The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-28
LOCAL MATTERS.
Christmas.

LOCAL MATTERS.
Christmas.
sunday the peace and good order Of the
city were all that could have been desired
The weather was beautiful, the congrega-
tions at the churches large, the services
solemn and impressive, and it seemed that
there was real thankfulness 10 the Divine
Father for the gift Of his Son and for the
good things bestowed upon this land and
people.
But Monday morning carly the noise and
rollicking commenced. There were ex-
plOSions from " baby-wakers," guns fred
in the street, horrible sounds from tin
horns, and more frequently yet the pop Of
the humble and rather mobtrusive fire.
cracker, and anon the roll Of the drum
beaten by some infant patriot.
AS the day wore on there was evidence
that egg-nog and apple-toddy bowls had
been abundant, and that many Of those who
had gathered around them had drunk not
wisely, but too much. These people
prowled about the streets, shifting from
one bar-roOm 10 another, until some got
into fighting humor, and had either to be
hauled off home by friends or to the stations
by the police.
The police were very forbearing, but
stern sense OF duty compelled them TO ar
rest nearly hundred persons. Of these
many were mere youths; others were old
enough 10 know much better, and the white
and colored races were both too largely
| represented.
II is hard 10 remember exactly how much
one Christmas differs from another in noise,
/ fights, and drunkenness, but it may be
said with some assurance OF complete
/ truth that in this respect this Christmas has
/ been "equaIled by few and eXcelled by
none" The horn-blowing was terrible to
sick and nervous people, and the only plea
sure derived by the blowers was the know
/ ledge that they were cruelty tOrturing
other people. About midday some one or
/ two hundred boys formed i'm line, marched
/ through the principal streets. and en-
| liyened their labOrs by "serenading" he
Mayor.
according to the view of the general
public some reform in the observance "
/ Christmas is needed. IL VIII hardly be
asked by any that so much shall be done "a
10 enforce the ordinances. That never has
been done; probably never will be until
we shake of the chrys salis-yillage state and
/ emerge into light as a real city. About all
/ that can be hoped for now is that each man
or boy, or counterfeit thereof, shall on
/ ChristmaS-day so demean himself that his
pleasure shall not be at the discomfort OF
| others.
/ We may live long, we may have many
and varied experiences, and we may wit
ness many disgraceful scenes and hear
many narrowing sounds, but like those OF
| Monday we will never have any more: no,
not until next Christmas.
/ A LENGTHY POLICE-COURT DOCKET
/ When Police-JuStice Richardson took his
seat yesterday morning he found himself
confronted with docket the like Of which
has never before been known in Richmond.
| There were seVenty-five cases i'm all, en-
/ bracing offences OF every kind and deScrip-
/ tion from murder down TO the ordinary
one-dollar drunk. BY 50 O'Clock, the hour
at which the court met, there were at least
a thousand persons, OF both sexes and CO.
! lor, gathered i'm and about the building.
/ There were men and women with blood
| shot eyes and bandagcd heads, which gave
unmistakable evidence OF the wild scenes
/ of debauchcry that had been enacted with
/ i'm the past twenty-four hours; At halL-
Dast promptly Sergeant Chalklcy called
/ the court to order, and the Justice COM
menced the almost Herculean task OF dis
posing OF the docket. Ii took contnu-
| ous session OF ten hours and Il half TO do
this.
The following are some OF the most I'M
portant cases disposed Of:
w. p. Lambert, Lewis Lambert, and
William Lambert (white), and William
Fauntleroy, Frank Nelson, and Robert
Chambers (c0lored), were sent on to the
grand Jury FOR being engaged in row ON
Vcnabie street day before yesterday. The
evidence showed that it was a sort OF war
~ races. I'm which both sides were badly
used up. almost all OF the participants
hearing marks cf the mtlee in the shape OF
bandaged heads and bruised faces.
Lardy Wright (cOlored), charged with
feloniotlslv assauting and wounding james
Nllen with a knife, was also sent OH TO the
grand jury.
William Muse (colored), charged with fe-
loniously cutting and wounding otto
Feldner with knife, was sent on to the
Grand iury. This row occurred on IWen-
fv-second and Franklin streets, and was
tie result OF the efforts on the part OF lot
of bovs. among them Muse, to tease Feld-
ner. who was little under the influence OF
liquor. ., .,.;.,,
Charles Nelson (colored), charged with
hoin~ drink and violently resisting the
nolire. was sent on to the grand jury.
The fines imposed amounted TO ABOUT
S175. of which Sl10 were collected.
NfoaTuITy REPORT FOR TIE WEEK END
NC DECEMBER 2fTH.-C Cause ~ Uedh;
Abscess. / white: bronchitis, > colored
burns. . colored; cancer, white; casual
~ / colored: consumption, white, col
: ed: convulsions Gniantile) l colored;
croup colored: dysenteTy, | white; It.
vcr 1conpcstive), | white; heart-dlsease,
wbjte. hernia, / white; infmticide, col
orcd infantile lockiaw, colored maras-
mus I white, | colOred; old age, white,
1 colored: paralysis, / colored; pneumo-
min white; smallpox, 8 white, l3 color
ed i. sninal affection, l white; other dls-
CO. / colored. Whole number OF deaths
In The city. exclusive Of still-births, 40.
IocoJ;h,. Marshall Ward, 6; Jefferson
Ward n. Madison Ward, 3; Monroe
ward, q: Clay ward, o.; jackson Ward,
IN. a1msbouse, .; smallpox hospital, III.
Rate Of mortality OF whole popuatlon
,,,as 90 NJ pcr 1000 per annum. Rate OF
morality OF white population was A'0J
,,"r ml0 + oo3 ner anuum. Rate OF mortality oil
eolored population was COLA per i,yVo Poi
oomrro JIG. CABELL, NJ. D.,
President Board of Health.
Gur oP Monday night, at the
rhird. street African Methodist Episcopal
church after the Christmas-tree had been
vr ,,nIoaded six volumes Of Potter's Popular
EncIvclonndia were presented, through
Cantsin II. A. Paul, TO the pastor, Rev.
Isypes u Turner. by the following mem-
JhhcS IL Alec Creen (retty