Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-01

Der Of District cases. The disposition or
the larger number OF these charges was
the forfeiture Of a nominal amount or
collateral or a workhouse sentence in de-
fault of fines. Vagrancy Is second In the
list OF District onenses. followed closely
by violations OF the police regulations,
health department and building cases.
The assistant corporation counsefs OF
fee conducted during the calendar year
between 100 and 135 impure food law
prosecutions relative TO impure milk and
cream placed on sale by local dealers.
Until several weeks ago the convictions
averaged about IS per cent OF the cases
presented. until Judge Mullowny made
an important ruling excluding the testi-
mony of Inspector Hatton and others or
the health department on the ground that
dairy products. Since this ruling by
Judge Mullowny four cases were dis
missed by the court. and at the instance
of the health department the corporation
counsefs office nolle pressed ten pending
cases.
The courts ruling placed the health de-
partment In quandary. and II ts ex-
pected no more efforts will be made 10
prosecute this particular class Of cases
until recognized chemist presents hts
analysis OF impure milk and cream be
fore the court and qualities as an ex-
pert. Other health department cases
presented before the District branch for
Judicial consideration have been the vio-
lations OF the regulations against insani-
tary meat and vegetable boxes Of mer-
chants and spoiled meat and produce
About thirty-two charges have been
lodged against shopkeepers there being
twenty-six convictions.
The law against insantary barber shops
was enforced and during the year sixty
three cases against barber shop proprie-
tors were tried I'm the District branch for
not having the proper antiseptics. not
taking due precaution in the arrangement
of linen and kindred requirements. or
the sixty persons charged with the barber
law violations there have been but three
acquittals. In the smoke law there seems
to be no perceptible decrease over
previous years in the number Of persons
charged with its violation. For the year
there have been seventy-six cases pre-
sented. with two acauittals. The penalties
In the foregoing cases were fines ranging
from s. to $50 or the forfeiture of noni-
nal amount OF collateral.
About a hundred or more cases of cruel
~ to animals have been presented in the
past year, OF which there were convic-
tons aggregating Is per cent OF the total
The pushcart violations by fruit. vegeta-
Bile and peanut vendors had no apparent
decrease. and the cases presented aver
aged from eight to ten a week. the penal
ties imposed ranging from s. to $50, ac-
cording to the number OF times the ac-
cused had previously been arraigned on
the same charge or a forfeiture Of COLI
lateral.
for the past eleven months, and which
is deemed a most excellent one by Assist
ant Corporation Counsel Pugh, is the law
prohibiting the sening or giving or In any
manner offering on the part of any per-
son spurious liquors to a minor. The
law carries with 1t a penalty Of fines
ranging from $50 to 800 for each convic-
ton. There were lO2 persons arraigned
branch Of the Police Court under this
charge. of which there were not more
than two or three acquittals. and they
were due to defective Identification.
A second law in force since April 1s
last Is that requiring veterinary surgeons
to pass an examination before an examin-
Ing board Of five competent veterinary
surgeons before being permitted TO prac-
tice In the District. Assistant Corpora
ton Counsel Pugh is much interested In
the law, and it was at his instance that
the rules and regulations governing the
examinations were formulated and ap-
proved by the Commissioners. Since the
law has been in operation there have been
seven instances OF violation. and verdict
of guilty was found in each case. The
law is considered an exceptionally excel
lent one, owing to the number or cases
Of inhuman treatment by, incompetent
veterinarians brought to the attention of
authorities in the past.
Possibly the most important prosecu-
tons Of the assistant United States at
torrey's office were the handbook cases.
The Star and followed up by the police
and the Office or the prosecuting attorney
August last a total of thirteen cases of
handbook men were fled. OF these
three defendants were convicted. nine
cases are pending and one case was drop
ped Owing to the suicide of the accused.
or the convictions one man Is serving a
term Of six months in the United States
jail, second has been sentenced to three
months in jail with fine of $500. but has
filed bill Of exceptions, and the third
conviction will be up for sentence in the
early part Of January.
Though the case of Joseph Evans 10
awaiting final disposition in the upper
courts involving the question whether
Virginian has the right to violate the
fishing laws of the District upon the Poto-
mac within the confines Of the District.
the prosecuting attorney says that he
proposes to proceed with the prosecution
for such violations, and the cases will be
pushed with vi8or.
There was a noticeable falling of. dur
ing the recent holiday season of shop
States attorney attributes to the vigil
lance of the local police force, of which he
spoke in the highest terms in mention
ing this character of Police Court cases.
In all there have been but ten cases of
shoplifting before the judges of the
Police Court, but two Of who amounted
to anything beyond a petit larceny charge.
In several of the arrests collateral
clared forfeited.
or the cases handled during the year
assaults and petit larceny charges
amounted to more than 40 per cent of the
5.1O4 cases in the United States branch
of~the Police Court. Possibly 80 per cent
were what could be called the noted
criminal cases of the year involving
charges Of housebreaking, grand larceny.
embezzlement and assaults with danger
Gus weapon. and which only made their
appearance In the Police Court in pre-
liminary hearings and the fixing of ball
pending action by the grand jury. In a
large number of these latter cases the
preliminary hearing was waived
Though the District branch shows 2
total of more than three times the num-
Der Of cases disposed Of than the United
States branch in the past year. the work
of the assistant United States attorney
was more arduous than that of the year
OF 1906. due to the more important degree
OF the offenses which fell to his lot to
prosecute.
The change Of judges at the Police
Court occurred October Z for the year,
Judge Kimbal occupying the bench Of the
United States branch and Judge Null
lowry taking his seat I'm the Dist rict