Evening star., 1956-03-25
DC. Women Demanding
More Police Protection
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Pag'
force include the Women's CITY
Club, the Business and Profes'
sional Women's Club of Wash
ington, the District Federation
of Business and Professiona.
Women's Clubs. the District Fed.
Grafton of Women's Clubs. zonts
Club of Washington. SoroptimiSi
international of Washington ano
the Pro Bonata Club.
A Star survey of the statistics
behind the fears showed:
The majority of purse snatch.
ers are juveniles, frequently
working in pairs.
Women represent higher pro.
portion of the victims in rob-
berries than in any other serious
crime classification but rape. The
victims in 491 of the 1.144 rob-
berries and attempted robberies
last year were women. Purse
snatchingS or attempts were in
volved in 300 of these cases.
Purse Snatching Increases
While other types of crimes
have decreased here, purse
snatchings-often accompanied
by force-are on the increase.
Purse snatchers don't stop with
one victim but continue until
they are caught, as evidenced by
one offender after another iden-
titled in as many as a dozen
different cases.
Purse snatchers have become
more vicious and more daring
about daylight snatches.
The hours from 8 pm. to 10
pm. are the most dangerous for
women to be on the street. There
were 63 purse snatchings from
pm. to 9 pm. during last year
and rs from 9 pm. to 10 pm.
While the majority of purse
snatchings occurred after dark,
there were 13 purSe-Snatchings
between 2 pm. and 3 pm. and
IA between 3 pm. and 4 pm.
While every precinct reported
purse-snatchings, the residen-
tial Tenth Precinct with 66 cases
was the second worst in the city.
The Second Precinct, which tops
the list for most tyles of crime,
had 50 purse snatching cases.
Saturday Nights Worst
The most frequent victims
were middle-aged white women
and the worst night on the street
was Saturday.
Most frequent locales for street
bandits to operate were the side
streets just off main thorough
fares. The women were attacked
as they walked the short distance
to their homes from bus stops.
while they were waiting at bus
stops or as they got out Of their
cars. One was attacked as she
put the key in her front door.
Club women said their mem
bers were most afraid Of being
injured. Their fears began
crystallizing a year ago when
Mrs. Annie r. Potbury. 77-year-
old housekeeper at the Strong
residence hall of the YWCA, was
attacked by two yoke robbers at
Farragut square as she was re-
turning from a National Geo.
graphic lecture. In the struggle
for her purse, the yoke robbers
threw her to the ground, fac
turing her pelvis and breaking
an elbow.
The Business and Professional
Women's Club had two recent
cases among its membership
Miss Ena Thomas was slaShed
in the face as she parked her
car in front of her home at 1916
Sixteenth street and a 70-year-
old past president of the club,
Miss Mae R. Murray, had her
purse snatched in broad daylight
at Nineteenth and Columbia
road NV.
Other Gases Listed
These are some of the other
cases that have reused the wo-
men to action:
An 83-year-old woman on her
way home from church at S pm.
on October % was knocked to
the ground by a teen-ager when
she was only a few feet from her
home in the 1900 block of Mon
roe street NV. Struggling to
her feet, she beat him off with
her cane.
A 40-year-old nurse waiting at
the bus stop just east of Wis
consin avenue on Yuma street
NV. at 10:40 pm. on November
7, 1855. was knocked to the
ground by a heavy-set six-footer
who grabbed her bag and ran.
A 59-year-old woman walking
behind the Old House Office
Building at 9 pm. was attacked
from behind and her bag, con-
tanning $100 in bills. was yanked
from her hand. She cut her
head as she fell against the
building railing.
A 41-year-old Pentagon en-
ploye, walking within a block of
her home in the 900 block of
Randolph street. on December
Is, 1855, was grabbed by teen
ager who warned: Don't scream
or I'll kill you. I've got a gun" !"
He beat her to the ground and
made off with her purse.
Attacked by 3 Boys
A 38-year -old woman with her
arms full of bundles was walking
around Scott Circle to her apart
ment at / Scott Circle at $40
pm. on December 8, 1855, when
three boys approached her. One
smacked her in the face. AS she
reeled, the second snatched her
purse from her arm. The boys
made off on bicycles parked near
the sce.le.
A 32-year-old Air Force en-