Evening star., 1918-12-02

as during the two previous years. but
unfortunately the difficulty of getting
prosecutions in court has continued.
For instance. of all the men arrested
for handbook making. the most dis
honest of all gambling devices dur
ing the past three years, more than
hundred in all. not one has gone TO
the penitentiary. and only after the
greatest effort we're several OF the
men gotten before he courts for
prosecution. resulting in a six
months workhouse sentence for one
man guilty of having taken bets
from a defaulting bank teller who
robbed his institution of $4,000.
Many of the hundred cases against
handbook makers during the past
three years as tho result OF arrests
made by the police in cooperation
with Department of. Justice. agents
were so long delayed for prosecution
in the courts that. the thgee-year
statute of limitation expired and
many persons on whom sufficient evi-
their arrest escaped scot-free without
even having been brought to trial.
~ feature of the years work whicl,
should be given special mention was
the cooperation between the police
and the military authorities and the
providing comforts and looking after
the welfare Of the thousands OF SOL
diers who have been in the city each
day during the period OF the war.
Within the District-ot Columbia and
within twenty-five miles Of the city
there were encamped q. total Of be-
tween 125.0O0 and 10000 soldiers
With all of the men coming from
these camps ION liberty" to wash-
ington during the entire period Of tho
war. the police had less trouble thar,
i'll past years they have had with one
regiment Of soldiers from single
:tate on inauguration day. The spir-
it of the troops present In the city
of the law and a spirit Of eo-opers-
lion with the authorities in law en-
forcement.
During the period Of the war the po-
lice department has had the cooper
alton Of the ONCE Of the provost mar
whenever there has been need Of mill
tary police for any purpose the CO.
operation has been forthcoming.
The first provost marshal Of the
district of Columbia, Cen. r. E. L.
-iichfe. worked out with the major
nd superintendent Of police a plan for
rhe protection Of Washington. This
plan. after being approved by the
secretary of War. was put into ef-
iect
Police salaries In the District Of Co
lumhia. as in most cities of the Unit
cd States today, are far too small.
onsidering the high type of men
;, hich it Is necessary to select to per-
form the character of work demand
81 In the police service Of any large
American city.
The whole city Of Washington was
shocked on May 81. when a negro
shot down and killed instantly two
of the best men in the police depart
1nent. Private John A. Conrad Of the
sixth precinct was the first to be kill
ed. while he was assisting an out.
of-town peace ohicer to serve a sum-
mons. Among the officers who Inn
1lediately took up the pursuit Of the
murderer was Lieut.. David J. Dun
nigan. and in less than an hour after
he killing of Private Conrad the
lieutenant was shot down In the
t'ouse to which the murderer had fed
in commenting on tho tragedy, the
RS. of the kind which had happened
II the District of Columbia for four
teen years. the major and superia-
fendeat paid a high and eloquent
t.-ibute to the police Who were kill
,;I OH that occasion, and to the ON
RS who conducted the search for
,ae murderer.
The metropolitan police was per-
laps the first police department In
;he country to inaugurate during the
var period campaign against We
'Hereai diseases with a view to safe
:.uarding civilians as we'll as the
thousands of soldiers throngins the
city.