Evening star., 1934-05-01
MARYLAND BEREFT.
OF DISTRICT TAX|S
"Test" Case in Takoma
Park Causes Capital Firms
to Curb Service.

Taxi service between the Capital
and Maryland was curtailed today by
several of the major cab companies
operating in Washington pending the
outcome of an arrest made by two
Takoma Park town policemen last
night to "test" the Maryland liability
insurance law enacted recently by the
State Legislature.
The chief dispatcher for Diamond
Cabs said officials of that firm have
issued specific instructions halting
the movement Of Diamond takes
either from Washington into Mary
land or from Maryland into the Dis
trict, and declared that any drivers
OF their company engaging in such
traffic would do so ION their own re-
several other companies declared
that calls from Maryland residents
desiring to be driven into, Washing-
ton would not be answered. but that
there would be no interruption in the
transportation of passengers picked up
in the District to be carried to Mary
land points.
Some Still Undecided.
Still others announced that they
had not had time to determine
whether to make any change in their
policies because of the arrest last
night. but would decide today whether
there would be any curtailment in
their service
States Attorney Stedman Prescott
of Montgomery County said this
morning that under a ruling on the
new insurance law returned some
time ago by the Maryland Attorney
General, william Preston Lane, jr, a
Washington taxi driver is permitted
to pick up fare In the District and
deliver the passenger to any point In
Maryland without violating the law.
1t would be a violation of both the
new insurance act and the State
hackers license law, however, for a
Washington driver to pick up a pas
senger in Maryland and carry him to
any point in Maryland or Washing
ton, Prescott explained.
Similar Case Dismissed.
A case identical with the one made
by the Takoma Park police last night.
Prescott recalled, was made two
months ago by Montgomery County
police, who arrested a Washington
cab driver en- route to a point in
Silver Spring with passenger OBJ
tanned in the Capital. He was dis
missed without going to trial on the
basis of Lanes ruling.
The arrest last night was made by
Sergt Earl Thomas and Pvt Albert
Thomas. both members of the Takoma
Park town force, to determine whether
District hackers carrying passengers
into Maryland are required to take
out liability insurance under the new
financial responsibility law enacted
by the 1888 session Of the State
Legislature.
Frank Trains, a Diamond Cab
driver, living in the $500 block of K
street, was arrested after he had
crossed the District line with a pas
senger and left him at an address in
Takoma Park. Harry Davis, president
of Diamond Cabs, posted $50 bond for
the driver and announced he would
fight the case when 1t is presented in
the Montgomery County Police Court.
Trains case was set for May IL.
Decided to Make "Test" Arrest.
It was said by both of the police
men who took Tralins into custody
that they had decided to make
test" of the law as a result of many
complaints" made to police by Ia
koma Park hackers against District
taxicab drivers bringing passengers
obtained in Washington to points in
Takoma Park without taking out the
liability insurance required of Mary
land cabmen.
The two officers said that the law
as they interpret it, requires all COM
mercial vehicles coming into Mary
land to be protected by insurance of
that type. They charged Trains with
operating q taxicab in Maryland
without complying with the State in
surance act"