Evening star., 1949-08-16
.CountyPron1ises
.Hyattsvi||eM More
Aid by Police
Lack of Cooperation
Charged at Meeting
Of City Council


day planned additional police pro-
lection for the city of Hyattsville
following complaints of non-co-
operation from the municipality.
The City Council refused to ap-
point an eighth member to its
police force last night after the
statement was made that Hyatts-
vile pays $4,000 annually to the
county for police protection but is
getting nothing for it"
After the meeting, 1t. Louis
Mackall. county police dispatcher
at the Hyattsville substation. said
the county would send out cars to
answer calls originating within
the city. Heretofore. calls within
the city received at the substation
have been relayed to the num-
cipal force.
1t. Mackall was joined by Hy-
attsville Police Chief Howard H.
Holmes. however. in denying there
had been lack of cooperation
between the two forces. The situ-
alton will be discussed further at
a meeting of the councils Police
Committee and representatives Of
the county and city police depart
ments at 8 pm. Thursday.
Four Refuse to Vote.
H. Wilson Spicknall, acting
mayor. and three other council
men passed" when a resolution
was put to a vote on the question
of appointing Silas Edwin Den
mis-. jr., to the city force. 1t was
Mr.. Spicknall who claimed Hy-
attsville does not get anything in
return for the money appropri-
ated to the county each year for
police protection.
Councilmen Hiram L. Lawrence,
Kenneth E. Goodger and w. STAN
ley Machen also refused to vote.
Councilmen Jesse S. Baggett
and Frederick M. Coxen voted to
hire Mr.. Dennis, a 28-year old
Marine veteran who recently quit
his job with the University Of
Maryland police force on the un-
derstanding that he would get
the Hyattsville job. The two who
voted for his appointment con-
tended his services are needed to
make possible two men in a po-
lice cruiser between 4 pm. and
midnight.
Mr.. Machen and Mr.. Goodger
indicated later, however, that
they would vote to hire Mr.. Den
mis-, who is married and has two
children, at the next meeting.
September 6.
. Safety Islands to Be Built.
City Engineer E. P. Waterman
was authorized to begin construc-
tion today of an Island on each
side OF the Melrose avenue grade
crossing. scene of numerous acci-
dents and a number of fatalities.
These islands would keep traffic
flowing in definite lines across the
tracks. The Baltimore 81 Ohio
Railroad has agreed to pay half
the cost.
City Policemen William A. Du-
vail. jr., and E. w. Thompson
were cautioned by the council to
use discretion in the future in
handling cases involving teen
ayers. Parents of a group of boys
found lettering on Hyattsville
streets recently complained that
the officers struck two of the boys
when they were taken in custody
for questioning.
The council Police Committee
felt that the policemen had "some
provocation" for their actions,
however.
Free Parking Lot Planned.
City Attorney Nicholas Orem,
jr., was authorized to attempt to
negotiate a lease of property in
the rear of the $500 block of Bal
timore boulevard near Church
place for a 59-car public parking
lot. The property is owned by
Mrs. Rosemary Howard, and would
be leased out of receipts of the
city parking meter fund. The lot
would provide unlimited free park
ing for patrons of business houses
in the area.
Mr.. Orem' also will try to have
dedicated additional land from
Mrs. Howard and the First Meth
odist Church for 20-foot right
of-way on Church place from
Hamilton street to a point near
the armory.
An ordinance banning undue
noise between midnight and 6