Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-24
THE WASHINGTON HUMANE SOCIETY

For more than forty years there has
| existed in the National Capital an organi-
zation which has for its
| EOrtV.TWO aim the prevention of
~, cruelty to children and
4edIS O1o. animals. Organized IN
1870. and chartered by Congress the same
year. the Washington Humane Society
has grown to be an important influence
for the protection of dumb creatures and
little children. Within the last few years,
however, or since the growth of special
organizations for the care and protection
of children. this society has done the
greater part of it's work among animals.
Last year more than two thousand ar
| rests were made by the society. Of which
number more than nineteen hundred con-
victions were secured.
At the present time this society has ten
men scattered over Washington, whose
duty 1t is to see and check all cruelty to
animals, having been appointed by the
District Commissioners at the request Of
the society. who are given police au-
thority after their good character has
been assured. These ten men and the
secretary form the entire salaried force
of the organization. To them is given the
largest amount Of money spent in a year
by the society, while at the same time
they bring to the society by far its great
est income. This last is accomplished
through the fact that all the fines i'm
posed in cases in which they make the
arrests go to the society. Arrests made
by the regular police force, however, do
not net the society any money, regardless
of the amount of the fine imposed Last
year the amount received from fines was
more than $500.
A glance at the report OF last year S
work shows that Of all the cases prose-
cuted only Lightweight
Statistics acquttalS were secured.
More than seventeen hun
VI AAAcStS' dred persons arrested for
feited their collateral. which is practically
the same as a fine having been imposed.
Eighty-five fines were imposed. While
fifteen offenders were sent to Jail or the
workhouse Among the causes of arrest
that Of working animals while lame was
the greatest, more than a thousand such
cases being prosecuted. Next come cases
of working animals with sore shoulders
or necks, there being more than flve num-
dred such. Beating and whipping horses,
Overdriving, overlooking and abandoning
animals to die were among the otneT
causes Ten arrests were made for car
rying chickens with their heads down.
two for melting cats and dogs to fgnt,
one for cutting dogs ears and one 1or
pouring carbon bisulphide on goat In
every instance, with the exception o!
beating and overlooking, the NUMBER OF
arrests made this year exceed those made
last year for similar offenses.
The measures taken in the Police court
to eradicate cruel treatment to animals
depend largely upon the enormity of the
offense One driver, for example, arrest
ed for cruelty beating his employer $
horses, was tried. found guilty and sent
to the workhouse for sixty days. Another
man. charged with working horse unht
for service, was found guilty and hned
SO fine Of $50 was imposed on one
man after It was proven that he whipped
horse so severely as to ln!ure II pelIna.
nently 1t was testified in this case that
the animal was so badly beaten that III
WINGED under a soft rag and hot water
when the cuts We're bathed. the man
was unable to pay the hne imposed now
ever, and was forced to serve a four
months term in the workhouse. In the
majority Of cases the collateral demanded
is $40. and this, many times Is FORFEITED
as the people prefer that to standing trial.
The officers Of the Washington HUI
name Society for the present year are:
Walter Stilson Hutchins,
Present president; Medical Director
AM John c. Wise, Mrs. William
OWCeIS. E. Chandler. Mrs Cram
mond Kennedy, Miss Harriet B. Loring
| and Mrs. A. l.. Barber, vice presidents
Rev. DR.. Wallace Radcliffe. Mrs. j. b.
Henderson, Mrs E. c. Halliday, Angus
tus S. worthington, Miss Addison Mitch
ell Admiral Charles E. Clark, Mrs
Charles A. Prouty. Mrs. Edward Doug
las White, Mrs. John r. Mclean, Henry
F.. Blount, Nathaniel Wilson. Miss Emily
V. Lindsey, Justice Henry B. Brown and
| Miss Florence Cairns honorary vice
presidents: John p. Heap. secretary: w.
Clarence Duvall, treasurer. The execu-
tive committee is formed of the follow
| ing and the president. first vice president,
the treasurer and secretary as ex officio
Hopkins. Mrs. Ira E. Bennett, Mrs. F.
E. Smith. ]. B. T. Topper r. Ross
Perry, Frank J. Lewis. Mrs. Alexander
| Sharp, Mrs. Wallace Radcliffe, John b.
| Iarner and Thomas Armat.
The Washington Humane Society mas
| four means Of support. The first OF these
| is the income derived from its permanent
| fund.- which fund amounts to more than
| $4,000. The second source Is the money
| received from Police Court fines in those
cases brought by the societys agents.
| The third is the membership dues, and
the last donations. Last year these -FOUR
sources brought more than $l2.oOO, OF
which more than $1,000 came in the
shape of donations. The membership is
divided into three classes. regular, sus-
tanning and life membership. The dues
are 50 IS and $50, respectively. In ad-
dition to these the honorary members OF
the society are Senator Jacob II. Gal
linger, Mrs. Emma B. Phillips, Nathaniel
Wilson, Chester A. Snow. John Philip
Sousa and Cleveland III. Hicks. All these
! have been made honorary members by
reason Of some special service.
An important feature OF the humane
work in Washington is the establishment
| of bands of mercy. This was
Rands of started in April, 1910. and at
| the present time more than
merry $4,000 children are enrolled.
the number of bands being over LOO.
This work was started with the idea OF
interesting the children in the cause.
Each public school classroom was form
ed into a separate band. with the chill
dren as its officers. Small pins were CIV
en- them as a mark of membership. and
meetings were held, at which suitable
papers were read. The work OF forming
these bands went on with enthusiasm.
and wave of interest swept over the
younger population Of washington. AFTER
the work was left to them, however. II
ava