Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-07
The Chevy Chase Hold-Ups

A report has been submitted to the
board of county commissioners of Mont
gomery county by the attorney to the
board relative to the actions of the con-
stable who a short time ago held up a
number of Washington motorists al Chevy
Chase and hailed them before an impro-
vised court on charges of a trivial and
absurd character, causing widespread irri-
tation and ultimately resulting in an ap-
peal to the governor of the state for a
redress of grievances. The attorney finds.
according to the report which is repro
duced in the news column today, that all
of the arrests We're for direct violations
of the automobile statute. He comedies
that better judgment and little di-
plomacy" would have attained better re-
suits and engendered less strife. and pro-
ceeds to justify the actions of the con-
stable, although he criticises the magis
trate who. he says, exercised more Glenn
ency in these cases than the law permits,
being authorized to accept collateral
only the amount named as the maximum
fine, $50 whereas he required each per-
son to deposit only So.
Here is state of things that calls for
more satisfactory consideration than that
which has been given to it by the county
commissioners thus far. Washington mo-
florists go out into Montgomery county on
Sunday with their license tags hanging
as they have been hanging for months.
and as practically all license tags hang
throughout the state of Maryland. y
constable holds them up in the highway
and charges them before magistrate
with having their license tags so fastened
thnf thn,, crs-Svc CNiI
to $1on are collected from these motorists,
who have never been given the slightest
warming of this reading of the law and
who are, furthermore, aware that the
law is not thus being enforced anywhere
else in the state. And the attorney for
the board of county commissioners, on
ascertaining the facts, holds up his fin
ger at the constable and chides him for
failing to exercise judgment and di-
plomacy.
Last Sunday at Chevy Chase Circle sew
eral dozen automobiles were parked
alongside the road just within the Dis
trict line. their owners having taken them
out to that point and ridden by car or
walked the short distance to their ulti-
mate destination. In practically all the
cases these machines lacked the 1913
Maryland license, and it is understood
to be the present intention of the owners
Of these cars and other District citizens
who feel that they are not getting
square deal in Maryland to refrain from
taking out this license as long as they
can transact their business and pursue
their pleasures with but little inconven-
ience by other means. This course if
carried out, will cause considerable loss
Of revenue to the state. Gov. Colds
borough should study the case of the
Montgomery county constable thought
fully, with a view to seeking some more
satisfactory mode of law enforcement
than that which has lately been in vogue
in the neighborhood of the District. There
is no disposition on the part of reason
able motorists in Washington to question
the legitimate enforcement of the speed
laws in Maryland. but there is a strong
feeling that in the enforcement of this
and other phases of the automobile stat
ute the county officials are acting unfairly
and greedily.