Evening star., 1909-06-07
Charges to Be Filed Against
Local Car Lines.
HEARING NEXT WEDNESDAY
Delayed by Work on the Car Crowd
ing Cases. :.
UNDER ACT OF MAY %, 1908
Alleged Violation Of Regulations
Regarding Guards for Wheels
and Use of Flat Wheels.

II was announced today by Assistant
District ATTORNEY Given that two cases
alleging violation of the regulations pro-
mu,eated by the interstate commerce
commission for the regulation of the To-
cal street railways would be filed Wed
nesday morning, each of the alleged OF
fenses being the first OF lts klho u pe
filed under the new law
The Washington Railway and Electrl'
Company will be formally charged VIII
permitting car to run on the u stree
line not properly equipped with vince
guards. and the Capital Traction Com
pany is to be charged with running
fat wheel on a car of the New jersey
avenue line. Both offenses. 1t is stated
are ALLEGED to have occurred in the pas
six weeks.
The fling of the cases Wednesday rath
er than earlier in the week. 1t was an
nounced, was due to the Inability OF the
interstate commerce commission inspect
ors to swear to the two informatlons be
fore tomorrow evening or Wednesday
morning.
Delayed by Car Crowding Cases.
These cases have been pending fol
some time" said Mr.. Given this morn
ing, land would have been hled sooner
but for the pressure of the car-croWdlne
cases, which were recently filed against
the two railway companies. The investi
cations of these cases precluded our look
ing into the present ones as Thoroughly
as we wanted to until recently.
I'VE have notified the attorneys for the
two companies that these charges Will oe
filed Wednesday, and / presume they vii
be taken up at the time the crowdine
~ty hr@
court"
1t is expected, although there has been
no definite announcement to that erect
that counsel for the two railway com
Ianies will dispose Of the cases to be hled
Wednesday at the time they appear in the
crowding cases in order to expedite mat.
tiers. Whether the two charges will be
submitted on their merits or fought from
legal standpoint is not known. The
only other cases disposed of under the
tions in the cast have been speeding
cases, which have invariably resulted in
short trials or forfeitures of nominal
amounts of collateral. At no time has
either of the railway companies put up a
legal fight on such charges.
Speculation as to Defense.
The possible moves of the counsel for
the defense In the car-crowding cases are
not known. although in view of the fact
that both corporations entered pleas OF
not guilty and demanded trials by jury
in each OF the charges. with the privilege
of withdrawing the plea at any time. il
is believed they will come into court
either the middle or the latter part OF
the present week with a motion to quash
Whatever the first move OF the defense
Is to be. 1t is expected 1t will fight on
technical questions before going to trial
The cases to be filed Wednesday are
based upon the rules and regulations put
into effect shortly after the act Of May
2s. 1903. became a law and differ from
the car-crowding cases in that the latter
were filed directly under section Is of the
act The penalties upon conviction. how
ever are the same. the act prescribing a
fine Of $1.OOO or less for each offense.