The morning times., 1895-11-10
SOME ILLUSTRIOUS VAGs
People Who Have Been Sent to
the District WorkhCuse.
BEN BUTLER'S NEPHEW ONE
william L. Lasselle, Who Was the
Youngest Brigadier In the Union
Army IA Regula r rCaller-Tragic End
of Oswald C. Allen-Trial of Father
Columbla and Jules Wallace.

provisions of which almost any man, n
matter what his worldly position, may
held ana required to give bonds. 1t is th
vagrancy law, and IL is responsible
for very large percentage of the boarder
at the institution on the banks OF the East
ern Branch for the care OF the norall
unhealthy, known as the workhouse.
or course, the vast majority of ''vags
are of the poorer class; tranips of ali de
scriptions who drift into the city and ar
unable to find work. After staying out tn
time limit at the lodging houses, they ar
compelled 10 beg, anu IN Il short time the.
are caught at tnaJ by the police and sen
down.
Very frequently, however, men are ar
ralgned under the act who have been a
some time in their lives prominent in Off
cial and social life, and whose downfall
has been caused by u too free and Irequen
Indulgence in beverages that intoxicate.
One Of the most conspicuous of these a
the present time is Gen. William Z. Las
sellc. He was the youngest briGadier gen
eral IN The Union Army during the war, and
with a splendid education and a brillian
mind, he gave every promise when he ler
the Army Of a brilliant career. He took VI
the practice OF law and soon became promi
nent and wealthy.
DRINK CAUSED HIS DOWNFALL.
Drink caused his ruin. however, and
now lie is brought up before the police court
almost as soon as he gets cut of the work
house. He gets drunk, fails down in the
street, and his debauches are as danger
Gus TO himself in enUangerlng his person,
as they are in jeopardizing his liberty.
In the earlier days OF the police court
.
who frequently rounded up III the police
court TO plead TO the vagrancy act. One
of these was George II. Butler, a nephew
Of Ben Butler, ana one of the most brill
liant correspondents and writers in the
city during his paiIny days.
He was Il periodical drinkeT, and whenever
he got on a tear" he would sooner or
later march down to the police court.
state his case 10 the judge, get commit
ment TO the workhouse for himself, and
carry it down in person TO tie intcndcnt.
This was during Judge SHELLS tenure
Of office. He wOuldremain in the workhCuse
thirty or sixty days at a time, just rs lie
desired, and it was while in this sel.-inl-
posed confinement that many OF lis Lest
letters were written. He finally died in
A house on II street during a wild debauch.
Oswald C. Allen, whose chief claim to
lay in the fact that he was the
on of very wealthy parents, was at one
lime, up TO the time of the tragedy that
startled Washington and ended his life, a
amiliar figure in the dock at the police
.ourt. Drinking always took him there
md vagrancy was the charge TO cuver
lin. He nearly always managed to find
/ bosdsman, however, and to the fact that
lie was not always sent To the workhouse
5 due the tragic ending of his msspeut
ife.
ALIENS TRAGIC END.
Shortly after he had been arraigned and
,iven bonds for a certain period, ne got
n another tear, and his bondsmen started
ut tn look for him in order that he might
eliver him up under baiI-piece and pre-
'ent a forfeiture. He turned up at the
'olice court, but went from there te the
efferson School, where his wife was en-
loyed as teacher. Entering her room,
llled with boys and girls ranging from
en- to thirteen years of age, the two
tarted a quarrel, in the midst OF which he
rev pistol from his pocket and threat
ned to kill her.
She grasped his hand and a struggle
Ollowed, she trying to obtain possession
+ the weapon and he eudeavOTing tu re-
ain 1t. He finally managed to break from
er, and, stepping back a couple of PAGES,
be unfortunate woman fell to the floor
nd lay writing in a pool of blood. Allen
azed for moment, mortified at the
aarful crime he had committed, and then,
lacing the pistol to his own head. he
red, killing himself instantly. The wife
ngered for few hours in great agony.
"Pegleg" Clark, a veteran of the rebel
on, was one of the most picturesque and
centric yagra nts ever seen around the
olice court, and the officials of that place
,ally mourned his loss when alcoholism
suited in his death at the workhouse. He
ad lost both his legs in the war, and
rev pension of S72 month.
When pension day came around, every
iree months, he would take his S216 and
o on a terrific tear, that invariably re-
ilted in his being taken before Judge Smell
; vagrant. He hated to go TO the work
Duse, and when arraigned he would use
le most profane and contemptuous Ian
lage, in the hope of being sent to jail.
ldge Smell soon tumbled to his racket,
Dwever, and made his workhouse sem
noes all the longer.
CLARK'S CLEVER RUSE.
The last time be was sent down Clark,
no had quite a bank account, prevailed
oon one of the prisoners to cash a check.
fter his death his obliging friend secured
release, and presented the check at the
ank. he was very much chagrined, how
yer, to find that he had overlooked the
let that Clark had neglected to sign the
rider.
Branch P. Wright was the name of another
)nspiCuuus vagrant, since deceased, who
'ed to turn up at court with great fire.
lency. He was of good family and had
means, but could not overcome
IS love for strong drink. Every time he
as convicted he would stick tin tobacco
g in the floor of the cellroom, and when
: died he had record about yard long.
one of the most noted female "vags"
'er rounded up in the police court was
lien Ale. The clerks there roughly esti-
ate the number of times she has been
carcerated at little over hundred. Her
lme figured on the old court index SO
that when new one was order
they were considering the advisability
having her name printed in it It intervals
once a month. Before this had been
.clded upon, however, she surprised them
! by reforming. She started a mission,
I'D afterwards became identified with
e Central Union Mission and the Salvation
rmy. She is now enga ged in mission work |
England.
ATHER COLUMBIA AND JULES WAL
LACE.
Two more recent vagrancy trials that |
tracted national attention were the cases |
FEATHER Columbia" an all-round crank. |
I'd Jules Wallace, a spiritualistic medium, |
he former lasted ten days, and was hotly |
infested by Prosecuting Attorney James
Pugh for the District, and W. p. William
n for the defense.
Father Columbia STYLED himself the
igiDator and head of the columbia |
,ague," an institution destined to revoIu.
'niZe and elevate the world. His proper
me was Walter II. Shupe, but he had had |
changed by special act of Legislature |
Father Columbia" and one of the by.
VS. OF the league was to the effect that |
hen he died his successor in the League