Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-02
INFAMOUS.
How Certain Ksn Make a %LivIng-whO are
They2

We heard yesterday of an infamous
affair which occurred one day last week
in this city, Inc which illustrates very
fOrcibly how certain fellows who LOAF
around the courts, magistrates offices
and other such places without visible
means of s~ustenance, manage to find
money to pay for those necessaries OF
life that they cannot get otherwise.
There lives in the outskirts of the town
an industrious and respectable old negro
woman who, with the aid of her grewn
up daughter, earns a livelihood
by doing b washing for a
large restaurant. A few days
ago, the young woman got into a quarrel
with a neighbor: also a negro washer
woman, and during the "debate which
ensusd," the two were arrested for disor-
Derby conduct by a policeman. On being
carried before the Recorder they were
fined ten dollars each. The restaurateur,
through her mother, paid the tine for the
woman in his employ, and h was re-
leased. She had hardly got on the side
walk whens she was arrested on a States
warrant for assault and battery, sworn
out by some relative or friend of the other
woman. She was carried before a msgis-
trate and committed to the county jail for
examination on the charge.
All this was well enough n in the due
course of Law, bat meanwhile another
scene was going on elsewhere. The old
woman on paying the money for her
daughter went home and went to work,
expecting that the girl would be released
bvt magistrate and would follow her
thither. During heafternoonthe restau-
rateur wanting some table linen sent out
to her for it, but the messenger oil going to
the house found it deserted. He returned
and reported the fact, and the articles
sent for being indispensable, the reStdHra-
teUr, thinking that possibly the woman
had also been arrested went to both police
stations, and not hearing Of her at either,
went to the county Jail, where he also
failed in finding her.
1t being by this time late in the evening
he was compelled to give up the search.
The next morning it WAS renewed, and on
going out to the house again he found
the poor old creature, sick and fright
ened almost to death. On being Questioned
as to WheTe she had been she told the gen.
tleman that just after she had reached
home the day before, two men came OUT
there, and one of them having read
or pretended to read a long paper to her,
arrested her and took her to town. They
carried her to a house by the side of the
river, where they told her that she must
pay a fine or 90 to Jail. She told them
she had no money. They replied that
she had, OIL she could not hare paid the fine
for the other dDOmdn. she asserted over
and over again thai she had not a cent,
when they threw her down and searched
her person thoroughly-even to her
stockings and shoes. Finding that she
spoke the truth, they gave the poor old
creature a kick and told her to begone.
Old, weary with the long walk, and
bruised by their boots, she managed to
drag herself of. Being ignorant of the
locality, she had great difficulty in find
ing her way, and it was nearly or quite
midnight before she got home.
This is the story as related to us by one
who is thoroughly acquainted with the
facts, and whose veracity no n can
doubt, and on hearing il, a question or
two were suggested to us. Who were
these men who were as thoroughly posted
in the forms of an arrest as practiced by
the Especial deEuties?' How were they
so we'll posted as to the fact of her having
paid a fine for her daughter-or of a fine
having been paid?
of course, no one who knows anything
of the Oflcers of the police. or indeed of
the force in general, can think for q no
ment that they had any knowledge ofthe
transaction, and the idea is Immediately
Asuggested to one who, like the reporter,
has occasion to frequent the police office
and the Justices courts, that this and sim
liar oatrages thst are meyer heard of but
are perpetrated daily, are committed by a
class who have for years infested them,
serving under the Radical regime in the
capacities OF professional jurymen, special
deputies, etc. We hope that the matter
gill be taken in hand by the police and
thoroughly siited.