Evening star., 1901-10-26
CRIME ih,HHrTHE DISTRICT
REPORT OF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY
JAMES 4. PUGH.
Enumeration of the Cases Prosecuted
in the Police Court During
the Past Year.

Many interesting details of petty crime
are contained in the annual report of James
L. Pugh. 1r-, the special assistant attorney
for the District of Columbia who has charge
OF the prosecutions on the municipal side
of the Police Court.@-This branch of the
court deals with 1he minor offences against
the laws, while the United States branch
has to do with the assaults. and more seri-
Gus cases. Mr.. Pugh says that during the
year he prepared and the court tried 1885
cases and collected fines to the amount of
$50. .6O5.61
The most popular offence with the law
breakers seems to have been disorderly con-
duct and profanity, for no less than Z, 7,203
cases of this character according to the
attorneys report, were brought before the
cpur.. Vagrancy was the subject of 226S
charges during the year. There were 252
cases OF indecent exposure, PIT nuisances
ana 2o2 cases of throwing missiles.
twenty times, the record shows, the
youthfui devotees of; the national sport of
Dase ball should have refrained from en-
gagfng in their favorite pastime, for the
ponce were called upon to interfere on no
less number of occasions than full score.
Two people aided and abetted in the unlaw-
!ui sale of liquor, seven barber shops were
found open on Sunday, eight bar rooms
were open after hours when they should
nave been closed, and eleven were open on
Sundays.
carrying Away" Property.
There were eleven arrests for bathing in
the Potomac river and no fewer than thir-
ty-f1ve people were apprehended while car
rying away the, property of others-not
with any intent of stealing, it was claimed
but just carrying It away. The total Of
three persons brought before the court for
causing dogs to fight hardly represents the
av,f,,n av1on ,y,tA f,
District during twelve months wherein the
human agency had something to do with
bringing on the conflict. 1t, however, dem
onstrates the alertness of the police along
all lines of law breaking.
1t Is regarded as quite an unfortunate
circumstance that the report of cases should
contain the fact that there were no less
than 69o charges Of cruelty to animals
heard before the Police Court Judge. The
officers of the Humane Society Of course
appeared In large majority of the cases
as the prosecuting witnesses, and 1t seems
Ia1r to say that few cases of extreme cruel
~ seem to have escaped them. Two hun
dred and twenty-five persons employ ed
themselves In destroying private property,
while only thirteen wreaked their ven
geance of mischievious proclivities on pub
tected in selling liquor without prescrip-
t1ons. For fast driving 165 handlers Of
the re1ns faced the bar Of justice. Four
were arrested for fast riding.
Variety of O6enses.
The court had to deal with "A violators
OF the hack laws. Other offenses alleged
against various people were tried as fol-
lows:
Occupying public space 4; selling fire.
works to minors, 2; selling liquor to minors
.; selling unwholesome food. 2; trespass on
parks, %; unlicensed auctioneers. 10; un-
nc licensed apothecaries, 12; unlicensed bar
"; unlicensed bowling alley, 1; unlicensed
cattle cattle brokers. 25; unlicensed commission
merchants, .; unlicensed entertainments, 10:
unlicensed gasfitters, 2; unlicensed intelIi.
eensea genee office. = unlicensed hotels Z: unli-
dlers, 2; unlicensed plumbers. 20; unlicensed
produce dealers. %; unlicensed real estate
agents. II; unlicensed restaurants, SO; un-
licensed secondhand dealers, Is; unlicensed
Sehicies, se 10; violating building regulations,
~; violating building and grounds regula.
tons, 81; violating ciyil rights law, 2; vio-
laling dairy and dairy farms regulations, 2;
violating food 1aw. 33s violating game law
?; 2; violating -four law, 2; violating measure
law. D; violating cemetery law, 4: viola ting
milk law, 10: Violating police Regulations
l,S92; wasting Potomac water, 8.