Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-13
COMPLAINS Of LAX|Ty
WSENFORCE|MENT
Head of Washington Humane So
ciety Tells of Cruelty to
Animals.
Other Members Report Conditions
Commissioner Siddons Promises
Early Action.

Claiming that the atmosphere of
Police Courts is against agents of the
humane society and that the regular
police make little effort to enforce the
law against cruelty to animals. Walter
Stilson Hutchns. president of the Wash
ington Humane Society, complained at
the forty-fifth annual meeting of the
society at the Shoreham Hotel yesterday
of the difficulty in getting convictions
under this law.
Mr.. HutchinS advocated the establish
lneut in the District of an animal refuge,
where sick and wornout horses and other
animals can be cared for. The humane
society should have an endowment fund
for such project. he said. Mr. Hutch
ins declared that Washington is the only
large city in the country which does
not have such an animal refuge.
Mr. Hutchins pleaded for better sup
port from the people of Washington ana
said that repeated efforts had been made
10 get different boards of District Com
missioners to see to 1t that the law
against cruelty to animals is really en-
forced by the uniformed police
Commissioner Siddons' Remarks.
District Commissioner Siddons, in
charge of the police and fire depart
ments who addressed the meeting
after Mr. Hutchins: gave assurance
that in a very short tine the question
of issuing special Instructions to the
police to enforce strictly the cruelty
to-animals law will be taken up by
the Commissioners. He added that he
believed that all the Commissioners
are in favor of the enforcement of this
law and that the Humane Society
lt..3rS iyh H.
servance of the law will be eXacted.
1T is bad custom to allow any law
TO become obsolete" continued Mr..
siddons. That any law on the statute
books of the District should be con-
sciously ignored is wrong. 1t is some
times hard to enforce a law when the
sentiment of a community is against it.
but cannot believe that the people
OF the District are in favor of cruelty
to animals
Rev. DR. c. Ernest Smith read
extracts from letter telling of
cruelty to horses practiced by a large
transfer company in the District. These
horses get only two meals day and
are treated cruelty by brutal drivers
according to the letter. He cited this
as an example of how the law is not
enforced in the District.
Secretary Heaps Report.
Dr. Smith speaking of the necessity
mails, declared that one of the i'm
portant reasons for the high cost of
living is the slaughter of the birds, the
best friends of the farmers. that kill
off insects and worms He declared
That humans are the guardians of the
dumb beasts and should care for them
aud protect them.
The report of John p. Heap, secretary
of the society, showed that nine notice
of
last year, examining 1:.10S animals dur
ing the year. prosecuting 1.3Jl cases of
cruelty to animals and obtaining 1.2s4
convictions. The society now has total
membership of :12, he showed
During the last year the society had
ar agent constantly visiting the public
schools. organizing bands of mercy and
distributing literature. During the wear
this agent visited 20 schools and enrolled
11iD new members in 151 bands of
mercy To win six prizes, amounting to
$50. offered for essays on kindness to
animals. 49s ESSAYS We're submitted. he
said. by pupils of the white and colored
public schools
Mr.. Heap said that the society now has
located 142 drinking fountains in various
sections of the city and has several other
fountains on hand awaiting sites.
Report of Treasurer.
The report of the treasurer, W. Clar-
ceipts for the year of the society were
SIG. 1903. with total expenses of s12,-
1"..91 Investments of $500 have been
made during the year, making total dis
bdrsements of s15.2O2.97.
Mr.. Hutchins was reelected president
OF the society. Other officers elected
were: First vice president. Medical Di-
rector John C. Wise; vice presidents. Mrs
William E Chandler. Mrs. Crammond
Kennedy, Miss Harriet B. Lorins and j.
= Turner, honorary vice presidents,
Rev. Wallace Radcliffe. Mrs. j. B. Hen
derson. Mrs E. C. Halliday. A. s. Worth
ipgton. Miss Addison Mitchell Mrs.
siaries A. Prouty. Mrs. Edward Douglas
White. Henry F. Blount. Nathaniel Will
son. John f. Mclean, Miss Emily v.
Lindsey and Mrs. Florence Cairns; sec
rotary. John p Heap; treasurer. w.
Clarence Duval: executive committee,
Chester \. Snow. Archibald Hopkins.
Mrs Peter Goelet Gerry. Rear Admiral
Charles Z. Clark. r. Ross Perry, Frank
]. Lewis. Mrs. Alexander Sharp, Arthur
ri T,