The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-21
INVESTIGATION DEMANDED.
Judge Atkins Calls Attention OF tho
Grand Jury To the Sale OF Obscene
Works; TO Gambling Dens and
LtbeIlous Publications..

The monthly term OF this court com.
menced ycsterday--,Judge Thomas :. At
kins presiding. In his charge to the grand
jury, among other things, Judge Akin;
said (:
"The laws which desire to call spe'
cialIy to your attention are those designed
to suppress the causes OF crime.
"The sale OF any book or other thing
containing obscene language, or any print,
picture. figure, or description manifesIly
tending to corrupt the morals Of youth, is
punishable by law with imprisonment and
fine, and yet you can find at any news
agency in the city OF Richmond dozen OF
more periodicals or newspapers containing
pictures and descriptions OF that character.
/ trust you will cause to come before you
the necessary witnesses to stop the sale OF
these pernicious publications.
"Thc sale OF liquor to minors is carried
on i'm this city in open violation OF the law.
Let's try and stop this great evil.
1.-THE habit OF carrying concealed wea-
pons should be broken up by a strict en-
forcement OF the law.
"The gambling dens should be sup
pressed and the sale OF lottery tickets and
the keeping OF policy shops forbidden, by
carrying out the law to its fullest extent.
"These offences so nearly concern the
welfare and character Of our young people
that / feel that | cannot too strongly inn
press their importance upon your minds.
In your investigation OF other charges yiO-
lations OF these laws may appear, and it
will then be your duty to investigate them
and present them to the court.
s.Thpre il ouofhpr class of eases i'm yhic In
4 strict enforcement Of the law would
be OF great benefit to the community
the law against libel. A libel Is the ma
licious publication OF any writing, sign,
picture, efligy, or other representation
tending to deiame the memory OF one who
is dead, or the reputation Of one who
is living, and to expose him TO ridi-
cule, hatred, or contempt. 1t is punish
able rs a misdemeanor on the ground
that such publication has tendency to
disturb the public peace. You will readily
see, gentlemen, that the enforcement OF
this law would prevent many of the un-
scemly shooting matches which usually
follow these publications. and gentlemen
would soon begin to look TO the law for
their yindication instead Of the field OF
honor"
The grand jury met and brought in the
following true bills OF indictment: Nancy
jasper, feloniously assaultng Martha Arm
istead; Joseph Mann. fcloniously assault
ing George Combs; William Stewart.
house-breaking; Samuel Woodson. felo-
niously cutting Charles Owens Richard
Hicks, hcuse-breaking; Lewis Johnson,
burglary; Archer Halstead. felony; W.
III. Clarkson, feloniously cutting A. Koss /;
Joseph Johnson, feloniously stealing a
watch and chain from William Moore (;
Thomas Elmore, feloniously assauting
W. II. Cousins; William johnson alias
William Wallace. feloniously stealing one
gold watch from Frank V. Coffey; Rosa
Mayo, feloniously asSaulting Celia james /;
James Russell, felony: James Walker, felo-
ny; Robert Walker, horse-stcaIing; Anna
Belle Coles. burglary; Martha Gray alias
COrnelia Adams alias Eliza Coles. burgla-
ry: Joseph Boze. felonious assault; John
Judah, carrying concealed weapons. +.
u. Neurath and Jrnius Williams, charged
with felony. not true bills.
The grand jury was discharged till next
wednesday.
No SPECIAL cases were set for to-day.