The Washington herald., 1909-02-14

Patrons OF the Washington, Arlington
and Falls Church Railway Company are
pleased ar the expose Of conditions that
exist on the night cars that leave Wash
ington from the station at Pennsylvania
avenue and Twelfth street
Judge J. 3. Thornton. Of Manassas,
Va has been asked 10 bring the matter
10 the attention OF the Fairfax County
grand jury In q letter, in part, as fol-
lows
Attached hereto you VII hnd an srti-
Gle from The Washington Herald. an edi-
toriaI appearing in the Evening Star. Of
Washington: affidavit of the undersigned.
together with affidaTits from prominent
citizens OF Fairfax County. personally
known to ne. which explain themselves.
Petition Court to Act.
You are respectfully urged TO give
these papers most serious and careful
consideration. and 10 bring the facts set
forth therein prominently before the
grand jury over which shortly you are TO
preside and which it is understood win
be called together Monday. the 18th in
slant. in Alexandria County. 70 the end
that the unlawful practices, riots. the
dangers 10 life. SC. may be brought TO a
snee6v termination By the employment Of
such stern and vigorous measures through
the medium of your honor and OF the
grand Jury as VIII forever put 20 an end
a state OF affairs that is 2 reproach 10
the county OF Alexandra and the State
OF Virginia"
Attached 10 the letter are afidavits oy
the following citizens. William H Lynch
~--T El1Ha
9ougb. F. H. POston, and Phil D. Poston.
Tbese afidavits contain statements
which fully corroborate the expose pub
Tsbed in The Washington Herald on Mon
dsv last one of the affldavits reads N
part as follows:
That during his two years residence
IN the village Of Falls Church there have
come 10 his notice. while a passenger on
he cars OF the Washington. Arlington and
Falls Church Railway Company. numer-
c,,s instances OF disorderly and vicious
conduct on the part OF drunken passen-
GERS both whites and negroes, which con-
duct has often endangered the lives OF
The respectable and laB-abiding citizens
and visitors in the community. who are,
through necessity. forced TO travel on
the road aforesaid. and that. with an
occasional exception. such disorder and
violation OF the laws OF the State have
been permitted by the employees OF the
said railway company 70 80 unchailenged
although such employees are oy law
officers Of the State. whose duty II IS TO
maintain law and order on the cars OF
trains TO which they are assigned
Passengers in Fight
.'zhat the disorders. such as fights be
tween white ard negro passengers. most
Of whom are usually filed with
cheap grade OF liquor obtained in Wash
lngton: fights among the white passengers,
the throwing Of rocks through the cars,
the use OF language vulgar and obscene
in the extreme. loud and bOisterOus talk
ing. splitting promiscuously upon the floors
a violation Of the laws OF Virginia and
Of tie District OF Columbia), drunken
passengers and others are made sick by
reason OF almost an entire lack Of ven
tIation during the cold season. and by the
poisonous and sickening air breathed and
rebreathed over and over by this collec-
ton Of humanity, packed in a car often
to the number Of 50 and 100 usually on
Saturday night. though not always con-
fined thereto.
] lNdL SOlu5 ItDulliS ago Nillle q pd5-
senger on the midnight car leaving the
Twelfth street station. there were on
said car, among other passengers. three
drunken negrOes-one man and two wOIn-
en-whose vile and boisterous talk was
permitted by the conductor, although
there were aboard lady and other white
passengers and a number OF respectable
and orderly negroes The conductor was
requested by the afiant three times 10
maintain order and protect his passen-
gers, which he refused to do. The State
law requiring the separation Of the races
was in this instance violated in that
said negroes we're permitted 10 occupy
seats in the middle OF the car and far
IN advance Of several white passengers
That on OF about December IS last on
The midnight car from Twelfth street
riot occurred on the car between whites
and blacks. during which an attempt was
made BY the latter 70 drag a white pas