Evening star., 1939-03-01
Police Arrest IS
For Using Old
Auto Tags
Several Thousand Cars
Lack New Plates
As DeudIine Passes

NS 0S0osbuS U 0SSSS
Fiften persons had been arrested
by noon today for operating auto
mobiles with 1888 license. tags. The
deadline for obtaining 1889 tags
ended at midnight, leaving several
thousand District of Columbia mo-
torists without new licenses. Ar
rests began this morning.
First person arrested was Mrs.
Catherine E. Murphy, 30, of 5619
Eighth street NV. She was stop
ped at Georgia avenue and Pea
body street NV. at 7:45 am, a
short time after Capt. Milton D.
Smith, chief of the Traffic Division,
instructed traffic policemen to begin
making arrests. In accordance with
custom, Capt. Smith said no ar
rests were made between the expira-
ton of the deadline at midnight
and this morning.
Orders for arrests, it was pointed
out, include not only those operat-
ing automobiles with old tags, but
also parked cars with 1888 licenses.
The law prohibits cars being on the
street with old tags.
The law also requires that tags
be properly placed. One motori3,
arrested this morning had old tar
on his car, but displayed ne i.
licenses from the windshield.
Others Subject to Arrest.
Others subject to arrest are tho =
who have moved to nearby Virgin
or Marylnad and continue to drl
with 1888 District of Columbia ia.
until the new licenses in tho
States can be obtained. Either the
motorists will have to buy 49,
Virginia or Maryland tags for thG
period remaining until new license
are obtainable, or leave their cs
in garages.
One motorist in this classiicatio
was cited this morning. He W;
Edward Fruckhtman, q, of Mohig
Lodge, Md, an attorney for t,
Wage and Hour Board
Others arrested included:
Ware Cattell, SO, of 2414 Rodn; IL
street; Farris Kidd, "a, of 1712 Rhoaa
Island avenue NV; Joseph IL.
Cheadle, "a, of 1867 Forty-fourth
street NV; Homer j. Fisher, q, c
5000 Connecticut avenue NV
Herbert F. McLaury, 46, of 5625 Roc.
Creek Ford Church road Franci'
E. Harrington, jr, 26, of Eighteenti.
street Sc; Florentin J. Loren, A.
of 916 A street NV. Milton l.. Wal
lace, Al, of Herndon. Va; Mrs. Grace
Monteith, 80, of 5044 Hutchins place
NV: Charles c. Mayer, 81, of 242c
Tunlaw street NV: Norman Fine.
berg, %, of Chevy Chase. Md; Mrs
Nora c. Burbank, 43, of 1862 Macomt
street NV. and Frank w. Hard.
wick, 81, of 226 Third street NV
Numerous explanations and ex-
cuses were made by those cited. on
woman told officers she thought TIE
deadline expired on March 81.
Meanwhile. the Traffic Depart
ment. swamped in a last-minutt
rush yesterday as 7,038 tags wer.
distributed-5,78 ,780 over the counter
and 1883 on mail orders-begar
'mopping up" on the annual sale.
Traffic Director William A. Var
Duzer said 124,O02 new tags hat
been distributed. leaving about 5000
on the shelves at the Traffic Depart
ment Offices.
Several Hundred on Hand.
Several hundred who failed
get in under the deadline yester
day were on hand when the Trafh
Department opened its doors thi
morning. The line extended
block, from the door of the Traffi
Department at Fourth street ant
Pennsylvania avenue NV. to Fiftl
street.
One motorist, shuf1ling from foo
to foot. said he had been standin
there since am. Another said h
reached the Offices at 4 am. an
numerous persons were on hand a
6 am. BY 8 am. more than 20
were in line. However, after tn
Traffic Department opened at 8:4
am. the line rapidly thinned a
tags were issued.
Despite many calls from person
who said they had ordered thei
plates as long as two weeks ago, tn,
department said nearly all orde,
received before last Monday had bee
filled.
Non-Dellveries Explained.
In some cases. Mr. Van Duze
pointed out, deliveries were mad
but no person was at the address t
receive them. This requires secon
call at later delivery time.
Others, it was said, were held vi
on orders of the Police Department
because warrants issued agains
them during the past year in con
nection with traffic violations ha'
not been answered.
Policeman E. c. Spaulding Of tn
Traffic Division, assigned to checl
all applications against a list o
warrants, said that yesterday 20
applicants were found to have war
rants against them or their car.
One hundred and eighty-five wer
found the day before.
In all, Policeman Spaulding sait
$500 warrants issued this year i
minor traffic violations have nc
been answered and are bein
checked against the tag application.