The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-06-30
COMMISSIONERS HELP
70 ADJJDIGA1E CLAIMS
Assist Debtors and Creditors
in Their Employ.
MANY CASES CONSIDERED
0ftentimes Clerks Are Made to Pay
Bills Though Medium Of a Sugges-
tioa-Frequeutly Unjust Claimants
Appear and They Are Turned Down

~ Is perhaps not SGusEaliy AhV"t A
that among the duties assumed by the
Board of District Commissioners are
those pertaining TO a collection agency
They do not, Of course, willingly be
come debtor and creditor, but it IS
fact that persons who have creditors
among the employees Of the municipality
40 appeal frequently to the Commission
ors To compel payment Many times a
/ year the Board is called upon to use its
authority in this way. and numerous are
the bills collected through the medium
Of q suggestion rom the Fifth floor Of
the District Building
One who watches matters closely in
the executive offices will be surprised to
find how universal credit is in Washing
ton The fact IS, everybody runs bills
somewhere, AMI it happens that school
teachers, policemen, fremen. clerks, and
oven heads OF departments are often
under the harrow Of debt. Sometimes
the bills run too long. and the impatient
/ creditor resorts 10 such expedients as
/ are open to him to collect. including an
appeal TO the Commissioners Il debt
spells ruin, rs some maintain, the mu-
t uicipaI government IS honeycombed with
impending doom. for the majority Of the
/ employees are more or less in debt, and
/ some 20 the point OF bankruptcy.
Not Generally Known.
Tho Commissioners do not announce
to The public that they will aid in the
| collection Of bad debts. Indeed, every
/ application Of the kind from creditors
/ 81 an unpleasant experience to them
they would from preference be entirely
and forever relieved from the irksom5
duty OF reminding an emplcye of ais il
/ debtcdness and Of extOrtiug from him
such terms Of settlement as can be
nnade in justice to his other obligations
an the needs Of his family. Being just
! zen anz ascertaiping from a creditor
/ that A OF 3 owes him a given amount,
+ they usually at in some manner to ef-
/ feet q settlement The debtor IS called
/ IN to explain his side OF the tr2nsac-
I lion. II ne acknowledges the obligation
/ ne is a5mCni5hed kindly that he must
/ pay, and placed in such position no
rilpl5ye Of the District can afford 20
ignore tho adr onitien- He agrees td
some basis Of settlement, usually ths
/ rayment OF gwen amount each pay
Idsy. and keeps MS promise. This cor
/ stitutcs the efficacy OF calling in the aid
/ OF Commissioners when -he ordinary
4 dun fails
| The creditor sometimes writes to the
/ Beard. ircIosirg the bill, and stating
/ he ci-cumst auces IN Ter which the debt
was contracted and asking that the mat
/ ter be adjusted. This IS the larger class
/ CT cilims presented. Another course
| pursued IS for the creditor to exhaust
| the usual methods OF collection. includ
| ing q judgment in the MaSistfate's
/ Court i copy Of the judgment is thea
sent to tkc Commissioners and the
creditor asks their assistance n settle
rent to avoid a Earnishe- This constf-
! tutes q smaller but very frequent class
/ Of claims which the Commissioners are /
called upon 10 consider
Abuse Has Crown Up.
/ IN connection with the latter class OF
claims IN abuse has grown up which
! ras given the Beard considerable an
/ royanee. Certain creditors, having
! learned the efficacy OF an appeal to the
/ Commissioners. take that means % eE-
plot doubtful CT unjust claims IN seine 1
cases the Beard is virtually called uPoc
I 20 exercise judicial functions. as be
! tween debtor ard creditor, and 10 Aatly
refuse TO aid TIE latter.
4 case IN point. disposed Of last week,
Illustrates this. About three years ago (
tenant, who Is employed by the Dis
/ trict. complained to his landlord Of the
condition of his house, and some kind oi
: an agreement was reached that the ten
/ ant vas 70 pay 81 g month less until the
/ repairs we're made It appears that
some repairs were made, but not all
! The rent went on under the agreement /
/ at 50 a month less than formerly. and
the tenant was able TO show receipts for /
/ the amounts paid monthly, some OF them /
reading -'in full for rent, etc" The |
! creditor appeared last week with his 4
claim for s. q month back rent covering I
the period of three years It was seen /
at once that the landlord had no case, I
and the Commissioners refused even 20 I
consider it But the importunate credi- +
TOR succeeded il occupying the time Of /
the Board for IN hour or two in stating
/ the elements of q worthless case
Another case resulted even more dis /
asrrously 10 the honor and spirit II fair I
dealing on the part of the creditor. i I
claim amounting TO forty-odd dollars /
was presented against one of the teach /
e7s in the public schools When she was 4
called on TO state her side of the mat /
Ter. il was shown to the satisfaction Of ]
1.-The Commissioners that she was not in /