The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-16

D + Il
cone with a situation crsat.d b. in
territorial lawlessness OF so many peo-
( PIC, the Result Of whose conduct
serves to make them nuisances to
those whom their unnecessary noise
disturbs. and manaces to the lives and
limbs of those exposed TO their reck-
less speed. The fact that 3,l52 sio-
TO court and 270 arrests were made OF
J reckless drivers should give some
! comfort to those who would know
whether the department. IL making
any effort at all to enforce this law.
\ total of 1ss reports and charges
were made against policemen forty
Two of which were for being late In
pulling bcX) which were disposed of
as follows Excused hfiy-ive, dis
missed. two: required to perform cs-
ira duty. thirty three, not sustained.
SIX fined. twenty-onc; Withdraw IL,
one; resigned, ave; reprimanded,
seven; fined and paced on probation.
one: pending, two. There VICE I total
OF ATS days lost by the force as fol-
lows: On account Of sickness, 2.3S9;
furloughs. 1853: sick family. fifty
two; suspension. S52.
Tho value Of property reported as
lost or stolen was given as sI44,
o2t.99. of which ,rat Of the value of
s61.94s.o6 was recovered and re
storded 10 its pN ners. The patrol
wagons answered 1892 calls and
Travelled 3t.1e7 miles. Policemen on
beat dut" made .i9.s05 calls in to
the signal Office over tho police wire;
and the signal Office otherwise re-
ceived 2l.047 calls, including $40
from special bridge policemen, and
.4,o14 from bank watchmen.
There were fifty-fve changes in the
force during the year caused by
forty eight designations ten to enter
military service; three deaths, two
! retirements. and two dismissals Ap-
pointments OF forty-tllree new men
We're made, which left twelve vacan
c.es as of December 31st
Notwithstandinc much belief and
charges to the contrary the records
of the department SHOW great ac-
tiyity in the enforcement of the laws
! against immortality. the prohibition
law, the anti-gamblirs laws and
those Cor the protection Of children
Arrests for offenses against imnor
atty numbered Ga; for violation of
the prohibition law SIS; and in ad-
dition,' ans gallons Of ardent spirits
were seized and St "eral automobiles
confiscated: i.o4a arrests we're made
OF persons charged with gambling:
weight for keeping gaming
houses, and ten for operating policy
4 games: seventy-sx arrests were made
for contributing to the delinquency
of children and 1a1 delinquent chill
dren were arrested.
The fact of the war and the prox-
unity Of one of the largest military
camps aggravated our conditions in the
foregoing respects considerably, Our
experiences were exactly the same as
those of all other cities similarly stu
ated. and were YER. natural under the
circumstances. bu: they produced a
great deal OF unnecessary hysterid on
the part of some overly nervous per-
sons, and also some official action
that could only be properly described
as opera bouffe That the police force
was not utterly dcmoralzed Is sur
prisins. and its record for the year
is a monument to its soundness.
Il should be remenl hered that the
violations of laws of this character
are always done with secrecy, and in
a way that cannot he made impcs-
sible without invasion on the part of
the police of guarantees Of the liberty
and security OF Americans deemed of
sufficient importance to be given place
in our constitutions,
It is the business of those charged
with responsibilities of law enforce
rent TO make it, hard to break the
laws, but II is at least open TO con-
ssideration whether our institutions and
laws are not intended to make men
tree rather than to make them good,
and whether in certain cases the
remedy could not be made more in
tolerabie than the disease.
The activities of the detective bu-
reau are evidenced by its record OF
LIES arrests and the apprehension Of
lss fuEitives from justice.
During the year the department
lost three members by death. Major
i.ef 1T IA
January 18th, and this ended the
career of one who for thirty years
had devoted his hest effort to the
police service. Rising because Of his
integrity and devotion TO duty from
patroiman TO chief which ONCE he
held for nearly thirteen years, he de-
parted this life lamented by his asso-
ciates. and with the respect of the city
he served SO long.
Patroiman 3. T. Talley, a mem Der
of the force for seventeen years. and
C. L. Tyler. a member for two years
and nine months, both died during
the year. having s1rned by their f.
deity to their duty the confidence and
respect of their associates and ac-
quaintanees.
The report of the juvenile and do
nestie relations court shows total
of 1883 Juvenile cases before the
court involving l ,s:s children. as fol-
lows white BOYS Sft. white girls liz :,
colored boys. ST., colored girls TIA.
This is an increase q l2s cases and an
increase Of sevenfy-fNe children in
vclved in comparison with the pre-
vious year. OF tho total there were
l5a cases of dependent and neglected
children. an increase of eight over the
previous year.
The report of the matron of the
White Detention Home shows that rs
children-4lI boys ard 164 girls
were received for detention. and that
they We're detained a total Of c.saS
days. This gives An average daily de-
tention Of ia children. and an aver
age period of detention OF 40 days.
The average cost OF meals per capita
for the children and employees was
thirteen cents
The rerort OF the custodian Of tn.
colored juvenile home shows that e64
childrcr--A7n boys and 1874 girls
we're detained for a total Of 3e3e
days. This givee an average daily
detention OF lc.7 children, and an
average period OF detention OF So
days. Tn. average per capita cost Of
meals for wards and employees was
j 10 cents Adult cases before the cour.
numbered '2:. involving SIS persons
---S41 whitA man and 0ffv.t u,,r vvht. =