The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-10
HOP LUNG AND HOBOS.
I'VE BOYSARE so BAD TIA T THE CHI.
NAxAy WILL HAVE TO MOVE,
Tn. Third and Main Gspe Said to he the
Tssghsss IN Town-Ths Blame Laid
.. Csutehfsld's Door.

He has for years been d familiar inquire
TO all who pass that way. and the con-
stancy with which he sticks to his WORK
through long hours OF the night and day
has been the remark OF many who see
him daily. Almost any hour, night or
day. Hop Lung can be seen SHOWING
little Iron with his lean and sinewy arm,
giving patent leather shine 10 shir'
bosoms. collars and cuffs. so close does
lie stick to his ironing board that per-
sens have often been heard TO ask II HOP
Lung ever ate or slept.
lie has long since discovered that the
lot OF Chinese laundryman at the corner
of Third and Main is not an easy one.
THAT POOR CHISAMAN
He has been ridiculed, tainted. toased
disturbed and molested in so many mis-
chievous and nendi3h ways by the boys
who congregate In that neighborhood.
that he feels that life is hardly worth
living, II he has longer 10 spend IT in
that locality. Hop Lung has but poorly
mastered the American language. and
even his pigeon English has scarcely
gotten beyond the squad state.
He has however, made these facts
known 10 the police and the real estate
man who rents him his house, yet no re-
lief comes TO the much-suffering China
man.
The source OF all his woes are the
HOBBS" or, as they are ironically
nameI THE good little boys"
Who in the city has not heard of the
HOBBS. AK any polio sman In the Second
district II he knows the Hobos and his
prompt reply will be. Yes the toughest
gang In town"
Everybody who habitually passes the
corner of Third and Main streets is
familiar with the deeds and reputation OF
this lot OF boys.
As INDIVIDUALS.
Nest Of them are the sons OF some
OF the best citizens OF Richmond, and
as individuals they are fairly well dis
posed and we'll meaning boys, but as an
organized gang, known as Hobos. they
are the terror of the neghh"rhood, ana
ENJOY a reputation for disorder and gem
eral Cussedness that is known from Full
ton to the Boulevard. Hop Lung, the
Cinnamon before referred TO. has been the
greatest sufferer from their attacks.
Time and again they nave broken the
large windows in front OF his laundry
with stones and I'm every imaginable way
known to the ingenuity OF boys, he mas
been constantly tormented. Showers OF
brick bats have time and again SCARED
his back door and ratified on his roof.
his back yard has been made the deposit
fory of dead animals aud other dlsagl ee-
able refuse, and his ears have been as
sauted by all the epithcts in the code OF
rowdyism.
Negroes walking along the street have
been rocked and sometimes thrown down.
horses have been hit and biCyClers boot
ed and pelted.
I've BEEN ARRrsTKD.
Time and again they have bcen arrested
for disturbances. AMI the books at the
f.ti
nan es of prominent citizens in the neigh
borhood, who were summoned to the
Police Court on account OF their sons.
From 1893 up to the present there is
n multitude of evidence on the police
reports TO show that the Hobos are con-
slant menace TO the peace OF the neigh
borhood The Hobos range IN age from
ten TO seventeen years.
one of the members is said to be TWEEN
,.y-two years old and a charge was may
against him last August for inJuring khe
property of Hop Lung.
Many. -complaints have heSiT MADE by
ladies -ere frealng-rsssc, Nth which their
cars have been assailed as they pass that
way and a gentleman who gre" eloquent
with Indignation over the outrageous De-
havior of these boys, said ladies often
placed their hands over their ears 10
keep out the foul words they were oD-
liged 10 hear.
TWO GANGS.
Others saw that "the gang" includes the
Hobos composed of older boys. ana the
Homo Juniors. or as they are sometimes
called "the good 60 little boys ana
sbe association to which the younger
boys are subjected is anything out ih-
proving TO their morals.
The names of the Hobos are well known
IN the police, and | was furmsheu VIII
a list at the Second station yesterday Vi
those who have been before the Police
Justice. -. .bo
Nr IL A. McCurdy, who rents the
nouse saws he has been put to con-
siderable expense in repairing the INJURY
that these boys have done to the propei'y'
and complains that there Is eh'lre la0N
OF police protection. -.
I started out yesterday to ma out WY
u was that Hop Lung and peaceaple cltl-
zens continually suffer annoyance rom
this lawless gang of boys without reores''
JUSTICE cRUTcHFIELD's PART.
A well-known police sergeant SAID the
greatest difficulty was that citlzehs woulo
not annear IN the Police Court against the
sons of their neighbors. and tnat when
arrests were made Justice Crutchneld
turned them off without fine or punish
ment; that they have time ana AGAIN
heen taken before aim, with the same
result, and now that is worse than use
less TO arrest them for anything they
choose 10 do.
Indeed" said he. they defy the Off
Ger and tell him TO his face that arrest
ing them don't amount 10 anything.
eve know them all. and Know
that they misbehave but II makes them
worse to say anything TO them. An OIL
ficer. who frequently has tharge of that
heat, SAYS: You can't scare them at
all ."
Captain Angle says he finds II necessary
on account OF these bows TO keep man
in that vicinity all the time. and fire.
quently places his man In citizens
clothes.
You can quote me as saying that they
are the toughest gang of boys ever
saw. and We can't do anything with
them as long as the Police Justice lets
them off without punishment. Their
parents and Justice Crutchfeld are TO
blame for all their meanness"
The Justice always releases
them, with some remark about their be-
ing BOYS. but they don't do like ordinary
boys They throw rocks at people. roll
negroes in the snow. and do other law
less thirgs.
Then" said he another thing-they
are not little boys. for many OF them are
nearly grown. and ought not TO be treat
ed as little boys"
All the police and number of citi-
zens with whom | talked were decidedly
Of the opinion that any sentiment In re-
gard to the Hobos was badly expended,
and that for the good order and peace
OF the vicinity of Third and Main streets.
TO say nothing of Hop Lung. the Hopos