Evening star., 1920-03-02
WOMAN COUNSEL
IN RENT HEARING
Dispute Over Possession of
Apartment on 9TH Street
Is Heard.

An added touch OF interest was iu-
jected into tho proceedings OF the
District rent commission today, when
one of Washington's woman attor-
neys, Miss Nina /. Thomas. appeared
for the plaintiff in one of the cases.
Miss Thomas represented Mrs. Mary
commission for possession OF the Sec
ohd floor OF 617 7th street northeast.
Mrs. Hamill testified that she has
owned the property, two-apartment
building, since 1904, and that as long
ago as last May she notified the ten
ant, James II. Whiting, that she would
want the apartment October / last
Tor her own use. Formal notice,
however, was not served until the de-
fendant had failed to vacate and had
occupied the apartment for several
months after October /.
Occupying Single Room.
Mrs. Hamill testified that she is at
house occupied by the family of an
old friend, and that she had endeav-
ored to assist Mr.. Whiting to find a
house or apartment. IT was shown
that prior to November /, 1918, Mr..
whiting had paid $3.50 month for
the six-room apartment with hot
water heat, the rent after that date
having been increased to s25 a month.
Ihe defendant, by his attorney,
questioned the good faith of tho
piaintln In the matter, and raised the
objection that the formal notice to
vacate was wrongly dated, the notice
reading January ], 1919. The intent
OF the plaintiff to have IL written
1920, defendants counsel held. was a
matter OF no moment to the defend
ant: The commission took the case
under advisement.
DismIased by Agreement.
The case Of NJ. Louise Fox against
moore d Hill. agents, alleging excess
siVe rent for an apartment at 1920 2lst
street. was dismissed by the commis-
sion today by agreement between the
parties to the complaint.
The commission also dismissed the
case of Eleanor II. Grif1th against
Louis Bennett. alleging excessive rent
Tor premises at S11 9Th street. Counsel
for both sides informed the commits
sion that plaintiff and defendant had
agreed on 800 month for the prem
ises. and this the commission. in dis
missing the case, decided to be a rea-
sonable rent for the premises.
Decisions Against Tenants.
Decisions against the tenants were
announced by the District rent COM
mission in two cases heard last week.
Lieut.. A. r. Quail, whose complaint
to the commission alleged excessive
rent for an apartment in Park Road
courts, lost his case. the commission
hnding that his lease has not yet ex-
pfred and that he entered voluntarily
into a subleasing agreement with r.
Lee Gait. jr.. and therefore had no
grounds on which to base a complaint
as TO the terms of the agreement by
winch he became a sublessee
isaac CHASER was given possession
OF premises 1913 9Th street northwest,
hn
was directed to surrender the proper
ty Glaser having shown to the COM
missions satisfaction that he desires
the property for his own use.
Cases on the commission's docket
TOT nearing at 10 o'clock tomorrow
ana at the same hour Thursday are:
Tomorrow: Mrs. r. F. Moore against
Lily Fowler. excessive rent for rooms
at 1927 New Jersey avenue north
west; Riley Hastings against ] Ed
ward Lewis. agent excessive rent. re-
pairs. etc, for s16 Kennedy street
northwest; w. e. Gibson against Claud
ODonoghue, excessive rent for prop
erty at 1919 Otis place northwest:
John w. Minton, against DIR. J. A.
Taylor, excessive rent for 1918 Florida
avenue northwest; Heisn,J. Justice,
against Mrs. G. H. Hammer, possea-
sion Of BIS F street northeast; John L.
Barranger against Oscar Genz, ex-
cessive rent for 822 10th street north.
east, and oscar GEM against John l..
Barranger. possession of s22 10th
street northeast.
Thursday: John G.. Dascoulas against
Xavier Larrea, possession of 2631 18th
street northwest: the Hecht Company
against Jacob Schwartz, possession OF
523 7th street northwest; George
Thomas against William McMuilen.
possession of 1125 14th street north
west: Eva May H. Bushey against
Charles L. Vermillion, possession of
1850 Columbia road northwest: Fred
erick Wisneke against Mrs. William
p. Harlow, possession of 1927 e street
northeast, and Beatrice Claudine Cum
Minis against Peter F. Perret. pos
session of 434 Irving street northwest,