Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-04
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
FINES IMPOSED FOR UNLAWFUL
TRAFFIC IN COCAINE.
Fourth Of July Observed as Holiday
General and Personal
Matters. La
Special Correspondence of The Star.

ALEXANDRIA, Va, July A, 1905.
The unlawful traffic in cocaine in Alex
andria received another blow this morning
when fines aggregating $3.50 were imposed
in the police court for violations of the
ordinance restricting the sale Of the drug
Two colored women and one white man.
giving their names, respectively, as Ger
trude Steward, Mary Myers and Joseph
Hobbs, were called before Police Justice
Cation on the charge of selling cocaine
contrary to law. Officer Smith. who made
the arrests, testified that Hobbs had been
apprehended in a systematic delivery of
cocaine in small quantities at certain places
In the southeastern part of the city. Other
evidence was adduced to show that the
man was accustomed to going surreptitious-
ly to various houses and depos!ting pack
ages of the drug on the doorsteps. Through
an understanding with his customers he
would return and find some money for
compensation also placed on the doorstep.
The evidence against the two colored
women was also discriminating, and a fine
of 500 was imposed in each case. In de-
fault of this sum Hobbs will spend three
months in the city Jail and Mary Myers
Will be an inmate of the workhouse for
twice that time. Bond in the sum of 500
was furnished by Fannie Brown, colored
for the Steward woman, who was released
pending an appeal to the corporation court.
She was represented by Attorney Lewis H.
Machen.
The grand jury in the corporation court
which recently created a stir in this city
by submitting a report recommending the
absolute reorganization of the police force,
also sent in a report. framed in vigorous
language, declaring the conviction of the
existence of speak-ea sizes and the operation
of an unlawful traffic in cocaine in this
city The cases brought into court this
morning represented the most important
recent development of the efforts of the po-
lice TO break up the unlicensed cocaine
traffic.
Fourth Observed in Alexandria.
The Fourth is being observed in Alexan-
dria with the usual holiday pursuits of
recreation and noisy demonstration. The
banks and other business houses and the
public buildings closed. Many of the
stores were open for few hours this morn
ing, but closed at noon. At the city post
office holiday hours were observed with
morning delivery. The recent order of
Mayor Paff directing the police TO restrict
the firing of heavy explosives operated only
in eliminating the use of pistols, giant
crackers and other dangerous fireworks.
No attempt was made by the police to pre-
vent the firing of firecrackers under the
giant size and the customary lombard
ment was kept up all over the city and par
ticularly on King street throughout the
morning and afternoon. Hundreds of peo-
pie left the city this morning in excursion
parties for various resorts.
General Matters.
Two small boys, Benjamin Allen, aged
fourteen and Malvin Mayhero, aged nine
years. Were before Justice Cation in the Po-
lice Court this morning on the charge Of
petty larceny. 1t was charged that they
had robbed several residepces of door mats
and had taken slot machines from two
grocery stores. The recovered stolen prop
erty exhibited against them. The boys
were locked up at the station house and
Justice Cation held them for a further
consideration.
Sarah Thomas, colored charged with
stealing groceries from James Miller, was
assessed SO, with the alternative of thirty
days in the workhouse s-~
The Alexandria base ball team and a team
from the navy yard in Washington will play
game this afternoon on the old fair
grounds. close contest is expected.
The exterior of the new union depot at
the head of King street is nearly completed
and the scaffolds will be taken down in a
few days. Work on the interior will be
rapidly pushed.