Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-15
PUSHCART MEN FREE
Health inspectors Unable to
Identify Men They Accuse.
ALL GREEKS LOOK ALIKE
Court Rebukes Accusers for Improp-
erly Preparing Cases.
CRUSADE SNAGs ON OBSTACLE
Health Department Downcast, But
Determined to Get Offenders
Against Cleanliness.
ALL GREEKS LOOK ALIKE
CRUSADE SNAGs ON OBSTACLE

This court has repeatedly urged upon
| inspectors OF the health department the
| absolute necessity of properly preparing
their cases before bringing them here for
| trial Upon one occasion / even took tho
| pains to instruct one of them from the
bench how it should be done.
This necessity seems to be sadly ig-
nored. Judging from the result of the
cases presented for trial this morning.
| This comment was made by Judge Null
lowry in the District branch of the Police
Court as he concluded extended hearings
this morning in the cases of sixteen Greek
fruit vendors.
Four convictions were handed down.
The remaining cases were dismissed be-
cause of the inability Of the health depart
ment inspectors to identity the defendants
as the persons they had accused of
offenses or to definitely locate them at the
respective addresses given in the informa-
tioas filed in court.
The sixteen men arraigned this morn
ing comprised the first roundup by the
police of nineteen Greeks against whom
the health department filed complaints, al
leging that fruit and vegetables which
they peddled about the streets were
some and unclean places. usually cellars
and stables.
Dozen Men 60 Free.
In the hearing of the cases today In
spectors Stoy and Bales of the health de-
partment. who appeared as prosecuting
witnesses, utterly failed to recognize
round dozen prisoners whom they ac-
cused Nor were they able to connect
|
the warrants with different addresses
which they had jotted down In their note
books at the time of the inspection.
In attempting to identity de1enoahts
they made the mistake of picking out men
whose names and addresses were entirely
different from those whose cases were be-
fore the court.
The trials consumed a great deal OF
time. lasting fully an hour. due to this
confusion of identity. The court, aided 10y
the assistant corporation counsel and At
torney Mitchell, who appeared for the
accused men. tried hard to solve the
problem of bringing the proper defendants
before the bar. But in some instances
several men were called for trial before
case could be proceeded with.
Two Brothers Convicted.
The trials were taken up two to four at
time. men supposed to be living at one
address being tried together.
L he HTSt cases were luOsc VI dcOISe dHu
James Callas, brothers. who stored their
fruit and push cart loaded with their
wares in a cellar at p Jackson Hall al
ley. The floor of the cellar was found
Uttered with rags. old clothing, paper and
decayed fruit. and there had apparently
been no effort to clean up the place. Both
were fined So.
The cases of the six other defendants
were called in two patches. They were
accused of keeping their fruit and push
carts in a stable In the rear of 40 I'd
street and 217 D street.
The inspectors failed utterly to identify
the different defendants and in attempt
ing to do so picked out the wrong men.
Ten other cases were MED by
the same conditions. In two cases identi-
fication was complete and the addresses
testified to correct. The testimony Of the
inspectors in these cases indicated that
the push carts and fruit were kept In
stable Uttered with refuse and all varie-
ties and kinds OF dirt: Each was adj
judged guilty and fined $40. These
defendants gave the names Of George
Cheperous and George Laperas. They
gave their addresses as 40 I'd street.
Twelve Go Free.
The twelve defendants whom the in
spectors could not identify place at
the addresses named in the informations
were peremptorily discharged. The names
CT the twelve. according TO the papers
We're Spiras Machuras George Delasos.
James Chachonas. George Parper. Cost
Cheperous. John Calorvous. Angelo Chep-
erous James Cassella. George Ofanas.
Peter Corcoras, Christie CheeperOus and
Peter Philo.
police of the sixth precinct. each de-
PENDANT was required to deposit $50 COL
lateral for appearance. Upon the dis
missal of their cases. this morning. the
whole party filed into the financial clerks
Office Of the court to have their security
refunded
They seemed jovial over the outcome OF
the trials Pandemonium reigned in the
room while they were pocketfng their
cash and congratulating each other.
After the trial none of the court officers
who heard the cases cared to comment on
the failure of the prosecuting witnesses
to establish its complaints.
Difficulties Of Identification.
In explaining why they failed to prop
erly identify tine alleged offenders In
spector StOy stated:
1T is almost an impossibity to iden-
tify foreigners like this when they live
huddled up together and in such close
proximity to each other as their addresses
indicated in two or three instances"
One other case of the health depart
ment brought into court today was that
of George MOy. proprietor of a Chinese
restaurant at 3d. Pennsylvania avenue.
Moy failed to put in an appearance. His
collateral was declared forfeited.
Moy was specifically accused of con-
Quoting a lunchroom in which were found
a number of unclean cooking utensils.
1t was also alleged that the establish
ment was improperly screened.
A conference was held in the private Of
flee of the health officer this morning,
concerning the trial of Greek push-cart
men. Inspectors StOy and Norris are dis
hearteued. The inspectors woefully told
Health Officer Woodward that what the
court expected of them is almost impOssi-
BILE
Its hard enough to pronounce their
names and spell them correctly said
Inspector StOy, ''much less to identify
them out of group OF twenty TWEEN
ty-five men. When we saw them in
their homes the lights were low and their
features were not plain
New Scheme Worked Out.
DIR. Woodward readily agreed that it
was a tough job and highly commended
the inspectors for their success in getting
as many convictions as they did under
the circumstances. 1t was then decided