Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-26
ENFORCE THE ORDERS|
Police Drive Loiterers From
Section South of Avenue.
EXCUSES ARE OF NO AVAIL
First Move in Process of Elimination
in Disreputable Section.
NOTE OF WARNING SOUNDED
Arrests to Follow Disobedience OF
Command to "Keep Out"-of-
ficers Mean Business.

Command to "Keep Out"-of-
ficers Mean Business.
Scores Of men. some young and some
old. who are in the habit Of spending sat
urday night in the section OF the city
south Of Pennsylvania avenue and not re-
turning home until the wee sma' hours Oh
the morn. turned in earlier than usuai
last night. not because they had re-
formed or turned over the proverbial ne"
leaf but because the police OF the nrst
precinct drove them from their usual
haunts.
Get to the avenue" was the COM
mand given by Lieut.. Hartley and nearly
a dozen policemen, and this was the first
move in the cleaning-out process In the
so-called disreputable section. Commits
sioner West and Maj. Sylvester had given
the orders and the policemen were ready
to obey.
Policemen we're stationed at various
corners Of the several streets In the sec
ton mentioned and it was short work
to make everybody understand that they
meant business. Several groups OF men,
so many cattle. landed at 18th and D
streets. where there was religious meet
Ing In progress. reaching there In time
to hear the speaker tell them they would
fare much better by having their names
written in the Book of Life than in the
book Of record in the police station.
Now is the time." the speaker shout
ed. IF you wait the police may get
YOU"
Some Offer Excuses.
Some of those in the audience HAD
been driven there by the police, and they
fully appreciated the wisdom OF the ad-
vice. Many Of the young men who were
given the move on order hesita:ed.
Some wanted explanations VIII. Il were
not forthcoming, while others had ex-
cuses to offer.
I'm on my way to the lunchroom.'
was the excuse given by many. but the
police met their excuses by telling them
Of the locations of eating places that had
passed the inspection Of the health de-
partment.
I'm going down there to meet some
friends from Philadelphia was declared
by a stylishly dressed young man who
about and go in the direction Of Penn
sylvania avenue. Il promised to meet
them at that house." he added. land
want to keep my promise"
Promises to meet your Philadelphia
friends in this section tonight" Lieut.
Hartley told him, ARE not likely to be
kept
Nothing was done by the police last
night in the matter Of compelling the
occupants Of the houses in 1871 street
although they will probably be so or
dered one day during the coming week
Keepers of Understands along C., D and
3h streets felt the effects Of the police
crusade, and most Of them had supplies
enough left over to feed their custom
ers several nights.
No Discrimination Made.
At some Of the Understands the cook
ing is done in sight Of the patrons, al
though most of them have piles Of fried
chicken. fried fish and soft and deviled
crabs on their stands. Watermelons
were found stacked along the sidewalks
in front Of the eating places. and the
proprietors were ordered to remove the
distractions.
At times the police would find several
men patronizing the clam men. but they
were caught in the net and compelled to
make a move. The clam dealers COM
settling their bills The matter of the
payment OF few cents for clans was Of
no consequence to the police. They had
given the visitors to that section ample
warning. and 1t was up to them to obey
the command. Failure to do so put them
at the mercy of the police.
go out here and don't come back,
was what the police said to many Of those
who were driven In the direction Of Penn
sylyania avenue. If you are caught here
again." they were told, you may expect
to get locked up
party of colored men from Virginia
gathered at 14th and D streets, near the
Municipal building, and listened to what
one of the regulars had to say about the
law governing the disrep utable section.
Forty Dollars Every Time.
"You see, boys" he said, pounding his
fist against one Of his hearers. Il have
been about here for long time. and am
going to tell you the law is that you have
to pay $40 every time you get pinched
here. 1t is different when you get in
trouble in some other part of the town,
but here it is $40 every time"
II never heard Of a man having to pay
more than IS when he gets arrested for
having a little fun on the Streets" the
colored man from Virginia said. land over
my way they don't charge you that
much
Being convinced that he would be as
sessed $40 and having much less than that
sum in his pocket he withdrew and
started In the direction Of the Highway
bridge. 1t is estimated that fully 500 per-
sons were driven from the disreputable
section during the early hours of the
night.
When the Saloons Closed.
The liveliest times were experienced by
the police shortly after midnight. when
the thirsty ones could no longer patronize
the drinking saloons. and had to resort
to the purchase of drinkables In the
''speakeasies. BY that time many of
the partly Intoxicated ones were ready to
object to doing anything and several In
dignation meetings were held on street
corners. but they were promptly dis
persed by the police.
One man who Is alleged to have OBJ
jected to obeying the order of the police
was placed under arrest. Policeman
Mcdonald alleged that he was guilty of
disorderly conduct and preferred such
a charge against him when he reached
the station. The man who was arrested
gave his name as X. s. Hank, his age
as twenty-one years and his occupation
as that of bricklayer. His address
was given as 1921 street southwest.
and he said he was doing nothing more
serious than walking along the street,
but he had to leave SIS collateral to
hohf hor