The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-07-11


Miss Oldtield. of The Times
staff, cruises the Second pre-.
cinct In scout car, No. %, and
tells you WhGt happens.
By ELIZABETH oLDFIELD
The radio was busy all the
time now. 1t called Arlington,
Alexandria and Prince Georges
county police. Mason explained
Washington broadcast for them,
too.
We drove down alleys whose
names on police blotters are
stained with blood. Burdens
Court, Freedman's Court. They
were dark with humanity who
came out of doors and stood
against the wall like statues to
watch ode law" go by. Their
Sullen looks spoke volumes. They
might hate de law" but they
respect it, too. Mason said:
you have them worried.
They think you're riding around
with us to identify somebody"
We slowed up as we neared
Seventh Street. A slim colored girl
wearing a white sailors cap over
one eye backed sulkily out of the
way. Her slanting eyes took in the
officers, whipped around to me.
Her thick red lips curled with hate.
A colored street woman smiled au-
daciously at the handsome Thomp-
son.
Bad Alley Lot
We turned down another alley.
About 10 colored youths lurched
drunkenly around. Mason said
harShly:
$50 you're all drunk again!
And looking for trouble! Go on
home or I'll run the lot Of
you I'M"
He stepped on the gas and
roared through the alley. The men
lodged right and left. One fell
against the wall. Mason explained:
"A bad lot. They ganged me
once. I'd only been on the force
q year. Backed me against the
wall. Luckily 1 could get to my
gun. I jabbed one fellow in the
eye with my elbow. Did you no
tice that man lying asleep? He
helped me. The only one out of
10. And they tried to kill him
later. He had to leave town for
. while"
We pulled up to the box at Sixth
and K. A white man came to the
car.
"Office,, here's an Italian
woman who says she was put
out of her house because she
owed rent. And she hasn't any
place to sleep.
"Hey! Come over here!"
Carrying a paper shopping bag
full of clothes, the woman walked
over. She spoke rapidly in broken
English. When her vocabulary
failed she fell back on her native
tongue. Her voice was beautiful.
Her words fell unsteady on the
ears. To one slightly familiar with
that language of singers, her &C.
cent was exquisite in its purity.
She had straight black hair
parted in the middle and worn in
q bang. Her big dark eyes were dis
treSsed. The face still retained
signs of beauty. It was good face,
too.
She got in the back seat with
me and we drove to house in the
100 block Sixth st. N. w.
Thompson got out and knocked
on the door. The woman followed.
They talked to someone inside.
Presently they came back. He
said:
"They say she is way back on
her rent. Her husband is in New
York on a grand larceny charge.
Her son was on the relief but
they took him off because he
wouldn't work. Now he sleeps in
the park. Guess we'll have to
take her to the WOman's Blu
reau."
She was admitted there without
question. Thompson carried her
bag to the door.
"WeN! At least she'll have a
place to Sleep"
Drunk Released
Mason started the machine.
That's the way things hap
pen in this car. One minute a
cutting, the next something like
this"
A colored man, obviously drunk,
stood with his back to us talking
to a group of people. Mason said
YEARLY:
"Guess we'd better take him
in"
"Where's the nearest bOx?"
Fright down the street."
Thompson got out, walked up
to the man, grabbed his belt and
marched him down the street,
Neither said a word. We followed
slowly in the scout car. Just as
we reached the box the radio be-
gan:
"Car 70, accident at New Jer-
sey and New York AYES. N. w.
Man hurt"
"Let's go! Hey, Thompson!
Lego the drunk! We got .
CALI"
Thompson released the man as
Kidneys Must