Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-27
RENT Commission
DENIES MOTION TO
DISMISS CASE OF "a
Chairman Oyster Holds Liti-
giants May Not Expert
ment With Law.

complaint filed against Stone &
| Fairfax by thirty-four tenants living
at 10th street and Florida avenue, on
| the ground that the District rent
commission has been declared uncon-
stitutional by the District Court of
Appeals. was made before the COM
mission today by Charles S. Shreve,
acting as attorney for the defendants.
The motion was overruled by Chair
man James F. Oyster.
In denying the plea Commissioners
oyster and Sinclair called attention
to the majority decision of the court
in the Hirsh-Bloc case, holding that
lltigants may not experiment with
the law"
The commissioners pointed out that
IN filing an answer to the complaint
or the tenants the defendants had
recognized" the rent commission and
thereby formally made themselves a
party to the case, precluding with
drawal.
Mr.. Shreve contended. in reply, that
the filing of an answer did not COM
NIT the defendants in any way. When
capt. oyster remained obdurate, Mr..
Shreve asked to be excused and the
nearing of the testimony of the COM
plalnants was begun without the
presence of a representative Of the
agents.
HHSS '" uncsS on Stan0.
George ], Byrne of 221e 10th street
stand. He declared that the dwelling
in which he lived with his wife and
two small children contained four
rooms, without bath or layatory, and
that he himself bought the stove
which furnished the heat for the
house last winter. Gas was used for
lighting. he told the commission.
Others will testify today.
The petition asks that the present
rent, averaging s1.25 a room per
amount"
A reduction of As per cent in the rent
LOT the dwelling at 3547 9Th street
northwest, occupied by Dorothy
Schleif. the complainant, and owned
by Mary E. Slattery, was ordered in
a determination handed down today
The present rental of $50 per month
was thus reduced to $3.50. The pres
ent rate was termed unfair and un-
reasonable"
The house in question contains six
rooms and bath and is occupied alone
by Miss Schleif. who is apparently
still in her teens. She told the COM
mission that her principal complaint
was that no locks were furnished for
the doors and windows and that tho
oven was unserviceable. She said that
she was searcher in the Navy De-
partment and that her father and
two brothers, her only relatives. are
employed in other cities. Her efforts
tG keep possession of the house she
attributed to her desire to bring the
family together" The determination
of the commission was reached fol.
lowing a personal examination of the
premises. 1t was pointed out.
Reduction Ii Granted.
Louis M. Nutz, occupant of apart
ment 3. GIG 14th street northwest,
was granted reduction in rent from
$50 per month to $3.50. The owner is
Marie Rochon. In the same apart
ment house the owner was denied
permission to raise the rent for apart
ment 2, occupied by Charles Wei
sci. The present rent OF. $40 was ad-
judged fair.
E. L. Yoder. owner of 1881 D street
southeast was granted permission to
increase the rent for the dwelling from
ant and defendant in the case was
George P. Delaney.
Elizabeth Albers. owner of 1345
14th street, was also allowed to in
crease her monthly charge for the
premises from $50 per month to s35,
The defendant was John H Suydam.
The list of cases set for hearing to-
morrow follows:
John Knight and r. o. Downie VS..
William Mackey, rental, apartments at
tSV @VtH oIcct uoIInWeSt, N. b. kOr-
man vs. Benjamin Bass, rental, No. 3O6
AZ street southwest: A. ]. Grunwald
VS.. William S. Phillips, rental 1902
18th street northwest; C. F. Kleindienst
ct al. VS.. j. E. Lyddans, possession.
1882 o street northwest; William G.
Chappelear VS.. Charles Jones, possess
sion, us A street northeast; Mrs. Car
RE B. Slower VS.. Mrs Ethel Dragon.
rental, $40 Pickford place northeast:
Rosa l.. Byng VS.. M. 8. Collier, possess
sion. 1912 U street northwest; Henry
Bird VS.. George NJ. Mckee. possession,
607 South Carolina avenue southeast:
Linkins. rental. 1717 18th street north
west, apartment No. Al; Henry w. Of
futt VS.. j. Jerome Lightfoot. rental.
1926 Wisconsin avenue northwest: w.
c. Woodford VS.. Moore & Hill. rental.
apartment 25, the Champlain. 1924 x
street northwest; Mrs. T. H. Daby VS..
M v. Murphy, rental. rooms, $40 5th
street northeast; John Leonard Theu-
nissen VS.. George NJ. Fisher. rental.
17Ss Columbia road northwest.
, phiiip Gordon o.. VS.. Helen F. Jones.
northwest; Mrs. B. Burns VS.. Mrs.
johnson and Miss Viola johnson, pos
session, 1906 East Capitol street.
Henry II. Allen VS.. William CAN'T.
rental. first floor. 161 Randolph place
northwest; Richard NJ Phelps VS..
Julius Berman, possession. 1857 Dav-
export street northwest; Mrs. Nellie
". Wilson VS.. E. Homer Lacey, rental.
S07 New York avenue northwest; F.
street; Isaac Mendelson ct al. VS.. III.
Klaben. rental. 2106 18th street
northwest, and Samuel Miller VS.. w.