, 1877-07-01

The new law defining vagrancy and pro-
viding for its, more summary treatment
passed at the recent session Of the Legisla-
ture goes into effect tomorrow. It is not
unlike the Professional Criminals oct passed
by the New York Legislature somo years
since, md under the operation Of which the
police OF New York City are said to be able
to repress crime more effectively than ever
before. For years past, whenever there has
been complaint taat well-known thieves
are permitted to run the streets OF Chicago,
the police have answered that they were
powerless undar tie law to arrest them or
drive them out Of town. It is true that, un-
der the old law, on arrest on the charge of
vagrancy generally resulted in, giving the
vngrnnt the freedom Of the city. When
brought before Police-Ju Justice, the first step
was to take change Of venue to Civil
Justice; this YVES followed by q trial which
frequently resulted in acquittal n if con-
yicted, the vagrant took an appeal, gave
straw bail, and thereafter WIS free from ar-
rest pending the case in the Criminal Court.
It is hoped that the new law, If properly
construed by the Courts, will prevent the
easy evasion of the charge of vagrancy under
the old law.
The vagrant subject to arrest under the
new law is E Protean character, and the legal
definition is now broad enough to cover
pretty much Ill varieties Of the dangerous
and vicious. Any one who is idle or dis
solute; any one who goes about begging;
any one indulging in unlawful games; conf
dence-men common night-walkers; offend
ers against public decency in speech or be-
hayior; persons who do not support them
selves or their families; those who take
lodgings in the open mir, or unoc-
cupied houses or barna, and give no account
Of themselves all persons who are known
to be thieves, burglars, or piczpockets, either
by their own confession OF otherwise, or by
having been convicted of larceny, burg
larry, or other crime punishable by I'M
prisonment, and who are found loa6ng about
aDy public place or in crowded thorough
fare,-all these are declared to be vagrants.
The most important classification is that
mentioned last, and includes the professional
criminals known to the police, whose names
figunain the police-records and whose por-
traits adorn the Rogues' Gallery. Whenever
such persons are seen 1oadng on the streets,
or habitating bar-rooms, concertsaloons, and
other disreputable places, they are vagrants,
aud can be arrested rs such.
The new law further provides that these
professional thieves, contidence-men, bunko-
steerers, pickpockots, ETC., may be arrested
on sight and without warrant when they are
personally known to he.police, and tho Inv
further makes it the duty Of the police to
arrest them. They may also be pointed ont
to the police by any one knowing them to
be professional criminals, and then arrested
on q warrant. OF course, it is the business
Of the police to be familiar with the faces
and names Of the criminals, as well as the
Police and Criminal Court records, and we
believe they generally claim to know all the
notorious thieves and con6dence-men- On
and after tomorrow, they will hare an
opportunity to use their knowledge to good
advantage, and '' run in all the professional
criminals whom they have seen lounging
around the city fer the last few weeks with
out any visible means Of support. Tho law
provides for the trial Of the persons arrested
as vagrants within thirty six hours after their