Evening star., 1920-03-16
EFFECT OF VALID
NOTICE INVOLVED
Rent Commission Has Ten
ancy Case in Which Per-
picking Issue Arises.

How long a tenant may continue to
occupy a house, although admit tting
the good faith of the owner in claim
ing possession. sufficiency Of notice,
etc. but denying the jurisdiction Of
the District rent commission in the
case. was question that came before
the commission today.
L. c. Ruffner, a member Of engine
company No. 2, was the complainant
in the case. the defendant being
Frances W. Wiley, according to the
city directory, but. according to her
statement, Flora L. Wiley.
because Mrs. Wiley. by her counsel.
, admitted all of the allega tions con-
tdined IN Ruhner's complaint. the rent
commission for time refused to take
1 Jurisdiction. Commissioner Sinclair
ho!dtns that as no dispute had arisen
the defendant admitting the truth Of
an OF the complainants allegations,
the commission was without author
/ 1ty to intervene
1t was shown that Justice Rirh,u
IN Municipal Court, mad refused TO as
| sumo jurisdiction. referring the COM
pialnant to the rent commission.
| Rufner's Plea Outlined.
by his counsel Ruffncr showed that
| he bought the property in ouestiop
OIL u street northeast. last year. for
/ me personal use and occupancy of
! nlmseit his wife and Two small chill
nreh- Notice admitted by the defend
snl 70 De legal and sufficient was
| served on the occupant to vacate the
! property, this notice being ignored It
was also stated the defendant has
paid no rent for the house since serv-
| ice of the notice.
| Meanwhile Ruffner is sleeping at No.
4
and the two children have the use OF
a part of one room in the home Of
! friends. unable to obtain posse So ion
! OF their home for their own use and
| occupancy. receiving no rent for the
| house. because to do so would estab-
! lish the relationship of landlord and
tenant. while the Municipal Court has
| declined to take jurisdiction and evict
| the present occupants, and the rent
| commission holds that because no al
legation of the complaint is denied
no dispute exists and the commission
| therefore is without authority in the
! case.
The matter finally was taken under
| advisement.
other Complaints Heard.
| In the case of Sylvester r. Tolliver
against Wilcox & Hayes, agents,
/ alleging excessive rent demanded for
| l240 Duncan street northeast. an
| agreement was TeacneO between the
parties whereby certain repairs are
| to be made and the case dismissed.
| Hearing on the complaint Of G. W.
Cowgirl against II. r Carroll. alleg-
| ing excessive rent demanded for an
apartment at 1876 T street northwest,
| was postponed on information that .
material witness was i'll in a hospital.
The case of Col. c. E. Stodter. U.
S. A. against Thomas Stubblefield, ex-
cessive rent demanded for an apart
ment in the Marne apartment house:
was continued until 10 o'clock tomor-
| row.
| Two Decisions Yesterday.
In two determinations announced
yesterday the rent commission found
! in favor of one tenant and against
/; another. ~
The complaint of Beatrice c. Cum
mings against Peter F. Perrett for
possession of 434 Irving street north
! west was denied the commission md
| ing the complaint was not made in
good faith.
! Margaret A. Rice's suit against =
H. Smith & Co. agents. in which, r
| was alleged that excessive rent was
| demanded for apartment 9, in tho
Mount Pleasant apartment house. was
dismissed.