The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-31
LAWS DEVIOUS WAYS.
SOME REMARKABLE CRIMINAL CON-
YIoTIogS RECALLED.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Life for the
Theft of 20 Cenis-Other Similar
Cases Recorded.

NEW CASTLE, VA, March S0.--Speciai'
- case recently was tried at Virginia
bar, By which man who stole twenty
six cents. was sentenced to prison ana
har labor for life. 1t was his third small
offence.
Another man who had, by his own con-
fession, been stealing many years, a d.i
haA succeeded in using nearly s-o,Vo
Of stolen money, gets snort Time a' 'ne
States expense.
a somewhat less romantic case was
tried at remote country oar ie"
months ago.
a little negro. about ten years DID, had
the misfortune to get hungry; sad mis-
fortune, with q Father in heaven, anu
mother out Of washing He walked INTO
savory store. but the smell OF molasses
and fish did not for once SATISFY MS
hunger.
lie stole three eggs. Was caught! ana
jaisd And lis subsequent trial cost the
Commonwealth $125, TO say nothing Oh
mothers tears, and the ruined reputa-
ton Of 2 future American voter.
This, however. has been remedied' so
far as future costs Of Ike cases are con-
cerned. The Constitutional amendment
which was voted last year, will bring
such cases before the local magistrate
The local magistrate is also an Individual
institution, and he has been known 10
find out when the country Ylsltor mas
money, then drink with him, pick a quar-
rel, then arraign, fine him, and pocket
the aforementioned money.
ANOTHER GASP.
Another case OF deferred justice, was
that Of a boy, about fifteen, VINO was
caught I'm the depot Of certain town.
1t was evident that he had been IN there
before. but wasn't caught. He had a
skeleton key. an ingenious article manu-
featured out of a common NAH, ana an
instrument which would have made the
fortune of a New York crook. Ii would
open any door I'm town. He had also
dangerous sIlng-shOt, which weighed
about two pounds. His robberies amount
ed to a good many dollars, although he
didn't get away with them that time.
That young man was boarded at the
States expense a few mon.ds-aoout
three-and then cleared.
1HE 3Isr OF NOVEMBER.
There is an old law on the statute
books Of Scotland, or used u be, WHICH
says certain laws are to be enforced
on the "Thlrty-First Day Of November
and for a hundred years the bewlgged
old gentlemen tried to enforce he keep
ing Of this day IN the Court OF Exchec-
quer.
And while the London children were
hung for STAYING off starvation with
neiglbor's loaf, and tho Virginia Colon
lists lest their ears for stealing a cock
ade or were branded on the cheek with
hot iron for not serving cruel mas
ters when indentured by the law, ii
might have been all right to do certain
things on the Thirty-First Of Noyem-
Der; and TO keep the miller out or the
courthouse to grind the grist for the
settlers, when they often lived days
journey from the mill, in times of hostile
savSges.
The real reason, however, of mlller's
work being under the Code, seems UNI
necessary to-day In looking through
Blackstone and the Grattan Reports l
find nothing of a protective nature to the
men who may be suffering from over
credulity, and so the boomers had every
thing their own way during the years of
the visitation of speculative fever.
BOOMING NOT MODERN.
Booming Is not a modern way of
procuring emigration, since it was
method with Francis Higgenson, William
Morrel. and even Captain John Smith.
THE OLD PENALTY FOR THEFT.
In 1862, the law IN Virginia was, re-
gardlng the stealing of a pig:
THE offender shall pay the owner 1000
pounds Of tobacco, and as much to the
thief catcher"
Twenty years later the law said:
For the second offence, a pig stealer
shall stand two hours In the pillory and
lose his ears; while for the third offence.
the law of England was used AS fof
felony which meant "to hang by the
neck till dead" to have stake driven
through the body, and to be given, I'm
some instances, to the fowls OF the dir
as food. Certainly, The Virginia laws are
all right to-day. But upon asking a
young and enthusiastic practitioner how
It happened that such Generalization OF
justice was possible, said he, (and his
reply is worthy an older head: 1T is not
with the lawyers, nor with the law; but
the trouble is with the jurors. IL Is a
difficult thing TO get one juror who has
never done anything for which he fear
ed sCif-conviction. and never expected to
DO any FOR which 10 be convicted
EVA :. GRANT.