Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-25
THE SEAMY SIDE
Christmas Not Merry to
Police Court Prisoners.
CELEBRATION IDEAS
ONE MAN TRIED ON MANY DIFF
FERENT LANGUAGES.
Officer Flynn Introduces Some Good
Cheer-Too Much Drink and
Its Result.
IDEAS


voice.
The same to you and many of en-, an
swered a number of the offenders against
the peace and good order of the community.
Il hope have merrier Christmas than
some of you folks rejoined the good-na-
tured custodian of the outer portals of the
Police Court. You folks ought to be
ashamed of notwithstanding out and
carousing around on Christmas eve, and
then spending your holiday in jail. There
are lots OF fools in the world yet re-
marked Officer Flynn as he turned away.
Judge Kimball evidently felt in thorough
sympathy with the generous spirit OF the
day, and dispensed justice tempered with
mercy to the offenders. number of prls-
oners were released on their personal bonds
and no very heavy fines were imposed.
Charles Morris, who stated that he had
just come to Washington from Pennsyl-
somewhat the worse for his Christmas eve
celebra ton. Officer Nermillion told the
court that he picked up the-stranger within
the gates upon the avenue in state OF
hilarious intoxication Morris, he said. was
using language entirely unsuited to the
open air and on a public thoroughfare.
Judge. your honor" said Morris when
he took the stand, Il come here the other
day from PENNSYLVANIA to visit Washing
tom
You come here and get drunk and dis
orderly. That's a pretty way TO visit the
national capital. isn't it?' answered the
court.
II intend to get work your honor
''All right" said the judge. In the mean
time III let you spend fifteen days in the
workhouse or pay fine of 50.
Robert Taylor, colored, yesterday en-
deavored to increase his holiday fund by
shooting craps and was caught in the
act by the blue-coated minion of the law.
After hearing the testimony in the case the
court admOnshed the prisoner to refrain
in the future from such 'get-rich-quick
methods. and assessed fine of $50, with
the equivalent of ninety days in jail.
Il was drinking a little last night to
E. Day, who was charged before the
court with being drunk and dlsorderly
last night
You have wrong idea of the great
event answered the court, and in order
that you may have time to think over
the matter, I'll fire you $40 or thirty
days.
Andrew Bolden was convicted of carry
ing concealed weapons, and also of being
disorderly on the street last evening, and
the court fined him $50 on the first
charge and So on the second. In default
of payment of the fines the prisoner will
spend seventy-five days at the District
stronghold
Police officers told the court that Mar
tin HuXford and John Mendley had been
found lettering about drinking establish
ments for the past few days, and that
they were without visible means of sup
port, and the court fined them SO each,
with the equivalent of spending thirty
days in jail.
He Understood.
The court had to deal with a sort of
enigma in the case of Michael Howard,
who was charged with vagrancy. The
officer who made the arrest stated that
he picked up Howard on the streets last
night in an intoxicated condition. The
officer said, however. that the man could
rot understand English, and that he
thought the prisoner was a German.
Does anyone in the house speak Ger
man. asked the court.
Il do said a young marine sitting in the
court room.
See if you can talk with the man." re-
GueSted the Judge.
The marine went around into the dock
'kanst du DeutSch sprechen?' he inquired
of the prisoner.
The man addressed merely mumbled some
unintelligible sounds.
Vie befinden sic SIGH. Hoch der kaiser"
or something of that sort, were the next
words addressed to the prisoner. He an
swered with the same mumblings as before.
He doesn't speak German, your honor"
said the marine, he came out of the
dock.
Send for Officer LOmbardy," said the
court to the bailiff. There was silence in
the court for moment until Officer Lom-
hardy arrived. He went into the dock and
spoke to the prisoner in Italian. After a
vain attempt to make the prisoner under
stand Officer Lombardy reported to the
court that the man was not an Italian, but
a Hungarian.
The court was about to send for officer
Flynn to try Celtic on the prisoner, think
ing perhaps. that the prisoners Christian
name, Michael, might be a clew to his
tionality. when finally Officer Cusack of No.
precinct came to the rescue of the court
and addressed the prisoner.
''Pooitsky blenckwitz schnee rhnyXiski.
''Dhnalwitz blowsky Pittsburg," answered
the prisoner, whose understanding was at
last awakened by the sound of language
familiar to him. After a few moments of
conversation with the prisoner, officer
Cusack told the court that the man was
from Pittsburg and was tramping his way
through the country in search of work
Tell him he'll get thirty days in the
workhouSe, said the court Il guess he
can understand that"
The Long Line.
Wesley Johnson, colOred, admitted to the
court that last night after dinned he went
into a barroom on 31st street and took
drink or two.
Yes, that's the trouble with YOU, an
swered the court. You went into a saloon
and took a few drinks and then began to
raise a disturbance, and the officer was
obliged to arrest you. If you will drink
and get into trouble and break the laws,
you must take the consequences. Five
dollars fifteen days. Next"
A fine of $40 was assessed against Felix
Sims, colored, who was convicted of dis
orderly conduct. In default of the fine
Sims will board at the Districts expense
for the next month.
Charles Norris gave bond of $50 for his
appearance to answer charge of dis
charging shotgun on Knox avenue south
east last night while celebrating Christmas
Capt. Maxim. superintendent of the Sol
diers' Temporary Home, appeared before
Judge Kimball a witness In the case of
John McMullen, an old soldier who was
charged with drunkenness and vagrancy.
Capt. Maxim stated that McMullen came to
the home yesterday and refused to leave.
He was unable to accommodate the old sol
der at the home.
MeMullen told the court that he had just
gotten out Of Freedmen's Hospital where
he had been for fifteen days The court
sentenced the prisoner to thirty days in the
work house In default of a $40 fine.
Clarence Payne James Kenny. William
Monohan and Warren Winston were each
fined IS for being disorderly on the streets
of the city last evening and Philip Price
was fined $40 for violating the police regu-
lations.
large number of other offenders were
oil G,,AS at,d her