Evening star., 1938-01-23
POLICE GET
CRIME WAR CREDIT
Brown Views as HearteninQ
Decision of House Group
to Allow More Funds,

The efncacy Of an increased police
force was cited last night by depart
ment oficials as responsible for q
downward swing in the Capitals
crime wave since 105 officers have
been doing extra duty.
At the same time, Police Chief
Ernest W. Brown viewed as hearten-
ing a decision by the House Sub
committee on District Appropriations
to allow him more funds than recon-
mended by the Budget Bureau for
crime prevention work in the coming
fiscal year.
Despite the fact that thievery In
various forms netted thugs and other
criminals almost $500 in cash and
loot yesterday and last night, the
police chief pointed out that hold-ups
one Of the chief problems the de-
partment has had to cope with In
recent weeks-were comparatively few
IN the past "a hours.
The subcommittee's announcement
came following a conference between
Maj. Brown, Inspector B. w. Thomp-
son, chief Of detectives, and Chair
man Ross Collins Of the House sub
committee, who indicated he would
go to the limit" to aid in the drive
against lawlessness.
On the heels of the subcommittee
decision. the police chief released a
table comparing depredations for five
days beginning January IL with the
past hVe days, when los officers have
been working overtime.
Breakdown Of Tabulation.
The tabulation revealed there were
nearly IS fewer cases of petty larceny
than before the extra policemen
started patrolling the streets, IA less
housebreakings, five less robberies and
decrease Of nine in the number of
cases Of grand larceny.
The major said the figures smoke
for themselves-proving that addi.
tional policemen can materially re-
duce the number Of crimes In the
District"
Only four hold-ups were reported
in the past "a hours and none were
OF major proportions. The victims
were Walter Sherman, 622 K street
NE, robbed Of SIT by two colored men,
one Of them armed; Harrison Carter,
colored delivery man for a delicatessen
at I'LL r street NV, who was
forced to turn over 50 and S6 worth
OF groceries to white bandit; Cora
Rhodes, IS, colored, Ill D street NV.
who was struck on the head at her
home and robbed Of 81. and Pasouale
A. Gubitosi, 1875 Eighth street NV,
a taxicab driver, robbed OF his taxi
cab and $3.50 by an armed white man.
Six Lose Pocketbooks.
Purse snatchings and pocket-pick-
ing cases were most prominent among
the reports. Six persons lost their
pocketbooks and three had their pock-
cts picked. One man was victimized
OF $97 by "penny-matchers," a COL
ored employe of a beauty parlor was
fim- -hammed out of sl85 and a dress
shop was robbed of sos worth Of ap-
parel
New tactics among purse -sna tchers
were uSeu Dy white DoV on a bicycle
who sped by Miss Goldie Zuchovitz,
l0l6 Sixteenth street NV. and grab
bed her pocketbook, containing about
81, while she was walking near her
home.
Those reporting their pockets picked,
all men, said they were robbed in a
downtown theater. The three cases
totaled about s12o.
Use "Pocketbook Trick"
The beauty shop employe, Ruth
Brown. 80. said she was duped at
Dupont Circle by two colored men,
who apparently saw her leave a bark
after cashing $l85 check for the
Eileen Scot, Inc, shop. 1893 Con-
necticut avenue NV. They employed
the "pocektbook trick" police said.
Meanwhile Daniel Webster Kings
born, AZ, a former file clerk for Rep
resentative Albert Thomas of Texas.
was scheduled for arraignment in Po-
lice Court tomorrow on a charge of
forging the Congressman's name to
SIS check. He was brought oaok
from Philadelphia, where he was ar
rested Friday.