The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-06-23
THOSE FENCE PIRATES.
THEIR SYSTEMATIC METHODS or
BEATING BASEBALL PEOPLE.
stockholder. In the Various Ladder CON-
psnics-An Effort VIII he Ma"e 10
Puta Stop to the System.

There are no class OF people in this
CITY who can accumulate more entnus'-
asrn. and who really enjoy pan HA.uo
more than the fence pirates inc' -.
the true lovers Of the sport t"s3 -
the keenest interest In the lhulNlu." i
PLAYERS. swear by the lucky battery, anu
nurse a genuine pride OF the telin ,, %,
large. They are patriotic. ana sel'ol ,
fail TO encourage the players with uonl-
onstratiOns not likely TO be his..N .,.
Nearly all the slang phrases hcaIu a. -
hall games originate with the renee pl-
rates They are critics Of high order.
in a way. aud understand the rules a"hoS.
as thoroughly as some or the play 80
themselves. They seldom miss s'nlV,
They can well afford 10 be preseu' HlN
ball season that these very same 49,
pirates don't rob the managers OF wy
Wost-Fnd Park out Of an amount rams
ing from so to So
IKE PENCE PIRATES METHODS
The fence pirate IL member on inc
body polite, as a matter or course. ~ ~
IS iust as anxious as any expert f',.,'
IN the erand-siand TO sec lne N" ',ii.i,..fot
body blamcs him for having cuiiiN..-n
such a taste. His baseball tempe tat "l.
runs M sometimes higher than that OF
ANYBODY else lie has caught the l'Fti
How did he do II? ..,,,o-
The fence pirate IS usually n menper
Of a stock company. This company
owns q large ladder with Two sep3iate
tlacos for rooters. The ladder Us punt
80 as TO hold some half a dozen lnnlNlt-
uals one man goes 10 work ana 'iD''a
the ladder at an expense or 40 cents or
81. and then forms a company OF Two "l
three They pay the original owner ior
his work and trouble and the company Is
made up. Then they go 10 Work ana
charge regular admission rates 20 "a place
on the ladder The price ranges from
one 10 five cents a game. so thar the
owners OF the ladder clear about seven or
eight cents on each game, besides seeing
the game free Of charge EVERY uas
about half an hour before the game Us
called over come the fence pirates across
the fields around the park. Usually there
are two or three carrying the ladder from
the place where n IS kept over-nihht.
The procession disappears behind the
fence for while. then the ladder IS
leaned against the fence from the out
side. or allowed 20 stand mp straight near
the enclosure. Soon YOU see -FOUR or I'VE
heads pop up above the fence. ana then
YOU know the pirates are fixed for the
game.
THE NuMBrR INCREAsfNG.
Formerly there were only few or
these fence pirates. Some half dozen
OF them commonly stood around the enc
closure and counted upon getting ban
knocked over. few others cut holes
through the fence and peeped through.
Both OF these means proved unsatlsia'-
tory. and "A large tree near the fence was
resorted to. At every game twenty pairs
OF eyes gazed from the tree over the
fence These means proved Inadequate,
and some daring fellow got him a ladder.
Another followed the example. The NUM-
Der continued to grow by degrees untli
now there are frequently as many as iao
pirates 20 be seen along the fence tops.
screaming AT the tops OF their voices, ana
advertising their morals without the least
sign OF shame The number goes on I'M
creasing each day and n Is thought that
within another month there will be al
least go fence pirates making regular
practice of these methods.
An AppEAL TO THE LAW.
SO far there has been no systematic
effort on the part OF the management or
the league 20 break up this piracy. II IS
understood however. that strong move
ment will soon be made 10 prevent THIS
style Of robbery. "Why. IFS straight
out moral and legal robbery" said a
well-knOwn man yesterday. land you-Deo-
pie have Il perfect right TO demand that
the county authorities arrest every man
putting his ladder against your fence.
The offence comes under the mead or
trespass."
As matter Of fact a street runs around
the enclosure on two sides. The lana
beyond the street is understood 90 be the
property Of Professor Gregory, or Rich
mOnd College 10 is believed that the
baseball management have a legal right
TO order every one Of the pirates away
anc have them arrested should they re-
fuse 10 20.
In conversation with Secretary Wood
all. OF the Virginia League yegterday, ne
stated that il was more than likely mat
the management would take steps at once
10 break up this systematic form OF beat
ing the baseball people out OF their
rights He had been considering the
matter for some time. and he thought he
would soon have matters IN the proper
! shape tO make decided movement
Mr. Bradley also stated that something
definite would pSbably be done iu the
rear future by way OF stopping the inn
position. lie was formulating plans, ana
| would soon be prepared 90 act.
The fence pirates may as well prepare
20 adopt some other means 10 see the
| games. The honest method would Dee
| 10 pay the ten cents admission fee, and
| roo, respectfully.