Evening star., 1921-03-09
OFFICER INSULTS
SOCIETY MATR0N
Traffic Policeman Calls the
Patrol Wagon for Small
Breach of Regulations.

ABUSED and insulted by the traffic
officer stationed at 14th and G streets
because she inadvertently ran by the
traffic signal. followed immediately
by the calling of the patrol OF the
first precinct to convey her TO the
station house, were features OF
shopping expedition yesterday morn
ing of an internationally prominent
society woman.
Not satisfied with humiliatinS the
lady, the officer, according to her
story, told her not 10 dare get out OF
that car" while he went to the eau
box, leaving her in her electric. in
view of a crowd of several hundred
who had collected in the vicinity.
The story of the incident. as told by
the lady herself. who is prominent So
cially in both this country and Eng
land. follows:
II was driving south on 14th
street. and. on reaching the inter-
section of 18th and C looked carefully
for traffic in both directions. Seeing
none, and. with the back of the trafhc
otfiner 70 me, / drove across the IN
tersection. l had not gone tar when
/ heard the whistle of the officer. L
was then nearly to the intersection
of 14th and F. l stopped there ana
beckoned to the traffic officer sta
toned at that point.
He was very courteous and eX-
planned the situation TO him. he
said: Go ahead, it's all right. ana
Just as | was about to start on the
officer from 14th and G came running
up. He Jumped on the running board
muttering Not so fast there; drive
over. to the curb 1 complied with
This. whereupon. in rough voice.
he said What's your name and let
me see your drivers permit
Treated In Bullying Manner.
= 81 gave him my name and told him
that. my permit was home in my desk.
In. the same bullying manner he toid
me that I was under arrest on TWO
charges, running by the sign and not
having my permit with me. He then
informed me that he was going to
take me to the station house, and
that I could go one OF two ways,
-either letting him escort me by stand
ing. on the running board or calling
the patrol. l demonstrated at THIS
&hsreupon he said. We'll. III show you
what. I'll do land with a parting ad-
nfonttion not to dare move from that
car he went over to the call box.
Il promptly got, out of the car and
went into the Willard to phone my
husband. A gentleman, whom I knew,
who had seen-the- whole occurrence,
IrernonStrated with the policeman at
: u
was conducting himself. On the ar
rival of my husband affairs were
Strengthened out, the officer apologiZ-
ing for his manner toward me. He
said that he had telephoned the pa
troll not to come and that / might
/ appear at the First precinct on
Saturday morning."
A Bystander's story.
La
currence was related by bystander.
who was present during the whole oc-
currence. 1t seems that while the
lady was in the hotel telephoning to
her husband. The patrol did arrive in
answer to the officers call. but on
the driver refused to mix up in the
thinsF'- and drove off, to the great
chaerin of the officer who called it.
During the time that the driver of
the electric was in the hotel" said the
witness. 'the first precinct patrol
wagon arrived on the scene. The traf-
fic officer. who had made the arrest.
walked eyer to the wagon and con-
versed with the policeman who accom-
panied il.
why did you call the wagon
asked the patrolman.
why. I just called it to take her
to the station house. replied the uaf-
nc officer
"'Well. you didn't have any right
to do that commented the patrolman.
The traffic policeman moved away and
the driver of the wagon almost i'm
mediately started up his engine and
drove off. The crowd was then be-
ginning to thin out"
Citizens Indignant.
Motorists of this city are indignant
at the way reputable citizens are
treated by some traffic policemen for
minor infractions of the law.
Policemen do not have to resort to
black guardism TO convince q lady or
gentleman. that he or she has
violated the law" said prominent
citizen today in commenting on the
occurrence yesterday and others of
it's kind which have been taking place
frequently in Washington of late.
1T has gotten 10 pretty state of
affairs when woman is not safe
from the insults Of policemen while
in the act of driving her own car
through the streets. The patrol
wagon is for criminals and toughs.
not for ladies and gentlemen who
possibly might have run ten feet
over a line or exceeded the speed
limit a mile or two. The matter
should be taken up Immediately by
Maj. Gessford," he concluded.