Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-29
MAKES HUSBANDS
SUPPORT FAMILIES
Juvenile Court Handles Many
Non-Support Cases.
WIFE DESERTION GROWING
Judge DeLacy Sternly Holds Delin-
quents to Duty.
WHAT THE RECORDS DISCLOSE
Clerk of Tribunal Acts as Financial
Agent, Receiving and Dis
tributing Money.
WHAT THE RECORDS DISCLOSE

"By'n-by Hard Times come a knocking
at the door.
''Then. my old Kentucky home. good
night
Whether or not 1t be Hard Times 81
simultaneously knocking at many doors in
Washington, the sentiment of one of the
sweetest OF the old-t time negro songs APP
pears to have been carried out in even
greater earnest in the National capital
than 1t ever was in old Kaintuck. Sta
tistics of an irrefutable character. gath
cred from. the dockets Of the Juvenile
Court show that husbands of high and
OF low degree. in constantly growing num-
Der. daily are saying not only Good
Night" but Goodbye" to their homes.
In other words, wife-desertion is mate
rally on the increase in the District of
Columbia.
In the first year after the esta blishment
OF the Juvenile Court July 1, 1906, to June
30. 1907, there were 2S7 convictions for
non-support. In the seven weeks since
July 1 Of the present year there have
been nearly 200 cases of similar
ture. The increase in the fiscal year end
ed June 20 last over the fiscal year end
ed June 30, 1907. was almost 300 per cent.
while the ratio of increase during all Of
the past two years has averaged 10 per
cent In each succeeding month.
Judge DeLacy Acts.
Judge DeLacy. sitting in the Juvenile
Court. not only decides the merits Of
these cases but he sternly holds the de-
linquent husbands to their duties. so
that hundreds of men who have been
convicted of non-support are required to
turn over stated sums weekly or monthly
to the officers of the court, who in turn
distribute the money to the wives or
guardians of the deserted families. The
amount thus handled is upward of $780,
600 per annum.
The actual figures obtained from the
court records show that since the estab-
ltshment of the Juvenile Court, July Q
1905. until the close of the Juvenile Court
session yesterday afternoon, there have
been LOO convictions for non-support, of
which 2S7 occurred in the year from July
2. 1906 to July 1. 1907: 64S during the year
July l, 1907, to July 1, 1908, and 174 cases
since the LIST of July last to the present
date. period of seven weeks and q half.
In addition to these figures there are fully
a dozen or more cases pending which will
be disposed Of during the coming week.
These, added to the cases which make
their appearance almost daily. 1t Is esti
mated. will run the figures up to fully
200 or more by the LIST OF September A
closer perusal of the records shows that
In each month. beginning with January
last, until the first of the present month
there has been q regular Increase of 10
per cent over the number of cases in the
preceding month.
Cause for Thought.
Though the conditions in District fam
lilies which these figures indicate has
been known for some time past by the
officers Of the Juvenile Court. it was not
dreamed by the general public that such
an increase could have been possible. The
figures however. are easily accessible,
and the almost incredible increase can be
seen at a glance. The condition has been
the source of a great deal Of thought on
the part of the officers Of the court rela
tive to some method whereby home con-
ditions in certain parts OF the District
could be made better. but they frankly
confess their inability to suggest a rem
edy. They do their utmost to adjust do
mestfc difficulties or bring husband and
wife together amicably for the sake OF
the suffering children without airing
their troubles publicly in the court. They
confess. though, that these amicable ad-
justments in many instances are complete
failures.
There is q peculiar and rather unique
law governing nOn-support cases. giving
the presiding judge the option OF ordering
the delinquent father and husband to pay
stated sums weekly or monthly. for the
support Of his family under suspended
workhouse sentence, or formally commit
tin, him to that institution for stated
period, where he labors at the rate
o. 80 cents day, which sum is turned
over through the proper channels to the
family for maintenance 1t has been the
police of Judge De Lacy, who presides in
the Juvenile Court. to adopt the former
course. and In this way the workhouse
has been kept particularly free from this
class OF men, and commitment only takes
place in an exceptionally aggravated case,
or where husbands have consistently failed
to make payments In compliance win Inc
orders of the court.
Jurisdiction of the Court.
In the matter of these payments the
jurisdiction of the court lasts but year.
when the complaining wife has the right
to begin new proceedings If there has been
no reconciliation in the meantime. In
many Of the lesser cases, where the causes
for the desertion Of the home and the fail
ure of the husband TO provide his family
are trifling. the order is rescinded when
a reconciliation takes place within the
years time and after the presiding judge
has thoroughly convinced himself that the
family difficulties have been permanently
adjusted.
An examination of the court records
shows at the present time, Of the entire
number Of cases before the court in the
past twelve months. there are 527 hus-
bands paying sums ranging from II. % to $40
q week through the court for family main
tenance. Among them. the court officers
state. a few, possibly 10 per cent of the
number, have elected to pay monthly. The
process of collecting the money and dis
bursting it to the families. in many in
stances is done with the assistance of the
police. Many of the husbands are re-
Quired by the court TO pay their weekly
amounts Saturday nights to the station
clerk of the precinct in which they live
and this is turned over to Joseph Harper
the clerk of the Juvenile Court, Monday
morning and paid out during the balance
Of the week to the families.
Increase In Money Handled.
The amount of money and the increase
in the two years since the Juvenile Court
has had Jurisdiction over non-support
cases is almost as great as the increase
in the number of cases. THE ledgers of
the court show that in the first year a
little more than $1,000 was paid out to
needy families of delinquent husbands,
and in the year ended June 80 last the
amount more then trebled itself. reaching
the sum Of $21, PA. Besides the paying
of these weekly amounts at the several
station houses Of the city. number of
the husbands go direct to the Juvenile
Court. This number Is comparatively
small, however, as the men who have
ings and convicted seem to have dread
of going anywhere near the building.
In speaking Of the increase In the money
III in Ia