Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28
LAW ENFORCEMENT
IN D. c. HITS PEAK
Hart Makes Claim After Con-
viction of II BootIeggers
in Police Court.

The conviction of 81 bootleggers, with
sentences totaling more than $4,000 in
fines or 2,015 days in jail, brought the
statement yesterday from David A.
Hart, assistant district attorney, that
the enforcement of the prohibition law
in the District had reached its highest
point in 10 years and that there Is a
possibility that the dockets of the courts
will be cleared of liquor cases by
January /.
Most of those convicted yesterday
were arrested during December, the i'm
position of sentence eliminating a
weeks effort on the part of Hart and
Police Court judges to clear the court
schedule for the new year. Approx
mately 20 other bootleggers pleaded
guilty in court yesterday and will be
sentenced next Saturday. BY this lat
liquor cases made during 1880, and sew
eral years before. will have been dis
posed of.
Court officials declared the days eff
forts the most decisive blow ever given
bootlegging in Washington in a similar
period of time Many of those SEN
fenced were committed to jail late yes
terday when they were unable to pay
their fines.
Only five OF the persons who were
sentenced yesterday were tried by juries.
The remaining % defendants entered
guilty pleas, after they had previously
requested jury trials from the court.
Hart announced that so many pleas
were received because of the stiff
penalties" given those convicted by the
juries. The court is inclined to be more
lenient with those who admit guilt, he
explained.
Mason Gets 900 Days.
Arthur (Honey-boy) Mason, colored,
1000 block of Twenty-first street, de-
scribed by Judge John P. Mcmahon as
one Of the most persistent lawbreakers
in the CITY," was committed to Jail to
serve term of 900 days. Mason may
escape year and half of Jail by pay
ing $500 in fines. He was convicted on
five counts of second-offense possession
ana one charge of maintaining
nuisance.
Hart said that this was one of the
best examples of his plan to present
all charges at single trial. He ex-
planned that had there been separate
trials given each Of the charges Mason
would probably not have been ound
guilty on more than two counts. When
mason was arrested on charge which
Hart believed would make q strong
case, he revived some of the previous
accusations which had been made
against the man. In addition to these,
charge of maintaining a public nui-
Sance, namely, a speakeaSy, from July
l, 1928, to August, 1880, was filed.
While police in raiding the home of
Isaac Chichester, colored, 20, 1900 block
OF Cedar court, seized only pint of
liquor, it will cost the arrested man
$1,000 If he decides to avoid a 90-day
jail term. This sentence was imposed
by Judge Isaac r. Hit, with Hart as
prosecuting attorney.
Irving G. Ware, 2400 block of Ontario
road. convicted of second offense DOS
session, received a sentence Of $500 fine
or so days in jail from Judge Ralph
Given. Assistant District ATTORNEY Will
bur Baughman represented the Govern
ment in the case, which required two
trials because a jury was unable to
agree when 1t was first presented.
Eight Women Defendants.
Women, whom Police Court records
indicate carry on about half of the
oootlegging in the city, were listed as
defendants in eight Of the cases, the
majority Of them receiving light SEN
fences OF $50 fine or 80 days In jail.
Among the women who pleaded guilty
was Mrs. Margaret Price, Al years old.
who lives directly across Sixth street
Continued on Page 4, Column -