Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-03-15
LOCAL.
CLEANING OUT THE UGLY
CUTTERS.


of law, it has more than its proportion Of
paraSitical nuisances, which only need The
stern application of the law to effect thei1
prompt removal. The Grand Jury, com
posed of representative citizens in all walks
of business, points out the mode for this
application, and We are sure Judge Grattal
and the City Council will carry out the re-
commentator. The reading Of that report
will arouse public opinion that will be as
effective in it's way as a policeman's club is
in it's:
To the Honorable Charles Grattan, Judge Of tn
Hastings Court Of the City Of Stanton:
The Grand Jurors now attending your hon
Orable Court respectfully submit the follow
ing report -
FErst-We unanimously and most earnestly
recommend that your honor, without delay,
establish chain-gang for this city, as author
lied by section 1882 OF the Code OF 1887.
We think this city is to be congratulated on
the small number of felonies of a serious
character committed within its limits but
while we escape this great evil, we are likely
to be overwhelmed by the prevalence of those
lesser offences known as mlsdemeanors. The
number of these latter which are daily COM
mitted in our midst is appalling, and is a re-
proach to the good name as well as the mate
rial welfare OF the city. The only punishment
heretofore melted out to these pests of society
has been fine and Imprisonment. these pun
ishmentS experience has shown, have no ter
rOrs to these offenders and are an utter failure
in checking their crimes. The Jail is kept full
of such petty offenders all the time; day after
day are they convicted and Imprisoned, and
vet the offences go on increasing. To large
number of these criminals the jail is really
desirable, OF at any rate, by 10 means UNI
desirable place OF abode, especially during
the cold weather and this is without excuse
orr M when consider ample
rangementS of the city for the care OF its poor
and really needy. 1t is astounding to know
that within the past twelve months there were
800 convictions of mlSdemean0rS Ill this city.
The dread that these offenders have OF impriS-
onment in jail may be judged OF from the fact
that in the past twelve months several of them
have been convicted and confined i'll the city
iail no less than from three to ) times. Petty
iarcenies, consequently, occur ON an average
of not less than once OF twice a day, i'll the
CITY, to the nuisance of the good citizens there
of. Chain-gangs were provided by law, we
think to meet Just such a state OF affairs as
we are now confronted with. Other and Ordi-
nary remedies have failed. Our city is thor
oughly infested with this plague. The UNI
doubted means of effecting its cure is provided
us and it behooYeS us to adopt it at once. We
can see no valid objection to the establishment
of a chain-gang. We think it would without
fail, put stop to large amount OF crime,
and would save the city great expense, and IN
many WAYS prove an ineStimable benefit to the
community. We, therefore, again renew our
recommendation, and urge the Importance OF
establishing chain-gang for this city as soon
as possible.
of the city execute fully and vigilantly the
laws against Migrants as laid down in sections
SS4 and SS5 and seq of the Code of 1887.
IdIeness, as is we'll known, is one of the
most prolific sources of vice. Most, if not all,
of the offenders referred to i'll the first sec
ton of this report, are persons who have no
occupation and no visible means OF support.
They are oilers by trade and professional
loungers. They must have victuals and clothes
and as they Will not work for them, they
steal OF beg them. When reproached with
their worthlessness, these creatures love to
pose as lab0ring men out OF work. y one
sympathises, more than we, With the laborer,
when. by sickness OF want OF employment he
is compelled to be idle, and suffer the wants
so frequently attendant thereon; but 1t is an
insult to these worthy and unfortunate citi-
zens to confound them with the Wretches who
come within the terms OF the vagrant act, and
with whom our city teens. The interests OF
all good citizens require that these drones
should be compelled to earn an honest living
OF put out of the hive We fear that our Off
GERS nave been prevented from enforcing the
vagrant act by an over-cautiOuSneSS, less they
bring the heavy hand of the law to bear on
some deserving unfortunate but we think
this cauti0usnesS, though most commendable
Oh all occasions, has, i'll this particular, been
carried too far 1t cannot be denied that our
community is infested with persons who are
Migrants par ercelle1lce There is a plain law
for their apprehension and punishment; 1t
Should therefore, be vigorously enforced, and
the city would be rid of great pest and COM
mon nuisance.
Ihrd-We recommend that the police reg
ulationS OF the city be more fully executed III
regard to the appearance on the public streets
of persons while intoxicated. The number Of
persons permitted to promenade the streets
and walks of the city While so intoxicated as
to reel about, use plOfane language, and, at
lNp1,a oil ii
gustingly, is a reproaeh to the city. There
can be no excuse for this. The streets and
walks of the city are for the use of the public.
They are frequented by women and children
as we'll as men, and nothing should be per
mitted thereon to render them either danger
Gus OF otherwise unfit for any person to pass
along. We think that any person in the con
ditiOn described should not be allowed on the
streets, and the police should be required to
remove them therefrom promptly, and not
wait till they commit assault, or other breach
of the peace before arresting them.
F0uqM.-ln this connection we deem it our
duty to call attention to one OF the most cry
ing evils of this city-the constant and bold
appearance on our streets of women OF loose
character The existence in society of these
unfortunates is great evil the practical rem
edY for which, we are aware, 1t Is very dlffl-
cult to enforce. But whether we can COM
pletely suppress the flow of foul waters OF
not, we can at least keep them within their
proper channels, and not suffer our streets to
matters we believe to be properly i'll the prov
ince of the city ordinances and police. If the
present ordinances are SUFFICIENT to reach this
evil, we recommend that they be rlGldly en-
forced if they are insufficient, we recommend
that the council enact such ordinances as Will
put an end to this public scandal and disgrace.
We see no reason why women OF VIGOROUSLY
bad character should be allowed to lounge
about the streets OF stand on corners OF in
door-and alley-WayS and about the dep0tS and
other public resorts, and we are sure that If
the mayor and police were armed with the
ample authority in cases OF TINS KIND that they
have in some of the larger cities, and would
vigorously exercise it, the evil would be
almost, if not entirely, remedied. We, and
numerous preceding grand iuries, have used
our utmost powers to get at offences OF thls
sort but without effect. The long periods
elapsing between the meetings OF grand Jurles
tile cumbersome machinery OF the cOurt-the
great expense to the public attending jury
trials, and other causes, combine TO render oul
ICES the municipal officers to regulate aud
punish this class of offences, and we are de
cidedly of opinion that it is in the police court
alone that they can be dealt With e1fecuyely
We do not desire this report to be construed
as a censure Of the municipal officers, because
the cases herein referred to have been hereto
fore, uniformly left to the grand juries to at
tend to, and the ottlcers nave only peeh lol
find that this practice has proven very met
fectual means of checking vice OF the charac
fer here described, and has moreover entailet
great public expense. We have in this repor
endeavored to Suggest other means of accom-
plishing the efds desired than those hereto
fore adopted, and which, we believe, if car
RED out will prove an effectual remedy OF thu
evils complained OF.
All of Which is respectfully submitted.
W. l.. OLIVIER, Foreman
JULIUS j. PRUFER,
JAS. W. NEWTON,
2. II. TROUT
j. A. TEMPLETON,
q K HARPER,