The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-09
THE MARINES DISCHARGED.
No Case Of Playing Ball in the
Street Made Out.
EnjOined by the Court TO BE Care
full How They Use the BHt-Thc
Controversy Concerning the Al
legged Monopoly of Fairgrounds

legged Monopoly of Fairgrounds
Nearly half Of the morning was devoted
in the Police Court today to the hearing
Of the cases OF Corporal William G Wal
ters and Private Edward Walters. of the
United States Marine Corps. charged
with playing baseball in the streets. Aft
ct tedious and wearyinS examination
the accused were discharged
Incidentally an attack was made upon
Policeman Dent. who made the arrest
Captain Carpenter, of the Marine Corps,
and several marines testified that Dent
was intoxicated when he made the arrest
This was denied by Lieutenant 8IcCath-
ran, of the Fifth precinct; Lieutenant IN
spectcr Jordan and others
According to the testimony four ma
riues were playing bali on the Govern
meut reservation between Georgia and
Virginia Avenues and Ninth and EIev-
enth Streets southeast. Policeman Dent
said that Edward Walters had batted
several balls into the street The defend
ants and others, who had been playing
when the arrest was made, testified that
only one ban had been batted into the
street
The defence then produced witnesses IN
the persons of several marines, who
the arrests Among them was Capt H
W. Carpenter, Of the Marine Corps. He
testified that Dent arrested Walter
Coombs in the place Of one Of the men
who had been playing ball Coombs was
formerly one Of the best athletes Of the
University Of Pennsylvania, and the case
against him was nOl-DrosSed. and the
proper parties served with warrants
Judge KimbaU said. 10 dismissing the
case, that the marines should be careful
about batting balls into the street.
Major Sylvester this morning denied
the published statement that there was
q misunderstanding between Colonel
Bingham, the Superintendent Of Public
Buildings and Grounds, and himself re
gardins the use Of public Fairgrounds by
children There has been an exchange of
views within the past few days between
the two officials respecting the monopo-
lfziug of the restricted Fairgrounds by
large boys and men, thus depriving the
smaller boys of their use.
Both Major Sylvester and Colonel Bing-
ham agree that IT is impossible 70 pro
vide grounds for the larger men and
boys and say they viii take such steps
as are necessary to restrict their use TO
boys Of not over fifteen years old OF
late it has been almost impossible for
the small boys to find any place available
to play in the grounds north Of the
. Washington Monument
Henry 9 Enerich, of so Virginia Ave
nue. southeast and others IN ihe vicinity
have made complaints Of the Violations OF
the police regulations relative TO Dali
playing on Georgia Avenue between
Ninth and Tenth Streets southeast MI
Fmerich has also called the attention OF
the Commissioners TO the claim OF the
policemen Of the Fifth precinct That they
had orders not to interfere with the Dali
: playing referred TO-
plants to Lieutenant AcCathran- Of the
Fifth precinct. directed MIN 70 call per
sonaliy upon Mr. Ernerich ana explain 10
him that the Police Department mas no
control over the reservation that mas been
set aside by the Superintendent OF Build
lu-s and Grounds for the purpose OF z
/ playground. he directed the lieutenant
/ also to inform him that If the regulations
! are violated the department could enforce
the law which the lieutenant had already
! been ordered 10 DO AIa1OT sylvester also
with the neighbors in the vicinity nj to
! ascertain from them their views whether
/ the Government reservation Is a hul-
| sance-
Lieutenant McCathran. in submitting
! his report upon the matter states that
/ he called upon Mr. Emer3cn as directed.
| and explained to MIN the facts relative
| to the Government reservation He also
| states that he called upon eighteen OF the
| residents in the neighborhOOd- and found
! that eleven of them had no objections 10
| the playground
| IaeIte uaut NrCathran also reported
! that the playground is not large enough
/ for the strong young men who C0Hsregate
| there 20 play ball He says they inVa-
| riably drive the ball outside the limits Of
| the grounds while at play
| The reports of the Police Department
/ have been approved by Commissioner
/ Ross and II IS understood that Mr. Emer-
! len viii be Informed in accordance there
/ with