Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-21
STRICT VAGRANCY
LAW HERE ASKED.
Crosby, in Prepared State
ment, Denies GangsterS Are
Operating in City.
Continued From First Page.l


a bill which met his approval was in
troduced in Congress, but died there
because Of vigorous opposition.
The opponents fought 1t on the ground
that it would interfere with the liberties
of law-abiding citizens Gen. Crosby
believes that a vagrancy law can be
drawn which will accomplish the desired
object. and at the same time protect the
law-abiding citizen.
Crosby Statement Quoted.
Gen. Crosby's formal statement was
issued at police headquarters. and not
from his Office in the District Building.
1t follows:
1.-The recent succession of shootings
that have occurred In Washington are
of great concern to me and to our
Police Department, as we'll as to our
citizens
My Investigations and those OF the
Police Department show that these
Shootings are in no sense an expression
Of gang warfare. but are a succession of
unrelated events that have occurred
over a brief period. One of them, for
instance was a Waterman employed to
WINCH cars d kJldGc
neighboring State, who was killed as
the result OF a quarrel with an ac-
quaintance. Another grew out OF what
now appears TO be labor dispute which
originated in another city.
VIII Press All Charges.
IF. as is alleged, policeman is in
volved in one of the Shootings, the
public may be assured that every effort
will be made to secure the necessary
evidence to secure conviction. This
statement holds true with reference
TO any member of the police force who
may be involved in any manner with
law violators or law violations.
"AS evidence of the determination
of the department to rid itself od such
required standard OF service and con-
duct. SO have been dismissed from the
service in the last two years 1t Is my
personal opinion that We have an eff
Client and honest police force. OF
course there are exceptions, but I
know of no walk of life in which this
Is not true
For example, the percentage of ar
rests for murders is an evidence of the
activity of the police. All but two of
the 81 murder cases occurring since the
IlTSL Vi bHe year nave DceH Cleared up
by the arrest or establishment of the
identity Of the individual committing
the offense.
In only two instances have citizens
been killed by persons engaged in the
commission of crime.
Refers to Two Cases.
"One OF these was Mrs Lizzie Jaynes,
shot April 3, in the Garden T Shoppe
in the course of hold-up, for which no
arrest has been made.
THE other was James H. Lane. shot
March l8, on a street car at Nichols
avenue and Clinton street, when he re-
sisted two. men robbing the street car
receipts. Two men have been arrested
and are awaiting trial for this crime
Nineteen persons have been killed by
relatives. friends or acquaintance with
whom they engaged in alterations
Two deaths resulted from family
quarrels between husbands and wives
''Thre persons were killed in obviously
insane outburStS.
The motive for the shooting of John
has not been ascertained
Gang War Not Involved.
"Of the q persons killed, Is were
colored and ii were white.
This brief analysis demonstrates that
these killings are not the result of
gang warfare
Washington can rest assured that
no effort is being spared to keep the
city clear of the gangster. He is not
here now"
Aside from declaring that he SUBJ
scribed TO Commissioner Crosbys state
ment, Maj. Pratt declined to comment
further on the crime situation.