Evening star., 1920-01-01
POLICE Department.

A substantial salary increase re-
ceived by employees of the police de-
partment was the chief topic OF in
terest to members of that branch of
| the District government the past
year. The increase followed a stren-
uous campaign for better salaries,
| waged by Commissioner Brownlow,
| Mai. Raymond w. Pullman and men,
| bers of the department.
In a review of the work OF the de-
commended those who remained on
duty during the war period.
Mai Pullman called attention to
the benefits of the prohibition law
and pointed out that there has been
a decided decrease in the number of
number the past year being 1910,
| while for the fiscal year 1917. the
last year the city had saloons, the
number was 9,64S.
| Increase in Crime.
! Reports of crime last year were
more numerous than the preceding
year, officials of the department
ups, house and store robberies, mur.
! ders and assaults committed. Several
| serious assaults on women occurred
| ,Forty-nine homicides claimed the
attention of the police. one of the
most difficult cases to be investi-
gated being that of the Staying Of the
three members of the Chinese educa-
tional mission. Another involved the
| killing OF a woman war worker. ana
| Henry Jackson, colored, who took her
life, is in Jail. awaiting execution: sew
| eral of the forty-nine alleged murderers
are at large.
| Police officials are deeply interested
in the search that is being made Tor
Herbert Copeland, colnred. slayer OF
Lieut.. David 7. DUNCAN and Police
man John Conrad and Deputy Sheriff
Mcfarland of Charles county. Cope
| land escaped from the District Jail.
| A race riot the latter part of July
was the most serious incident or the
| year with which the police had to
I contend 1t became necessary Tor
Mai. Pullman to summon members OF
the military forces and Home De-
| fense League to assist in restoring
order, Seven lives were lost, De-
tectiye Harry Wilson and six civil
ians being included IN the nss. pew
eral other persons were wounded.
One of the most sensational events
| in the years police history was the
attempt on the life of Attorney Gen
eral Palmer. The would-be assassin
was blown to pieces when he fell and
sxploded the bomb just before the
house of Mr.. Palmer was reached.
Only damage to the house and death
| to the anarchist resulted.
s2,82O Arrests in Year.
Fifty-two thousand nine hundred and
twenty arrests were made during tne
wear. Members Of the detective bureau
were particularly active in the investi-
cation of cases of persons held up on
the streets and armed bootleggers.
Murder of Detective James T.. Arm
strong was one of the saddest affairs
in police circles during the year. the
Henry after the latter had shot to death
Wallace Mulcare, a 14th street merchant.
while holding him up in his place OF
business. Public subscriptions made up
substantial purse for the beneht OF
Mrs. Armstrong and her three children.
The murder in September Of Emmett
E. wood, whose body was found in the
basement of the Westory building, Tar
below the street line, furnished the
police a difficult case: Joseph , Pat2gck 6ga
and brought here as the alleged slayer.
His case has not been tried:
Local detectives located alleged stolen
certificates of stock in this city and
caused the arrest OF three persons Tor
of them. Information obtained by De-
tective Patrick O'Brien resulted In un-
earthins an alleged million dollar theft
of such certificates in New York.
Because Of the number of instances
in which weapons were used Maj. Pull
man renewed his recommendation for
a better law regulating the sale of fire.
arms.
Campaigns Against Accidents.
Mai. Pullman devoted much time in
effort to improve traffic conditions and
conserve human life. He gave hearty
approval to campaigns of education con-
Quoted by The Star, and issued numer-
GUS orders to members of his depart
ment to do all in their power to reduce
the number of accidents.
In spite of all that was done. police
records show a total Of 1890 accidents
during the year. which resulted in sixty
four deaths. Records show 125 other
persons were seriously hurt, while those
who received minor injuries numbered