The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-11-07

A PHILADELPHIA i
HIS EXPERIENCES IN RlCHMoND.-Int the latter
part of October Mr.. 81. n. Hirsch, of Phia-
delphia, was arrested by one of our Rich
mond detectives on charge that he had. -
sample-merchant, violated the revcn:n
laws Of the State and city. He was fined
$50 by the Police Justice for the violation OF
the city ordinance, and sent on to the grand
jury. Refusing to pay the fine he was sent
to Jail, and after remaining in that institu-
ton one night was brought before Judge
Bond on q writ Of habeas corpus.
He tells his experience in the following,
which we find in the Philadelphia Press:
II was on Saturday morning, October %,
while walking in the Capitol Square, stopped
by a person styling himself private detec-
tive, and dragged along to police headquar-
tiers, under suspicion of being sample
merchant The fellow possessed no proof
against me whatever, not having seen any
carrying of sample boxes or packages on my
part, or my getting the same forwarded to
stores. The charge brought up against me
was that some gentlemen had called on me
at the hotel where was stopping and proba-
| bIy examined line a goods. Bail having
| been luckily procured for my appearance
when wanted, ] was temporarily released, to
| be tried before Police Justice J. J. White on
| Monday, October q. for violation OF city
ordinance and State laws in regard to selling
goods or offering to do so.
| After cOmplimentiug his counsel, MeSSrs.
| Cabell 4 Meredith, be states that he had made
no attempt to sell, but had merely received
calls at his quarters at the Exchange Hotel
from two of his old customers, aud With
them talked about the hard times and dull
prospects for the fall trade; that when
brought before Justice White he had the
most respectable witnesses, and his counsel
ably argued his case, "askiDg his Honor
| whether or not stranger had any longer
the right to visit Richmond, and whether 4
peaceable citizen, paying large price for
poor accommodations at so-called first-claSs
hotel. was allowed to see his friends In his
| temporary home? Even werenll the charges
| OF violating the law proven, such license
tax could not be levied. Jewellers and fancy
| goods dealers in Richmond pay no special
| license for carrying on their business. A
discrimination between resident and nom
resident merchants Is unconstitutional. (De-
cision Of the Supreme Court of the United
| States in the test case against the State OF
Maryland.) -aH &,"t.,
aHis Honor, notwithstanding, found me
guilty my stopping in Richmond and having q
sample-trunk in my possession being sum
cient evidence to show that my intentions
/ were to violate the law had [ seen chance
| to do SO. This verdict being followed by my
refusing to paythe fine inflicted $3.50, as
/ desired 10 have the case tested before the
limited States Court, I was recommltted fol
trial before the grand jury Of the Hastings
Court for violationiof State laws, and finally
semitic the city jail i 3..a gets. ~. ...
"The twenty. -four hours I spent in the
| lookup will not soon be etfaced from my
| memory. Kept in q common felon's cell
i With two inyet crate drunkardS, surrounded
liby an army of mice and other animals, per-
| flIme de cesspool, locked in from fresh air al
$50 p. NJ, had TO go through night o
| horror in the above-stated condition, enrel
] oDed in rotten blanket and sWarming with
| yermin, reposing sweetly on the bare anC
very far from ceanly floor, listening TO tht
rattle of gnawing mice, fighting regimen
! of rats in their attempt 10 feast on my com
paratively well.fed body. j could not ever
try TO while the time away by an effort n
i conversation with my two boon companions
The least attempt to talk after locking-ll
/ honrs exposes the offender TO keeping III
doors in his comfortable raror for the lex
twenty-four hours. ~.5 !,er
! "Wilh regard to the bill of fare served vi
hv the city, at the expense of forty cents
dav for every guest (yalue received bout te !
/ cents, according to general statement OF Tux
nrisoncrs), l am unable to give my OPINION
when nv name was called 10 fetch dluner,
the sipht of the grub was enough for me
T therefore, gladly released my claim 10 tn
citv's hospitality to my wretched fellow JAIL
birds. g,..t ..-..r. ,,,dod
{" At last the hour of release sounded. ,
cot ont writ of haJedS. corpus, returnaoI
at 10 O'Clock a.. n. yesterday, OCTOBER %
before the United States Circuit Court, m'
nv case was finally disposed of by bis dono ~,
.Judge Bond in the following manner: Ia
Judge decided that the city ordinance
making no discrimination between res'oeht
and non.residents, was binding, (no resluen
: dealer. except tobacconists and saloon-heei
ers. pay q special license.) 'but that III
State statute was unconstitutional There
fore the attorney for the Hastings Court el
tered nolle pr'osequ, and your humble col
respondent was discharged upon paying IN
city fine. ... 49,.
"Let all honored fellow.d'1nnmers kno'
. .bat through the mdrtyrdon OF the subscr
her. to invade the 'Old Dominion IS
crime hereafter, but that to come 'on
3 Richmond petersburg and Norfolk nave
$ similar city ordinance understand) s'iI COS
$40 for monthly license. be fore"arne
by INV sad example, dear irtenas, anu
a not nttampt to perambulate the precincts
this highly conservative uiilage without rr