The Washington herald., 1919-01-05

This association continued it's
good work several years but the
outbreak of the civil war found
Washington again without any gem
eraI charity organization. The
building on f street In which the
downtown offices had been located
reverted to its former use as the
home of Washington business
man. the twin structure adjoining
being occupied as the dwelling of
city official and his family.
Some time after the ending of the
war the Police Department of
Washington fell heir to the humane
task of dispensing charity to the
poor and that extra duty was faith
fully and well performed by the
blue-coated guardians. A poor fund
was established at headquarters and
check order books Issued to the
heutenants in charge OF precincts
When case OF suffering was re-
ported to the police station the on
Ger on the beat where the needy
person resided was required to enter
upon an immediate investigation
and report his findings promptly to
the station house. Thus within an
hour after a serious case of destitu-
tion was reported relief was Extend
ed, provided the case was a worthy
one. To be worthy" in the lexicon
of the police was to be hungry. cold
or shelterless. without regard to the
strict moral status of the suffering
one or his antecedents.
Under the police system profess
sional beggars or other imposters
found it extremely dificult to GET any
OF the money contributed to the char
ity fund by the philanthropic donors
a $ the Investigations Of the officers Of
the law were thorough and complete.
II a citizen sent S to headquarters
for the poor he was assured some
worthey person or persons would get
500 cents OF his contribution, as there
was no cost OF administration or de-
ductions of any sort
To illustrate how the system
worked. / will cite a case that came
under my personal observation about
thirty-five years ago. The late ser
geant of police. Joe Acton. man OF
the most generous impulses, was pa
trolling a section of southeast Wash
ington, near the old railroad tunnel
where many poor families resided,
when he was hailed by lightly clad
wintry blasts. The ground was COW
cred with snow and ice and the tenn
pe-ature was far below the freezing
point.
"Oh. Mr.. Acton" the woman eH-
claimed. there is a poor old creature
with two young children freezing and
starving a few doors from my home"
Sergeant Acton's Qaiek Work.
Sergt. Acton proceeded TO the place
indicated with all speed and found
an aged woman and her two orphaned
grandchildren huddled together in a
dilapidated bed with bits of carpet
and old clothes covered over them as
protection from the bitter cold. They
had been in bed without food or fuel
for two days. Fastening to No. 3
police station. he requested that two
orders be made out in favor of the
old woman, giving her name and sd-
dress. and that they be sent to him
at once The kindly sergeant next
proceeded to a nearby grocery store
and ordered a stock of food and quick
delivery at the home Of the sufferers.
He next visited a coal and wood yard
and ordered a supply of fuel. He
carried in his arms enough wood TO
start a fire. In five minutes after his
return to the place of poverty he had
a roaring hot fire in the stove, while
neighbors prepared a substantial meal
from the groceries.
ct helped the old lady to get up
and dress the children" the genial
sergeant said. land the way they en-
joyed that warmth and the hot meal
was a picture that will live in my
memory always"
The printed orders were good at any
grocery. market or coal and wood es-
tablishment for the amount named.
usually from $50 TO s.. and were
receivable at a certain bank named
In a printed note on the checks II was
stipulated that il was good for its
face value for any kind of foodstuff.
but that no part of the amount should
be expended for intoxicants or to-
bacco. The police order was. in fact
the same as a certified bank check,
headquarters being the endorser. The
fund was supplied by popular sub
scriptions from the public.
The winter of 1852 was a particu-
larly severe season for the poor Of
Washington and many cases of des-
titution were investigated and the
sufferers relieved by the police.
Ealy in January conditions became
so serious that reporters of the Even
inE Critic and National Republican
assisted the blue-coated angels OF
mercy in locating prisoners of pow
erty in the alleys and tenements OF
the District One stormy evening
Clint Snowden. managing editor of
the Republican, entered the news
room and addressing the boys said:
Gentlemen. this is one of the
worst winter storms I have ever
experienced. The temperature is
down near zero, it's blowing a mar
row-chilling gale from the north
and there is a thick fall of snow.
There is much suffering among the
poor and the police have their hands
full. ] want every man on the stan
who can be spared to go forth in
to the highways and byways and
relieve as many sufferers as pos
sible. Report to me all you help
and those you cannot help so that
Immediate assistance may be given
all.n
The order was promptly obeyed by
as many reporters as the late DIR.
Frank Howe. city editor, could spare.
The northeastern section Of the city
was the assignment given Louis Sci
bold, now political writer on the New
York World, and myself. and we set
out on our errand of mercy through
the heavy snowstorm with a certain
sum of money from the office for
emergency use. One of the first cases
that came to our attention was that
of two young women, educated and
talented. living in an illy-furnished
and unheated room over a stable in
rear of DIR. Gross herb medicine lab