Evening star., 1926-03-14
SAYS Third DEGREE
USED ON CHILDREN
Judge Sellers Declares W0m-
ems Bureau Holds Juveniles
Without Warrant.

Charges that third degree" meth
ods have been used on children sent
to the House of Detention were made
by Judge Kathryn Sellers of the
juvenile Court. in voicing opposition
10 the bill permanently TO establish
and increase the personnel OF the
Womens Bureau in the Police De
partment. ut hearings yesterday be
fore subcommittee of the House Dis
trict committee.
Judge Sellers charge of third
degree" methods in the institution
were made after she had cited to the
subcommittee eight specific cases IN
which she declared the WomenS Bu-
reau had held boys and girls from
eight day TO three months IN the
| House of Detention without warrant
or formal charges.
Protesting against the holding OF
| children in the House of Detention
. unde., such conditions, Judge Sellers
. declared. in support of her charges
| of third dc gree" methods. that III
| one case a poicewonan wrote Il con
fession which a girl was forced to
|
She protested against the use of such
methods on persons arrested and held
| I'm custody before any formal charges
4 had been placed against them.
Fears Passing of Court.
Judge Sellers told the subcommit-
tee she was opposed to the bill whlSn
would give permanent and legal
status to the Women's Bureau be-
cause she saw in it the beginning
of a movement to do away with the
court. If this bill is passed. she said,
it will be looked back upon as an
historic event marking the supplant-
ing of court powers by the police.
1t would give the police the right
to determine whether cases should
| be submitted to the court. 1t would
. give the Eomen's Bureau the right
TO decide whether persons should be
placed on probation" 1t is another
attempt at police government, she
said, which undoubtedly would lead
| to graft"
In the case of one boy sent to the
| House of Detention, Judge Sellers
| declared after he had been held there
10 DAYS the arresting officer claimed
he knew nothing of the case and did
not even recall making the arrest.
Judge Sellers told the subcommittee
that Washington is the only city with
a. House of Detention under police
government.
.Angered at Interruptions.
You are unfair to me-" said Judge
Sellers to Representative Blanton,
Democrat, of Texas when he was Wig
orously cross questioning her. AT one
time when he was discussing some In
formation he said he had received
from a school official. Judge Sellers
told him, You give me the name OF
that person and will sue for dam
ages"
"The power the police have is al
most unbelievable. They can arrest
any child at any time and send 1t to
Gallinger Hospital and keep it from
its parents" she claimed.
Judge Sellers had asked that she be
allowed 10 make her statements with
out interruption, and when Mr.. Blan-
ton continued to interrupt her with
frequent questions. interpolating
statements Of his own, Mr.. Hammer
protested to the subcommittee and
left the hearing in disgust.
Demand Chance to Reply.
Several spokesmen for the Woman's
Bureau demanded that they be given
an opportunity to be heard by the
subcommittee in refutation of Judge
Sellers charges. Mrs. Van Wrinkle,
us director of the Woman's Bureau
and House of Detention, was granted
the privilege by the subcommittee OF
inserting in the record her statement
of the history of the cases cited by
Judge Sellers. She also inserted the
Following statement about the House
of Detention:
"The House of Detention is not
lookup in the social meaning of the
term. Just as the Juvenile Court was
contemplated for the protection of
those who need its guidance. so houses
of detention We're established for the
protection and safety Of those who
are detained. Detention homes are
not considered by social workers as
institutions, but are generally unit
belonging to some social agency, to
the county court system. to juvenile
court or to the police department. In
the District of Columbia drunken
women are ia ken to the Gallinger Hos
pltaI. ShoplifterS, almost without eX.
ceptlon, never reach the girls who are
detained. Most of the shoplifters are
or better moral character than. the
girls who are being held. OCCUPATION.
education and recreation so complete
~ NIL the lives of the juvenile inmates
~>S ~-AS - AeIiC lAilic IOT InlScnle1.
LOdgers Kept Separate.
Lodgers are a special class for
winch the police make special provi-
sion. A record is kept in a special
book-separate and distinct from the
House of Detention record and the
Woman's Bureau blotter. The lodgers
are provided for in quarters separate
from the delinquents
THE Washington House of Deten.
ton was established August, 1900, by
the Police Department-six years be-
Tore the creation of the Juvenile Court
IL mas remained under the jurisdiction
or the police, ,since that time. In Sep.
tember, 1920, it moved into the pres
ent quarters at 1445 Ohio avenue and
a new staff of civilian workers was
appointed. General supervision was
transferred from the sergeant, who
had been in charge for many years, to
the lieutenant in charge of the Wom.
ans Bureau, because it was felt best
10 nave an officer with special train.
ing and experience in the care of chill
dren responsible for the conduct of
this shelter. The Woman's Bureau
and the House of Detention are two
distinct units in the department, and
the he'appropriatior. for the maintenance
OF the house is separate from the
police appropriation. The House Of
detention serves as q place for the
shelter and detention Of persons held
Tor the courts, various branches of the
Police Department, the Woman's Bu-
reau and for private and public social