Evening star., 1901-08-10
UNDER SERIOUS CHARGES
JENNIE FALDEN'S ALLEG ATIONs
AGAINST POLICEMAN sTEvENTON.
She Claims In Court That He L. the
Father Of Her Child-His
Denial.

Jennie Falden. bright mulatto girl. aged
seventeen years. whose home is said to be
in the rear Of No. 222 @ street northwest.
was today a prisoner in the Police Court.
charged by Officer Albert w. Steventon,
who arrested her, with diserderly conduct
on 4th street northwest at 3:30 am. She
was fined s.. which was paid by Mr.. c. A.
Massie, agent of the Prisoners Aid Society
of the Diocese of Washington. after which
she was released.
When the testimony In the case was
heard there was a decided sensation In the
court room. The girl stated that 1t was
true she approached the officer between 3
and O'Clock this morning. and that she
did so for the purpose of asking him to
give her money to pay for milk which she
had bought for baby of which Steventon
was the father Steventon. she said. be-
came greatly angered at her and arrested
her and sent her to the house Of detention.
where she was kept until she was sent to
court.
Steventon denied the girls statement
that he was the father of her child, and
said he had an affidavit from her stating
that he was not.
The Girl Tells Her story.
After being discharged from custody the
girl stated that she and her mother came
ago. Being in poor circumstances. they
took couple of rooms in the rear Of No.
325 Missouri avenue. The mother support
ed herself and daughter by taking In
washing. and also sent the latter to school.
Some time afterwards, Jennie said. Officer
Steventon was assigned for duty to the
section in which her mother and she lived
and about three years ago he began keep
ing her company. In July. 1900. boy baby
thQf fiY11n fhn
ent Steventon had, she said, on the 1st of
each month given her money to pay her
room rent and to buy milk for the baby
This. she said. was in accordance with a
promise made by him. This month. how
ever, he failed to keep his agreement. and
this she declared was the reason she
went on the street and asked him for
money.
Tells Why She Made Affidavit.
A police official is authority for the state
ment that some time after the birth Of the
baby above referred to. news of the event
reached Major Sylvester, superintendent Of
police, and he sent Lieutenant Moore of
the sixth precinct to investigate the mat
ter. The lieutenant called to see the girl.
but the latter, as she declared today, had
implicit confidence in Steventon, and re-
fused to give any information on the sub
ject. When the baby was several months
old. Steventon, she said, drew up an affi-
dayit. which she signed, declaring that he
was not the father of her child She ex-
planned today that she acted she did be-
cause she was told by Steventon that tFis
was the proper course to take to protect
herself as well as him. Upon the produc-
tion of this affidavit, she understood, the
police investigation of the matter came to
an end.
While the girl has no desire to surrender
the custody of the child. 1t is understood
that Agent Douglas Of the board of chill
dren's guardians, Mr.. G.. A. MaSsie of the
terest themselves in the case. and further
steps I'm the matter may be taken.