remission of penalties on
the tax for the year 1854, against lot J.
block 46, Holmead's subdivision, which
was then IN the name of David c. Dudley
The Assessor, in his report upon the
matter, states that David c. Dudley
called at the Office of the Collector of
Taxes in June, 1887. and asked for state
ment of all taxes then due. and in re
sponse was given bills for 1886 and 1887,
which he paid and supposed it to be the
full statement of every outstanding
charge. Continuing. the Assessor says:
1T is presumed that applicant has ref
erence to the office of Assessor when he
states he called for bills al the Collectors
office. but this office cannot admit in the
absence of evidence, the negligence and
unbusiness- like methods charged, for il is
frequently the case that a batch of bills
are delivered to persons applying for
same, and one or two are omitted in the
payment While il may not be so in this
case, there is nothing presented to- con-
troyeTt this theory.
The act of May IS. 1892. provides protec-
ton TO innocent purchasers by a certified
statement as to taxes, and Mr.. Douglas,
as agent for Mrs. Murphy, failed to avail
himself Of this safeguard
In this case the facts do not appear to
sanction the allegation Of negligence on
the part of the officials. and / am there
fore constrained to recommend adverse
action
The Commissioners a few weeks ago re-
ceived an invitation from the Director
General of the Pan-American Exposition
to name a date 10 be placed in the pro-
gramme of the exposition as District of
Columbia Day 1t was suggested by the
Director General that there was probably
some date Of historical significance that
could be agreed upon as an appropriate
day for special exercises at Buffalo, in
which a considerable number of the resi-
dents of the District might take part.
Since that time Commissioner Macfar-
land, who has charge OF the matter, has
received numerous suggestions. Several
Of these agree in naming July l as the
appropriate day. being the anniversary of
the establishment OF the present form of
government for the. District Others
F..ar~ -
that being the anniversary Of the estab-
llshment of the seat Of government in
Washington.
With a view of making a possible union
with the States of Maryland and Virginia
Commissioner MaCfarland recently wrote
to the Governors Of those States asking
them the dates that had been chosen for
their special days at Buffalo
Governor Smith of Maryland, has re-
piled, stating that July 10 has been chosen
as Maryland Day Governor Tyler Of
Virginia, has written that August IA has
been professionally named as Virginia
Day, and he thinks that il would be a
good idea TO have the celebrations Of his
State and Of the District Of Columbia as
Tyler states that the date may be chang
ed TO suit the convenience OF the Virginia
regiments Of the National Guard
Commissioner Macfarland will present
the suggestions received TO his associates
within few days and ask that the mat
ter be disposed Of
John Blair, of Accotink, Fairfax Coun-
ty, Va. recently wrote 10 the Commits
sioners enclosing a receipt of the pound
master for 81 and requesting the return
Of the amount paid for the impounding of
his dog. He informs the Commissioners
that he was only passing through the
city and that the dog was captured while
he was temporarily stopping at a hotel.
Samuel Einstein. the poundmaster, in
reporting upon the matter, has informed
the Health officer that the dog in ques-
ton was a brindle and white bulldog and
was captured on the public reservation
| between Pennsylvania Avenue and f
Street, between Thirteenth and Four
| teenth Streets northwest, while running
at large without tag.
Dr William G. Woodward. the Health
Officer in forwarding the report of the
pOundmaster, informs the Commissioners
that the statements Of Mr. Blair have
been verified and he recommends that if
practicable, the amount OF the pound fee
be refunded. The Commissioners have
approved the recommendation.
Major George A. Armes has written 10
the Commissioners requesting the erection
Of electric light on Albemarle Street and
Connecticut Avenue northwest The mat
ter was referred to the Electrical Engi-
neer and he has reportd that it VIII be
impossible to maintain any electric lights
EstabIis