Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-21
TRAFFIC V|0LATORS
TO GET NO MERCY
Heavy Fine for Drunken Driv-
er Indicates Courts viii I'M
pose Stringent Sentences.
MORE MISHAPS REPORTED

CVIuence tnat the courts intend to
impose stringent sentences for violations
Of the traffic regulations, thus contrib
uting to the efforts of the police to
bring about the largest measure OF pub
lie safety in street traffic, was furnished
in the United States branch of the Po-
lice Court yesterday afternoon when
Judge Mcmahon sentenced an offender
to pay = fine of $3.50 for driving team
while under the influence of intoxicants
and SIS for colliding with an automobile.
1t being the first offense Of the de-
fendant, fines were applied
The evidence showed that the de-
fendant, driving two-horse team at
tached to heavy oil tank truck, had
coilided with light automobile coming
out of an alley and that the defendant
was under the influence of whisky. The
damage to the auto was slight and the
operator of the machine was not in
jured.
Horses Hard to Handle,
An extenuatlng circumstance in the
case which was taken into consideration
by Judge Mcmahon in passing sentence
on the offender was that the horses
were spirited animals and hard to han
Ole under ordinary circumstances and
that they were new to the driver. he
having only driven them for a few days.
Maj. Pullman, discussing the fia-
grant violation of traffic regulations.
which have recently inaugurated a
reign of terror on the public high
ways of the city with it's unprece-
dented record of fatalities and seri-
Gus injuries. said that he intended to
discuss with the District Commits
sloners the matter of a more strin-
gent traffic law carrying with it
Jail sentence in the hope that Con-
gress would pass such a law. He
not only favorS the law with iaiI
sentence for all cases of fragrant and
aggravated violations of the major
part of the traffic regulations. but
would make it impossible for Offend
ers to put up collateral and then for
felt by failure to appear for trial and
thus escape the punishment the law
intends. In a large majority of the
cases made by the police for viola
tion of the traffic regulations, col
lateral is put up and the defendants
forfeit and never appear for trial.
DR.. Robinson Is Injured.
LII. 41OA tON VI. 1sI- 1bOptHSOH, tUG IZIl
street northeast, on his way home
from call on patient this morning
about lis o'clock. received injuries
in traffic accident at Sd and B
streets northeast, which necessitated
treatment at Casualty Hospital for a
cut head and minor bruises
He was injured when his automo-
bile was struck by an automobile in
charge of Harold Dawson. Carroll
avenue. Takoma Park. Dawson was
arrested by Policeman David Crouch
of the ninth precinct, charged with
speeding, and in Police Court today
was fined $40.
Dawson told Policeman Crouch he
was speeding his automobile for the
purpose of getting the number on an
other car that was speeding through
b street, explaining his interest in
the alleged violation was due to the
fact that his brother-in-law is a po-
liceman.
Saw Two Cars Speeding.
Crouch said he saw two automobiles
speeding through street, going east;
giving every indication of racing.
They were moving SO rapidly, he stat
cd. that he was unable to get the num-
ber Of either of them. Presently he
heard a crash, and when he reached
the scene, he stated, he expected to
find dead bodies in the wreckage. He
was surprised to learn that only one
occupant of a car had been hurt
DR.. Robinson was driving north on
al on his wav home He