Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-03

30, 1917, discloseS the District at that
time had stock of construction ma
terials in the various property yards
amounting to $100.9020S.
Corporation Counsel.
The following is an abstract of the
business of the office of the corporation
counsel for the fiscal year 1917:
Supreme Court of the United States:
One case decided in favor of the Dis
trict Of Columbia; one case now pend
ing there.
Court of Appeals of the District of
Columbia: One case decided In favor
of the District of Columbia; three cases
decided against the District Of Column
bia: seven cases now pending there.
Supreme Court Of the District Of Co
lumbia: Seven cases decided in favor
of the District of Columbia; four cases
dismissed by the plaintiffs: disagree
ment of jury in two cases; ten verdicts
entered against the District of Column
bia: one ase settled out of court by a
new trials granted: forty-seven cases
now pending on printed calendar.
New cases filed against the District
of Columbian Twenty-eight cases filed.
including two certforari cases (both
now pending); two mandamus cases
Cone decided in favor of the District of
Columbia, one now pending); two re-
plevin cases Gone settled, one with
drawn. All other cases still pending.
Public utility corporations: Three
cases were filed against public utility
corporations.
Habeas corpus: Two cases filed
against the District of Columbia. Both
resulted in favor of the District of CO.
lurbia. One case appealed. -.
Probate: Two cases filed. One now
S4.475.4e to the District of Columbia
from an estate where there were no
next of kin.
Equity: Seven suits filed against the
District of Columbia. All now pending.
Police court: Twenty-six thousand
three hundred and eleven fnformations
filed against offenders; Sl1o.s76.7s col
lected in fines.
Municipal Court: Fourteen suits filed
against the District of Columbia: seven
resulted against the District Of Column
bia: four cases appealed: two cases
won by the District Of Columbia; one
case discontinued: one settled; three
pending.
COMBINATIONS of land for public
use: Fifteen; verdfcts confirmed: four
cases dismissed: twenty-four eases sub
mitted to tho jury: thirteen cases re-
main undisposed of.
Lunacy proceedings: Four hundred
and twenty-five commitments: 319 cases
contested: thirteen cases decided in
favor of contestant.
hundred and twentv-eight informations
filed: $52.267.46 collected for deserted
families.
The Commissioners recommend the
enactment of special statute of limi
tations, shortening the time allowed
District of Columbia for damages for
injuries to persons or property alleged
to have resulted from defective high
ways. Such statutes are in force in
other jurisdictions and are deterrent
to the assertion of fraudulent claims.
because they require prompt notice to
the municipality of the time. place and
circums stances Of the accident. thus per-
hitting reasonable Investigations: and
the shortening of the time allowed for
Of witnesses. The notice provided for
also enables prompt repair andtconse-
quent avoidance of similar accidents.
Alienist.
The employment of an alienist was orig
inally authorized by. the Commissioners
in December, 1905, in order that the pre-
liminary examinations of persons alleged
to be insane might be made shortly be-
fore such persons are brought to trial. as
the practice before the date mentioned Of
making the examinations at the time OF
which was from one to four
weeks prior to trial, permitted situa-
ton whereby a mental condition might be
essentially changed when the case was
brought into court.
The number of cases examined during
the fiscal year 1917 was 2,245. being an in
crease Of 492 over the previous year.
The accommodations for the care and
treatment of mental suspects will be
radically improved by the completion OF
the psychopathic ward Of the Gallinger
Hospital which has been authorized by
Congress.
The alienist recommends legislation for
the voluntary commitment to the hospital
for the insane of persons suffering from
certain mental diseases, such as hypo-
mania. paranoia malingering, etc. with
out recourse to a jury trial. Also that
persons committed to the asylum be de-
tanned there for treatment until discharg-
ed according to law.
DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE.