Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-03
Park Melee Blamed
On Juvenile System
Police Head Cites
Lack of Methods
ToControI Youths

The inadequacy of the system
Of dealing with juvenile offenders
was blamed by Park Police Chief
Harold F. Stewart today for yes
terday's Fort Dupont Park vio-
lence of stone and knife throw.
ing.
Two policemen were injured, a
horse was knitted, two police cars
were damaged and 10 persons ar.
rested in the melee, which began
as an Easter Monday egg-roll.
All but one person, a 17-year-old
knife throWer, were released.
Chief Stewart said the condi-
lions which led to the outburst
were mot unique here"
"Other cities have had the
same trend toward lawlessness of
16, II and 18-year-olds. Now
we are beginning belatedly to
feel the same trend here" he
said.
No Fear of Consequences
In my opinion the basis of it
all is the discovery on the part
of young people in recent years
that the consequences of anti
social acts really are pretty in
consequential. They have found
they don't have much to fear.
/ Most of the kids are children
who have been before tribunals
| of justice. such as they are, and
have found the courts pretty
much helpless to do anything to
prevent future acts.
1.-THE courts are no more to
blame than the police. We as
citizens all are pretty much to
blame for the entire system. Peo-
pie get about what they insist
on having"
/ Chief Stewart said he implied
no criticism of Juvenile Court
Judge Edith Cockrill.
"She has made a valiant at
tempt but lacks effective tools to
do the job" he said.
Has No Solution
Chief Stewart admitted he
could offer no "panaceas" to
stem the tide.
Greater minds than mine
have wrestled with it and failed"
he said.
Chief Stewart said he had no
idea Of seeking a closing of the
park area at Eastertime next
year. In the first place, it would
be physically impossible to shut
down the unfenced terrain, he
said.
"All we can do is to be as pre-
pared as possible. It could hap
pen again, and probably will. We
will have to face that fact when
it arises"
Passing Cars Stoned
The trouble began when some
in the holiday crowd of 1000 to
5000, mostly juveniles, started
pelting passing cars with stones.
One OF the cars happened
to be an unmarked Park Police
car carrying two detectives.
An outbreak of lesser nature
had occurred at the same spot
the day after last Easter, and
7 two mounted police and a cruiser
had been assigned to the area
yesterday.
A mounted policeman, Pvt,
John j. Conlin. got the worst Of
1T yesterday. Riding up to break
up the stone-throwing, he be-
came the victim of the heaviest
assault. Showered by rocks, he
tried to save himself by ducking
below the saddle, but was struck
on the forehead, over one eve
and on the back and shoulder.
One l7-year-old threw an
open knife which bounced of
the saddle. This youth was
charged with assault with a dam
gerous weapon. The others, in
GLIDING five adults. were re.
leased. All are colored.
Pvt. Conlin was treated at
Casualty Hospital and dis
charged. Another thrown knife
stuck into the neck of his horse.
lnt1icting a minor wound.
Private Praised
Other policemen praised Pvt.
Conlin for keeping his head
under the assault. He refused to
attempt to disperse the rowdies
by riding over them, or using
other tactics of self defense. for
fear of injuring many younger
children behind whom the at
tackers were taking refuge.
The entire disturbance lasted
about is minutes, after which
police began pouring into the
park. They came in cruisers. on
motorcycles and in five wagons.
The first reinforcements were
greeted with boots and rocks.
one rock sailed through the
front window of a Park Police
cruiser, striking Pvt. j. o. Nell
son on the head. Another crashed
through the rear window of a
Metropolitan cruiser.
In all about SO policemen an
swered radio emergency calls,
filling the air with shrieking
sirens. Police closed all entrances
and exits to the park. They con-
sidered re-opening them at 4p.m,
to accommodate traffic, but
found the streets so Uttered with
glass, 1t was 6 pm. before the