Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-12
Annual Report Urges "Ade-
quate" Laws to Curb Va
granCy and Weapons.
1890 ARRESTS MADE
WITH 2,OO9 CONVICTIONS
81 Murders in D. G. During IL
Months Solved Except in Three
Cases, He Says.

Employment of 40 more headquarters
detectives and enactment of adequate"
laws dealing with vagrancy and the sale
of dangerous weapons were recommend
ed today in the annual report of Inspec-
tor William S. Shelby, assistant superin-
terdent of police. covering the work Of
the Detective Bureau during the fiscal
year ended July l.
Inspector Shelby, who during the past
fiscal year was chief of detectives. made
the recommendations to Maj Henry G..
Pratt, superintendent of police. at the
conclusion of a lengthy statement de-
failing the large amount of work ham
died by the Detective Bureau during the
year and the success of operations.
A number Of other changes were
urged by Inspector Shelby, designed TO
improve the service OF the headquar-
tiers.
He asked that an additional expert
civilian photographer be employed, so
one photographer may be on duty at all
times; that the personnel of the Bureau
of identification be increased to such
an extent as to make it possible to keep
the bureau open and properly manned
through "a hours of the day: that all
fingerprint records be made in the
Bureau of identification by qualified ex-
perts in this line of work. and that the
Of the Health Department be transfer
red to the Police Department and that
provision be made for the installation
of laboratory and all necessary equip
ment.
Larger Phone Facilities.
The inspector also urged that tele-
phone facilities of the Police Depart
ment be enlarged and new connections
made in trunk lines with a view to
speeding up connections, providing bet
ter service. He asked also that three
additional civilian operators be en-
ployed to permit discontinuance OF
''the present vicious, though necessary
practice of assigning police officers to
this duty"
There were 81 murders committed
in the District during the last year,
and of these SIS have been solved, In
spector Shelby reported OF the re-
naming six, he said, police know the
identity of the murderers in three of
the cases, leaving only three cases I'M
solved. These three were the killing
of Beulah Limerick, Mrs. Elizabeth
Jaynes, who was shot in the course of
a tea room hold-up. and John H. Cum
bingham
Inspector Shelby reported that the
homicide squad is at work on informa-
ton pertaining to two suspects in the
killing of Mrs. Jaynes.
In regard to the Cunningham murder.
he stated: THE squad is making every
effort to learn the whereabouts and
cause the arrest of two white men
whose identity is known to this squad,
and I feel that from the investigation
made concerning the death of Cunning
ham that the arrest of these men may
mark the closing of this case"
There were 1928 cases assigned to
detectives for investigation during the
past fiscal year, and an additional 1,7S5
cases investigated for police of other
jurisdictions. Arrests resulting from
Investigations of detectives he reported
numbered 1890.
Stolen Cars Recovered.
A large percentage of cars reported
stolen were recovered, the report shows.
The number reported stolen last fiscal
year was 1903, and the number of these
recovered was 1902. In addition, %
cars reported stolen during the preced-
ing fiscal year we're recovered. A total
of 400 cars were not recovered. OF the
cars reported stolen last fiscal year,
] .093 were recovered by the owners
themselves, indicating that many of
these cases were instances where the
owners merely forgot where they parked
them, it is said unoficially.
The name Of Detective Sergt Frank
Alligood of the automobile squad led
all the rest in the number of stolen
cars recovered, being credited with
total of 1856.
The Detective Bureau during the year
made 1890 arrests. There were 1908
convictions, 10 cases nolle pressed
1925 cases dismissed, 81 cases in which
no papers were issued and 489 cases
pending as of June 80, 1891.
The total property reported stolen
during the year was computed to be
81, 399. sos and an additional amount
of S34.298 in property reported lost
Value of property recovered by mem
bers of the Detective Bureau was given
ut eQ02 QA0