Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-19
FIFTY YEARS ago
In THE STAR

XXv AA Nxx1xN
The recent Organization Of q Juvenile
court in this city is the elimination OF eff
forts which have been con-
juvenile tinued through many years
Offenders, to ameiforate the condition
and soften the treatment OF
young offenders. Half q century ago the
belief prevailed that there should be a diff
ferent treatment Of the children from that
which was administered to adult violators
Of the law. The Star Of August IL. 1853.
contains a paragraph on this subject. with
q special reference to the shortsightedness
OF parents In causing children to be taken
to court:
During the past month we have seen
young children ARRESTED by eonstables on .
the oaths Of parents and taken be-
that would. II proved. send them
t. the prisons and 30 tnJure the char
acters Of all that their heads would be gray
before they could recover. Warrants have
been demanded and some OF the officers.
who knew the facts. have refused to act In
other cases. 1t is true we want a house OF
correction for some. but for the sake Of the
poor offspring of worthless parents let 1t
be a house Of protection for them. When
we see human beings. able-bodied and fully
competent to educate and instruct their
and insisting on the arrest OF their child.
girl scarce ten years old. for stealing
money and then failing to prove it we go
for protecting the child and correcting the
parents. 1t Is not uncommon to hear
charges OF the kind. but we are glad that
some Of our magistrates know how to dis
pose OF them"
The theatrical season had opened this
time fifty years ago. and in The Star OF
August ID. 1885, appears the
dramatic following notice Of the per-
Criticism. torrance at the National
| = Theater the night previous:
''Ths Holiday Street Company had q fine
house last night and the performances were
received by the assemblase with . relish
and xest naturally impaired by long alb
stinence from theatrical amusements. The
Most Exciting Play Of Camille opened the
performances. This is a spasmodio Frenchy
affair in which the hero gets Tilted by
'marble-hearted coQuette' and goes through
the first and second acts with his hands
pressed upon his stomach In an agonized
manner, indicative OF either collie or heart
brokenness, and expires In the third act
in collapsed state. The play Is not at all
to our taste. but we suppose 1t Is caicu-
lated to supply the public demand. sand the
company certainly made the most OF it. OF
slighter pretensions, but more to our liking
was the farce which followed of Turning
inc tables. SkdThS, dS JdCA I1uIupilIlcSp
a sort Of male Darlington or Malaprop
was all that could be desired, as was
Perry, as Jeremiah Bumps Mrs. Germon,
as Mrs Humphries,' and Miss ]. Parker
as 'Pateline Larkins. In the concluding
farce Clarke enacted the part of Toodles'
in a manner which threatened the lanrels
of Burton and Owen. and Mrs. Germon
made capital 'Mra Toddles.'"
~
There Is possibly no more difficulty in
keeping the streets clear around Center
market now than there was
center fifty years ago. II the follow
Market. ing paragraph in The Star of
August 1s, 1856, is an accurate
token of conditions then:
1.-THE season Is approaching when our
principal market place will be crowded and
many Of our country friends will have to
find places wherever they can. The con-
sequence will be that the carriageway be-
tween 7th and 10th streets and Pennsyl-
vania avenue will be obstructed by carts
and wagons and the country dealers Will
be exposed to the weather. This prevents
many from attending when they are most
wanted. Several Of our old citizens have
suggested plans to secure the avenue from
Instructions and afford good and comfort
able stands for the country dealers who
cannot make it convenient to attend the
market regularly. One suggests that stands
be laid of on the north side of the avenue,
another that law be passed preventing
persons from standing their wagons and
horses on the avenue at the market space
during market hours, a third that the space
south of the market house be divided into
small lots and covered with wooden shed
from 18th to 10th streets. These lots could
be occupied by the dealers under the direc-
ton of the marketmaster. A shelter during
wet and cold weather will attract the irreg
ular dealers from the sidewalk and, the
wagons being removed to the south side,
more room will be obtained in the carriage
way Of the avenue. If anything be done
to improve the market place it should be
done speedily. that the dealers and citizens
may be benefited"
The representation of police officers by
swindlers is by no means new game. 1t
was practiced half century
a Mean ago, chiefly upon the -colored
Swindle. people, who were easy marks
for all sorts Of bunco steerers.
In The Star of August 16. 1856, is an ex-
pose Of this game:
"a lot Of bogus white men have been
swindling poor ignorant colored persons by
feigning themselves to be members of the
guard or police officers. short time since
an attempt was made to swindle colored
man out of $40 by a man who served
false warrant upon him. The man offered
to stand trial, and the sharp, finding him
too smart, sneaked away. A few nights
ago a gang arrested a colored female and
took her toward the guardhouse. She
gave them AN the money she had and they
let her go. She was again taken by an
other of these gangs, but, her money being
all gone they let her go. Another person
went into a coIored woman's house and took
a member of the family out for no offense
whatever. We are requested by the guard
to say that none Of these persons belong
to this guard or the present police force.
The guards wish it to be known that they
have no power to claim or receive fines
from any offender. The police cannot take
a fine unless upon the order Of magis-
trate and must give receipt therefor.
posed upon by worthless scoundrels should