The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-05-01

Rebuking the grand Jury for descending
/ into personalities Of the most inexcusaRle
and irrelevant type. in ~whitewashing'
/ the Washington. Arlington and Falls
fChurch Railroad when reporting upon
/ conditions on the night suburban cars,
the Circuit Court OF Alexandra yester-
6ay ordered that the offending sections
be expunged from the document
{ This action was taken upon the motion
( o. Phil d. Poston and others. 10 eliTni-
nate from the report Of the special grand
+ Jury at the February term, regarding
: conditions on the above named railroad.
+ certain portions
The court held that al that portion OF
I The report which deals with personalities,
OF in any way reflects upon the c7edi-
bIlitv or the good faith Of the witnesses
being irrelevant 10 the issue involved.
should be expunged from said report It
was. therefore. adjudged and ordered
/ that 10 that extent the said report be
Iexpunged-
Ends Sensational Incident.
/ This decision Of the court ends a senss-
tionaI incident. Il began with an agita-
/ ton against conditions on the night cars
Of the Washington. Arlington and Falls
/ Church Railroad. The agitation was led
I by several pUblic-spirited citizens On
the heels Of this public protest. which
was espoused by The Washington Herald.
came a radical and almost vitriolic re-
port from the grand jury. which rushed
90 the defense Of the railroad company
! The grand jury was not content With
/ DENYING that the condiJiOrls complained
o. existed Il impUgned tie integrity Of
( the citizens fighting for better conditions
. 1, charged them with having exagger-
ated and faisihed the actual state ot af-
fairs. Il attacked two local newspapers.
/ including The Washington Herald. for
/. having given voice 10 the appeals Of the
pTotestants.
II declared that. accounts Of conditions
Of the cars were unedited and Unveri1ed
by the newspapers which published them
In the most emphatic manner the ssser-
ton was made that the stories were with
cut basis or foundation
The grand jury went farther. Il said
the leading spirit in the agitation was
not even a resident ir rails Church: that
he was an avowed enemy Of the railroad
F.! company. and that he had az one time
smashed 2 car window on the line for
The Ostensfble purpose Of ventilation The
entire public action Of the citizens was
/ dismissed with what seemed 10 be a
sneering air
Before this il had been rather definitely
/ established that the night ears we're in
tested with rowdies. hOodlums, AID others
in a mood looking for trouble. making
conditions which had almost passed the
/ limit Of en- iurance- Brawling. cuTsing.
hilarious and ribaId singing. smoking, and
splitting were commonplace OF the late
4 night ride.
Ride Was Dangerous.
! CitizeEs freely asserted that they would
never subject their wives and daughters
to the dangers and unpleasant features
1 involved in an after-theaier trip home
ward. Tbs. conditions had created more
or less OF a scandal, and tine for action.
either on the part Of the public or the
company. vas ripe
At first the company through its con-
I.ductors and notormen. assumed an at
titude OF absolute Indifference. and IL re-
NAMED for the public to take the initia-
I tive. When vigorous publicity was given
the matter the traction corporation
I turned about face and largely suppressed
I the rowdyism Of the night The reform
/ It is said. has been enforced since this
time. vaich was late In February.
: SO violent had been the protest that a
4 special grand jury was iHQanaled TO in
+ Continued on Page :, Column 9.