The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-29

II is a disenchantment for the average
reader TO learn from the EVahseiSono
Batter, a German Protestant qudi'ctS
pf,blished i'm bethlehem Itself, that In TINS
CITY OF David a regular band OF thieves
has been operating in recent inon'n9'
and has managed 10 keep me eh'ic poP
ulatiOu in constant state or alarm He
article is from the pen Of the edlloi, t"S
tor BOottcher, OF the protestant Olu'e''
in Bethlehem, who has hVed theio man
Years. After narrating the fact that tle
R.tblchem OF to-day, with its 5000 inhaD-
itants. is being modernized ana mas r.
Gently received its own communal organ
ization. I'm the shape Of BeledlJe' OF
Church Council, the city having been lot
merly governed by the AUTHORITIES III
Jerusalem, the writer says
I'm recent months an innovation mas
boen introduced that was the greatest
necessity for the city OF BethieheNl'
namely, the appointment OF night Waleh-
men. Even II this Improvement noes
not do away with the necessity Oh h"F''s
private watchmen for the larger proper
lies and buildings. 1t makes the streets
e,fer and directly and indirectly pre-
vents burglary. For ~ the ldsl IL"
months Bethlehem has been sadly al
n.cted I'm this direction having become
the seat free a regularly organized banu
of burglars Not a night passed WIFI
out one or more houses being thleieu
and robbed When the Government last
winter went 10 work and arrested some
oil these offenders, placards were louhu
one morning on many OF tho street cor
nors openly defyng the GoNeihihe".
Among other things, these placaius sa'u
We are fifty men and are airaid oi
robodv. not even of the Government Of
4H.f [
rest us. we will give the Emendi sum
of money and I'm three days We VIII be
free again
Naturally the Government could not
eubnit 10 such "A defiance. ana twenty
men were arrested. IL is not known II
si,olo ono of them was punished but
4, loss than two weeks they were an
back I'm Bethlehem free and the old re-
CINE of burglary began anew Ia inns
state Of anairs neighb0rs were conlpeleu
to helm neighbors. and often in the night
was the cry heard: ia mas dJal- ~
people come hereD
NOW since the new city government
have ordered the streets patrohed py
vyatchmen this cry is but seldom heard
and especially has shooting during the
night almost ceased, while formerly II
was heard at all hours. However the
thieves have only changed their time
Of oDerations. Now that they cannot
use the nigtl they make use or the DAY.
Esneciallv is this the case I'm the harvest
season. when the inmates OF the houses
are under their own vine ana lis tree.
In bethlehem burglars know iul wen
how 10 use the tools of the western con-
freree. and do their work systematically
and thoroughly. Yet compared WIN 'i'i9
etate of affairs formerly there has been
great improvement
a recent episode will illustrate the
ren,arkahle lawlessness that still pre-
,-,ue in this historic city. A Bethlehem
he had BETRAYED a Bedouin woman VINO
was visiting him. This gross Violation
~ the laws Of hospitality called out All
her clan and relationship. which had up
to this time been on friendly tootihg
with the people OF the CITY, and 900 armea
pedouins one night broke into the city.
attacked the house Of the culprit' as
also those Of his relatives, and had the
inmates not fed would have destroyed
them all. But they demolished every
thing in the houses. Their strength was
such that the police and the little garn-
son at Bethlehem could do nothing 10 IN
terfere For more than a week the
Redouins terrorized the city, and sur
roundings. destroying even the vineyards
ana the orchards Of the culprit and MS
relatives. This barbaric method OF tax
ing vengeance on ones enemies Is the
or,sar of the day in Bethlehem NO one
ventures to complain or to appeal TO the
authorities, as he knows matters VIII bs
worse for him. He can expect 10 oe
shot at Unexpectedly. or somebody VIII
throw kind of bomb at him or into
his house. or at his cattle and other
animals will be MANNED. This method
OF taking revenge is a characteristic fea-
tire of the Arabic people. In this case
II was the object OF the Bedouins TO
capture the culpri.. and. after the man
ner OF their tribe, TO STAY nm as pro-
ritiation OF his guilt The culprit was
dnaIIy protected by the Government"