The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-12
RICHMOND'S BAD BOYS.
JUSTICE CRUTCHFIELD SAYS HE IS
NOT THE NAN TO BLAME.
And the Police Ipsist Thst They srs Doing
Their Duty--Tslks With Prominent
Cltiseus on the subject.

borhood of Third and Main streets. The
vigorous article In The Times Sunday
condem.ng the constant annoyance OF the
people IN that neighborhood made quite
a hit, and you couldn't find single
Hobo accommodating about the vicinity,
seeking means OF raising cain.
The Times F right after the Hooos
and Is determined to break up the nui-
sance heretofore too common by organiz-
ed gangs of bad boys. a NUMBER OF
prominent citizens in the neghborhood
of Third ana Main streets heartily COM
mended The Times for It's championship
of their cause. and expressed the wish
that the paper. with its usual fearlessness'
would continue this commendabie EFFORT
until the last Hobo in the gang foIded
his tent and silently stole away.
Everybody is agreed that the boys arc
n tough gang. and that they have 100
much license for the peace OF the neigh
borhod, but II is not yet decided VINO Is
responsible.
DENIES RESPONSIBILITY.
Justice John" whose soft spot for boys
covers his heart like a porous plaster,
denies the charge OF any responsibility
for the lawlessness OF the Hobos through
any leniency on his part
| secured list OF twenty boys at the
Second station Saturday, brought before
the Police Court IN six cases since March
Z, 1888 BY examination yesterday of the
Police Court records II was shown that
Justice Crutchheld imposed fines in four
of them.
He also says that I'm one Of the two
cases dismissed the only witness against
the boys was Hop Lung, and that there
were ten boys TO deny his statement
hg
insufficient
Justice Crutchfeld says that he receives
more reports OF offences by boys from
the corners Of ThiI- and Main Shaier
and Grace and Twenty-hfth ana NehaDie
streets than any other places III the cry
and that he is always ready 10 punish
them II the evidence Is given against
them. but that the citizens who are oiteh
londest i'm their reports or the hlsocHd-
vioW of the boys will not give theIr
names or testify against them in court.
He recited case where ten Dogs from
Third and Main were summoned before
him by "a policeman. on the complaint OF
n citizen, and when the case came up
the citizen who caused their arrest de-
clined 10 prefer any charge against
them.
A MATTER or JUSTIFY.
IL is only a matter of simple justice 10
Justice Crutchfield to state that on March
Z, 1898, he fined one Of the HOBBS 81. De
cember 18th, CT the same year. he fined
three of them 81 each: February 3, l@i
five of them 81 each. and February IT,
1895, he fined one of them 81, making
fines in four odt OF six cases, rcIefreu
10 above. as stated.
Six boys were summoned in one OF the
dismissed cases, end twenty boys were
involved in the six cases mentioned. A
number of other cases which were over
looked Saturday were found against the
Hcbos Yesterday. bat those cited arc sufii-
lent for All example.
All the police admit that wherever II
las been proven that boy threw
stone. Justice Crutchfield fined him. They
complain, however. that in such crowd
Is the HOBBS. it is almost impossible to
ell the particular boy who is the red
landed offender, and unless they can
40 this, the boys are dismissed. on the
other hand. the Justice says there is no
Jaw for Furnishing boy unless he Is
identified as the offender.
IN the meantime, the HobOs have the
run OF M III II borhoed, and the citizens
claim they do not get police protection.
Captain Angle keeps an officer constant
~ i'm that neighborhood on the watch.
and the police admit they cannot con-
troll them.
LAXITY.
The impression seems to exist in the |
minds of not only the citizens but the |
BOYS themselves that there Is a laXity |
somewhere in the enforcement OF the |
aw. and IT is believed that this is the |
,hief cause OF the outrageous acts OF
me lawless gangs who congregate In
yarious portions of the city and annoy
iizens and passers by.
An instance is given by a well known
Gentleman who lives on west Franklin
street. a short distance east of Monroe
Park as follows:
"A few days after the last snow, when
he streets and sidewalks We're covered
With mud and slush his wife sent his
legro Dutler, a boy nineteen or twenty
ears old TO clean off the sidewalk in
ront of his house
While at work some boys from the
'ther side of the street commenced to
brow muddy snowballs at him and
eered him. The negro demonstrated and
,pithets were banded between him and
he boys. and they finally ran him into
he house and continued to throw their |
muddy balls against the steps and front
IGOR of the residence.
The lady Of the house went out to stop
hem and they were impertinent to her.
Sunday night. March 80. at o'clock,
Nnen tne negro Dutler was visiting in !
he Kitchen of a neighbor, he was deceived
MO the street by false message that
he was wanted at home, and when ne
anne into the street he was set on by
tx or eight half grown boys and badly
'eaten with sticks and stones until with
us coat and hat torn TO shreds, and his
eau breeding from several cuts he with |
lhlculty made his escape into the house
nd got away from his assailauts.
Inc gentleman states that the negro
weH-oehavcd servant. and that the
tack was savage and unwarranted.
CONSTANT NUISANCE
a weli-known gentleman, who CORNER
resided In the vicinity of Third ard
Jam street when csked for a statement
n regard to the methods of the HOBBS
q q: Il do not care 10 have nv name !
sed In connection with the matter now
. moved away from the neighborl God
'nen the Hobos operated some time ago.
ma consequently have no griev lnces 10
lake now, When ! lived near Third and
iain' however. that gang were a con
tant nuisance. They rang door bells.
ngagsi in rock-battles. smashed win I
ow panes. and were extremely annoylnS |
, the entire ne!ghhorhoo1. ! offered 10
ppear al the Police Court TO testify.
Ut Tor some reason Twas l,ever sum
loned. don't see how the people in !
hat neighborhood can stand the nui-
ance. i heartily endorse your plan OF
'ying TO break them up. and | sincere
trust you will succeed. for the sake
those who nave 10 suffer from the
arg"
Mr. Henry j. Harrison. of the firm of
OK d Harrison, corner of Third and
lain streets, was formerly a victim of
methods II 4 Ia rr |