Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-01
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
NUMBER OF EMPLOYMENT CON-
GERMS GREATLY REDUCED.

Although there Is as much demand as
ever for servants and domestics in the Dis
trict, not more than seven employment
agencies will be given licenses by the Com
missioners to operate for the next year.
Twenty-four Of these agencies were doing
business here last year, but since the new
law governing this business went into eff
feet, which is particularly stringent in its
provisions, only thirteen applied for
licenses, and 50 far only five have been
granted, and according to Commissioner
West one Of these will be revoked. Several
applicants have been positively denied
licenses, and one applicant. ]. T. c. New
som, who was charged with furnishing girls
to disreputable houses, will be given a
rehearing. He declares that the charges
made against him are false and that he
can prove his innocence.
Newsom will be given a hearing before
the Commissioners Tuesday morning. The
hearing will be public and at the same time
fused will be heard. although three of this
number have already appeared before the
Commissioners in company with their at
torneys.
Commissioner Vests Views.
The fact that only thirteen proprietors
out Of twenty-four applied for licenses un-
der the neT law has caused Commissioner
West to believe that the others were Salts
fed the methods resorted to by them In the
past were Of such nature as to assure a
refusal OF their licenses and that they could
not comply with the new law satisfactorily
AS yesterday was the last day under the
old law governing these agencies and the
last day for applications for licenses to be
made, Commissioner West today instructed
Maj. Sylvester, chief Of police, to arrest
without new license
This wholesale cleaning up Of employ
ment agencies started by the household
research committee Of the Public Educa-
ton Association Is due largely to the police
who are responsible for obtaining the evil
dence resulting in the refusing Of licenses
to the majority Of the applicants. The
household research committee supplied the
Commissioners with information Of seri-
Gus nature regarding five proprietors, which
information was collected by Mrs. Lydia
Dent chief police matron of Louisville KY,
and was furnished to the Commissioners In
the form Of aff1davits.
Ralph K. Washington, the proprietor Of
an agency at 1882 18th street northwest,
was arrested yesterday afternoon by De-
tective Cornwell for placing girls in houses
leased after furnishing a bond of $500 and
will be given a hearing In the Police Court
after five days have elapsed, during which
time he is given the privilege Of showing
why his license should not be revoked.
Commendatory Messages.
The Commissioners today received a
number Of communications commencing
them for the manly and effective way in
which they have handled this question,
and Commissioner West stated that much
credit is due Inspector Boardman Of the
detective Office and the members of his
command. who Investigated the charges
and gave information in the cases of the
applicants who have been refused licenses
Commissioner West was considerably en-
barrassed at the beginning Of the investi-
cation owing to the fact that his orders to
Maj. Sylvester miscarred, and as result
Maj. Sylvester reported to the Commits
sioners that every applicant was a person
Of good general character. Commissioner
West announced later that he would have
acted upon this report in granting the
licenses had he not discovered that the
character OF the applicants had not been
inquired into In connection with the grave
charges made against them.