Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-12-27
Inspector Smith,
Police Veteran,
Dies in Sleep
Fearing Death Near,
He Pens Note Telling
Of Heart AiIment

ment ne naQ kept a secret from
his family over the Christmas
holidays.
He was found dead in bed at his
home, 1923 Forty-ninth street
NV, by his wife, Mrs. Katherine
H. Smith, at las pm.
Coroner A. Magruder MacDon-
aid attributed death to heart dis
ease. Inspector Smith, an assist
ant superintendent of police, was
81 years old.
Funeral services will be held at
the S. H. Hines funeral home,
29O1 Fourteenth street NV, at II
am. Thursday. Burial will be in
Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Was Economy Minded.
Inspector Smiths efforts at
economy while assistant super
visor of the uniform division once
led to removal of the arm rests
from scout cars because they were
wearing out the left elbows of uni
forms.
A one-time chauffeur for the
late Senator Hitchcock of Ne
braska, he knew where to seek the
abrasive.
His campaign saved material by
shearing off two inches from the
tail of uniform overcoats, de-
signed a special short coat with
removable lining and brought into
use belt with a pouch to carry
the report books which had been
wearing out hip pockets.
For this service he received a
Certificate of Merit from the Com
missioners in 1943-one Of dozen
commentators awarded him dur
ing his service.
He was considered a traffic ex-
pert even before entering the de-
partment where much of his work
was-including placing a viola
ton ticket on an unmarked vice
squad car for parking in zone
behind headquarters designated
"for public cars only"
Campaigned Against Noise.
AS early as 1899 he was cam
paigning for rigid enforcement of
the anti-noise regulation, aiming
his plea at horn blowing motorists.
Inspector Smith was still a.
chauffeur late In 1918 and had
helped organize the Professional
Chauffers' to consider traffic prob
lens when Police Chief Raymond
W. Pullman made police depart
ment overtures to him.
Mr. Smith was five feet, four
inches tall-four inches under
the minimum. Because Of his in
terest and knowledge Of traffic
problems, he was given height
waiver and went to the force as
. bicycle policeman.
BY July of 1880 he was a lleu-
tenant in traffic and two years
later became q captain in that
division.
He became commanding officer
of the division in 1896; was ap-
pointed an inspector and trans
ferred to administrative head
quarters as property clerk in 1911.
Trial Board Chairman.
At the time of his death he was
in charge of the police uniform
and property Office. chairman OF
the trial board and chairman of
the Promotional Rating Board,
which determines efficiency rat
ings.
Known as "Chinny" because Of
his jutting chin, much of his serv-
ice was devoted to improvement
of working conditions for police
men and was often jovially refer
red to as "Pinchpenny" because of
his concern for economy.
During his service he completed
traffic courses at the University of
Maryland and at Northwestern
University. While at Northwestern
he served as valedictorian of the
Executive Officers Training School
and brought improved traffic ideas
back to Washington for applica-
ton.
AS an aside to this phase of his
work, he once had nine miniature
tombstones made and placed them
In the Offices of the Corporation
Counsel for remindful inspection
by motorists brought in for traf-
f1c offenses.
Active in Church Work.
Active in church and Masonic
circles, he taught District Bible
classes for more than Is years
and served as president of the
Harrison Bible Glass, named for
the late Police Inspector William
H. Harrison.
He was a past master and pres
ent chaplain of the Congress
Lodge 81 Of the Masons, a past
president of the Circle Club and
a former president of the chauf-
feurs' organization. He was pres
ident of the Policeman's Associa-
ton in 1924, 1925 and 1929.
Inspector Smith is survived by
his wife, a son, Milton A. Smith;
assistant general counsel for the
United States Chamber of Com
merce; three sisters, Mrs. Albert
E. Scholz, Mrs. Charles W. Eaton
and Mrs. Roland Mutt, all of
Washington: brother. Joseph
Smith Of Tuckerton, N. j. A STEP
daughter, Mrs. Howard L. Roth
of washington, and two stepsons,
Elroy Horton of Washington and
Bradford W. Horton of San Lean
dro, Calf. also survive him.
HyuttsviIIe Musons Elect