Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-15
Corporation Counsel, in Annual
Report, Describes Downfall
of Usury in District.
RECOVERED FOR VICTIMS
MANY THOUSAND DOLLARS
Jail Sentences Hang Over Those In
formed Against-Work in the
Various Courts.

Washington victims of the so-called
loan sharks" were saved between $4,000
and $4,000 result of the activities
Of the corporation counsels office in en-
forcing the new law designed to put out
Of business extortionate money lenders.
This Is the statement of Conrad II.
Syme, corporation counsel Of the District.
in his annual report to the Commissioners
today. Mr.. Syme reviews at length the
accomplishments of his office in connec-
ton with the loan shark cases. He
states:
'sThe so-called loan shark law in its
enforcement. both as q preventive, punt
tive and remedial measure, occupied a
great deal of time and occasioned weeks
Of incessant labor In this office. Test
cases were brought in the Police Court,
and taken to the Court of Appeals. After
q severe contest the Court of Appeals
sustained convictions had in the Police
Court. and gave to the law the broad
Interpretation under which it was pos
sible to destroy the evil conditions exist
ing in this District. by reason of the
methods employed by those engaged In
the loan shark business.
Every Individual, firm, partnership
or corporation engaged in this BUSH
ness in the District of Columbia who
had violated the law was informed
against. With the assistance of the
detective force of the District and the
active cooperation of the police evil
dence was secured in hundreds OF
cases.
Driven Out of Business.
THE result of this activity was that
all of those informed against pleaded
guilty, under a stipulation entered into
with this office that they should pay
a fine of 5000 and that jail sentence
of thirty days should be imposed upon
each. but should stand suspended pro-
vided the law was obeyed fns the flu
ture. and upon the application of the
borrower there should be refunded all
usurious interest collected since the
law went into effect and Is per cent of
the actual loan should be accepted in
cases where payment had not been
made.
Under this stipulation public notice
was given in the daily press and other
wise that this office would cooperate
in carrying this stipulation into eff
feet and in seeing that it's terms were
cases. For several weeks the corri-
doris adjacent to this Office were
crowded at times with victims of the
loan sharks
zach case was given individual atten-
ton by the assistants to the corporation
counsel in charge. who were aided by an
accountant assigned from the auditors
ofice: The amount Of the refund in each
individual instance was ascertained, as
also was the amount, if any, payable I'M
der the stipulation. In this way be-
tween four and five thousand victims of
the loan sharks were relieved without
cost to themselves and between $50 900
and $4,000 was caused to be refunded to
them.
Assisted the Victims.
las general rule this office should not,
upon principle interfere in such matters.
but should leave the parties to their own
efforts to secure the relief afforded them
by the law. This situation presented
such special features that it was felt
An exception should be made, and as
istance directly afforded by this Of
fee. The loans averaged about $50,
and few, If any, of the victims were
financially able to employ legal as
sistance to enforce their rights. The
loan shark business in Washington
has practically subsidized, in the man
ner above indicated. and the evil has been
substantially eradicated."
The corporation counsers Office put
in a busy year, the report shows. In
the Court of Appeals, of twenty-seven
cases calendared. thirteen were decided
fayorably to the District and three de-
cisions were adverse. The total amount
claimed against the District for the
past fiscal year aggregated $S92,220.0S.
Judgments during the year against the
District aggregated S7,353.55, as against
331.620 the preceding year.
In the United States district court
branch of the Supreme Court, sixteen
street extension and twenty-seven cases
Tor the opening, widening and extern
sion of alleys and minor streets We're
filed Ten lunacy cases other than
commitments were filed. and there were
442 lunacy inquisitions, of which there
were 42O adjudications, all of these
cases being tried by the corporation
counsers office. Seventeen cases were
handled in the municipal court.
Juvenile Court Work.
The report of the assistant corpora
ton counsel designated for duty at the
Juvenile Court is transmitted to the
Commissioners, and states that 1910
informations were filed during the fis-
cal year just past, of which COS were
for non-support of wife and minor
children, and LAOS were for juvenile
offenders. Several hundred affidavits
charging non-support were filed. but in
these cases the assistant was able to
effect reconciliations between the hus-
band and wife. out OF the total mum
Der of juvenile offenders. it is stated
that 767 were white boys, 1913 white
girl, S4S colored boys and PIT colored
girls.
The report OF the assistant corpora
tion counsel at the Police Court states
that there were 23.4o0 informations
filed during the past fiscal year, and
that the fines and forfeitures amounted
to $93,669. This is an increase Of ap-
proximately 5000 cases over last year
and $4,000 In fines and forfeitures The
report calls attention to the fact that
there has been an increase of 40 per
cent in the business handled at this
court and no corresponding increase
in help.
The corporation counsel states that a
large portion of his time has been &C.
cupied as general counsel OF the public
utilities commission. and his work in
that regard will be the subject of a
special report.
Vendors of newspapers in Berlin are
to be limited to calling out the names
of the journals they sell. To make
known the contents of the papers or
to indicate any particular item of news