Evening star., 1926-05-12

Fenning prior to a court decision IN
1918 OF charging a commission for In
| Specting estates of his wards. Mr..
| tiibSon also discussed certain phases OF
real estate practice here which he said
should be looked into. including the
charge for title guarantee, even when
there has been no transfer or other
transactions in the property within
a year.
| During an explanation Mr.. Blanton
emphasized that Mr.. Fenning had
started soliciting the bond business to
| get one fourth of the fee from the es.
tates OF his wards. Mr.. Gibson stated
that the subcommittee is convinced
Mr.. Fenning has been arbitrary In
many matters.
Cites Crowded Conditions.
Mr.. Gibson and Mr.. Blanton ex-
planned to the committee the de-
plorable conditions they had found
| in the Police Court Building during
personal visit. When they told aobut
156 prisoners being crowded, IRE.
epective of color, into two Snail
rooms. and some of them kept there
from s o'clock in the morning to
O'Clock in the afternoon without any
place to sit down, practically every
member of the committee commented
that this should not be allowed any
! where, especially in the National
Capital Mr.. Hammer vigorously
contended that there should be sep
arate quarters for white persons ana
colored OF each Sex and for consump'
tives, and he demanded: why
doesn't Health Officer Fowler do
something about this?" Mr.. Ham
condition existing anywhere and II
ought not to he allowed here. In
recommending a new Police Court
building as being the unanimous ac-
ton Of the subcommittee. Mir. Glib
son urged that all members OF the
committee should visit the court and
see for themselves. Representatives
Reed and Rathbone of Illinois argued
for authorizing other quarters to he
rented until more adequate Poiice
Court quarters could be provided.
Mr.. Blanton told the committee
that at the hearing tonight he will
produce witnesses to testify regard
ing a punishment post in the District
jail to which q girl only about 16
years old was chained with her
hands behind her back for half
day.
Bill Being Prepared.
Mr.. Gibson said that testimony be-
fore his subcommittee shows that
there are 200 patients in ST. Eliza
beth's Hospital without commitment
proceedings, being received merely on
a letter from some Government de-
partment. He stated that a bill is
now being drafted to correct that SIT
uation and provide for proper COM
case.
Mr.. Gibson next discussed the sur
prise visit by his subcommitte to the
workhouse at Occoquan last Satur-
day. He said that conditions 1ound
there for the women are most ex-
cellent and he never saw them better
in anv institution. 1--WE found 10
men with ankles shackled together
and some with bands Of steel on their
ankles with a ball and chain attached.
It semed inhuman to the committee
In this day and generation that any
where, especially in the Nation Gap
ital, which Is a model Tor tne rest
of the country. that there be such
,nhunan nracttce. Some of these
chainings had been on for two months
on one, prisoner for 270 days" Mr..
R,a nton interrupted to tell of one man,
who. he said, had served IN france;
who had worn these shackles rlVeteo
on his ankles for 128 days.
Plans Arouses Ridicule.
Mr.. Gibson advocated a statute pro-
yiding that an attempt to escape
which was the reason why theSe
prisoners had been shackled. should
he made a. penitentiary offense. TINS
stirred uD objection and even rldcule
from other attorneys on the commit
tee Including Mr.. Reid, Mr.. Hammer
and Mr.. Rathbone.
Mr. Rlenton had other members OF
the subcommittee verify the !acC tilal
they found a white woman, II years
old confined in the workhouse Tor De
INC drunk. and that all four members
Of the subcommittee who visited Occo,
oI,an had agreed that they sneiieo
Iyhiskey on the breath OF the super1n-
tendent.
,o,,,,,,ittae would like suggestions
from any member OF the coHnine'ee
on remedial legislation.
Then he said I'VE find some OF the
D;e+r4ct officials active in selling sup
1lies 70 the District by firms in which
thav are interested. We find that
C'on,naissioner Rudolph has a large IN
terest in the Rudolph west 20:
which furnishes large supplies OF
ba rd1vara to the District. ana ne
argued that the law specifically pro
hibits such practice.
Charges Subterfuge Used.
Mr. Hammer informed the commit
200 tba+ he has received a long letter
IN which Commissioner Rudolph at
1emnts to Justify this sale or suppnes
ond ouoted a ruling by Corporation
Counsel Stephens. Mr.. Hammer IN.
oisted that no director or manager OF
a corporation can hold public ONCE
ard bnv supplies from his own COM
Many FOR the public he represents.
Ha said that the subterfuge of Com
roissioner Rudolph in having an agent
represent him at meeting OF the cor
poration 'is just whipping the ueVh
around the stump" He called Com
missioner Rudolph's position In this
matter "very bad practice, pad poncy
and worse morals. AS puolic onlclal
he shouldn't deal with himself. Ihat
is unprincipled and unlawful. Mr..
Rlanton stated that Commissioner
Rudolph had testified that he received
large dividends regularly from the
Rudolph & West Co. and that Drother
hank directors are interested In hotels
which are selling space in the streets
TO taxicab companies for exclusive use.
Mr., Gibson said that the subcommlt-
tee does not appear as concerning
any one, but will state Its nndings
later in a full report in writing.
Mr.. Blanton and Mr.. Gibson discuss
ed the buying Of electric signal lights.