Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-14

MANY sad scenes have been enacted with
IN the walls of the gray-colored building
located at the northeast corner OF 9TH ana
n streets northwest known as the Ponce
Court Interesting and amusing incidents
: also occur. as WELL and it has been said
that a police court is a good place to study
human character, for here appear from
time to time people from all the walks ana
conditions of life and from all sections OF
the city. no violator OF law being excepted
on account of his or her position In life.
Rich and poor appear before the court on
the same footing and justice Is meted out
to all alike. '77" T -1
IT ia a well-known fact that most people
are averse to appearing In this court be-
cause of the publicity entaied. and where
It is possible to do so they forfeit collateral,
providing the charge is not of serious
character Because of the crowded and In
sanitary conditions existing at the Police
Court It Is not a very pleasant place to be
for any length of time, and on account or
that fact very few people are at all des1r-
Gus of attending court. either as witness
or for jury service. but they have no choice
in the matter after being summoned
through the proper channels.
Congress Appealed To.
The judges of the court long ago realized
that the present building was inadequate
for the purposes for which 1t Is used. and
Congress has been asked several times to
make an appropriation for the erection of
new building, but the request has never
been acceded to. This year the Senate COM
nttee on appropriations inserted item
III the District of Columbia appropriation
bill for S3S, 500 to pay for the condemnation
Of ground on the north and east of the pres
ent building and for the necessary plans
q building mi II stricken
by the conference committee
The building, which was originally oc-
cupied for church purposes, has been used
as a court since 1879, at which time the
violators of the law numbered very
many less than they do now. There are no
accommodations IN the building whatever.
either for the attaches, for people who arr
compelled to attend sessions of the court
or for the prisoners. Those charged with
crimes are crowded together in three small
cells. badly ventilated and with very little
light where they often have to remain
nearly all day before being transferred to
the Jail and workhouse. 1t Is especially
hard on them during the warm months of
the year. when the atmospheric conditions
within the cell room are almost unbearable.
Light and ventilation are obtained in the
cells by means of the door only and in
warm weather the unfortunateS crowd
around this opening in an effort to get
breath of air, the stronger prisoners always
getting the place of vantage.
The Witness Rooms.
The witness rooms. two of which are To-
Gated just outside of each Of the two court
rooms. are not much better than the cells,
only one of them having a window, and
even residents of the alleys, who attend
the court to greater extent than any
other class of people In the city, hesitate to
enter the rooms. They prefer to remain in
the Railways until called on to testify.
With the exception of the one room which
has window in 1t there is no way Of adj
hitting the sunlight, and In two of this
rooms gas Is used. =-rs
The clerks office and the rooms of each
OF the two prosecuting attorneys are de-
clared to be much too small for the pur-
poses for which they are used. and there Is
no privacy to be had in either of them.
Every complaint registered has to be made
within the hearing of whoever may be In
the rooms
In the small room set aside for the use
OF Prosecuting Attorneys Alexander r.
Mulowpy and Ralph Given, who must hear
the statements of the witnesses in cases
brought to the attention of the United States
In the extreme. The room, as has been al
ready said, is very small. and into it is
crowded each morning before the opening
OF court all classes and lions of peo-
pie, and many hesitate to enter because of
the motley collection and the atmospheric
conditions within the room. These gentle
men In diplomatic way listen carefully
before they decide whether or not 1t Is a
matter which should be called to the at
tention of the judge by the filing of
charge. In many instances they have eff
fected reconciiations between husband and
wife where the former has been arrested