Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-03
AN TO VAGRANCY
General Line Of the Days Police Court
Casea
One Representative OF the Division IN
the T0ils-The Sentences In,
Aicted by the Judge.

Say, Pete. I'm glad I don't live in New
York: amt your asked one of the prison.
ers Of another when he stepped into Judge
Kimbalrs court room this morning.
What yer think 1 want ter be glad fer?s
came from the man who was questioned.
"'Cause you couldn't get any free lunch
over there, seeT'
mo. don't see nothin'. Whose been tell
in yer all this? was over there two weeks
ago. ard got as much as any workin' man
wanted on the counter, and hit a boozer for
the beer. He caved. and I got the book
But two weeks ago amt now" said the
man who started the conversation. "A man
in the legislature named Raines got in q
hit on us feliers. and now we can't do MOTH
in In the eatin' line without some stuff. He
hit US SO hard that he knocked off The
counter everything that was free. and now
yer wants money fer grub. faint much,
but yer have ter have it,
Then 1 amt goin that way no more.
Washington's good enough fer me-
Their conversation was brought to a close
when the Judge appeared on the bench, and
man named John Booth, who is not one OF
the Salvation Army members of this name.
was called for vagrancy.
I'm guilty, 1 suppose" answered John,
when arrafgned on a charge of vagrancy.
go He pleads guilty" remarked the clerk.
but he doesn't look like vagrant"
John has been in the habit of getting
lodging" said Policeman Harrison, and Z
thought would bring him into court"
w here does he liver the court asked.
He has no regular place of abode that
Know OF, was the officers response.
Hasn't he been arrested on the flats?.
the court inquired
mo. your honor" answered the police
man. This is another man. He has been
about Georgetown for a long time"
Yes, sir" said John, Use been in George
town long time, cause 1 works there, but
my home is on I'D street, and it's a good
one, too"
John" said the court, its about time
you were stopping this miserable habit OF
drinking rum
Everybody drinks sometime" argued
John, land when it's rainy weather / take
a drink to keep we'll
The court did not agree with what John
said, and gave him two weeks on the farm.
No Fine.
John Powers John Day and Daniel Sui
livan, young men, whose general appear
ance was evidence against them, were in
the tolls as Migrants.
They expressed surprise that such a
charge had been preferred against them,
especially after Bailiff Kending had said
tc them: Step up gentlemen"
Il found them sleeping in a vacant
house." Policeman Tracy told the court.
'They were drunk and had been under the
them had sold a coat for whisky"
That's right" said the man who had
sold the coat, but 1t was my coat"
And We were sleeping in my mothers
house." said another defendant.
Il have work to do" said one of the trio.
and will go and attend to it if your honor
will relaSe me-"
"And You would be drunk again before
him.
mo. your honor" was what the nervous
man said. 'Tll take the pledge"
las you are filled with good resolutions,
but are in no condition to make or keep
Them" the judge said. Il am going to give
you only light sentence You may have
you
I'VE can pay our fines if you let us CO."
the men said, but the court told them that
there was no fine imposed in vagrancy
cases.
Henry Holly, a bard-working colored
man, who is good citizen when he is
sober. but who, like many others. will
do bad things when he is drunk, was in
the tolls AS a vagrant
u amt a vagrant," said the prisoner,
who had not fully recovered from the ef-
fects of last nights experience. I'm a.
working man. but l will take my toddy
when 1 feel like drinking"
He had been drinking last night" said
Policeman Ellsworth, land L arrested him
for holding up people on the street I
saw saw n nm. hole up three people, but didn't
Another witness did hear him ask for
money, aid this called forth a denial from
the prisoner
The fact that he had been drinking. the
court said, was no excuse and sent him
down in default of bond.
One Representative.
There was only one case in court from
the Division" the representative of the
women Of evil life being a colored woman
named Lottie Curtis.
She would not have been arrested had
not she gone out on the street in an even
ing dress and spoken to men as they pass-
ed by her house
Come here, honey" was what Police
man Warren told the court he heard her
say.
did she know the MANI" the officer was
asked.
II think not"
Lawyer Peyton argued the case for the
woman. and dwelt upon the evils of the
Division" end referred to the fact that
Lottie had been there only a short time.
He argued that there are so many women
In that section who are worse than Lottie
court dock would be overcrowded
And If they were all locked up" said
the Judge, that part Of the city would
purity question:" said counsel but to
deal with this one case. And / think that
mercy shown this poor woman would do no
HARM"
The court sentenced her to the workhouse
for ninety days in default of 500 security.
Two crap-shooters brought up the rear of
the procession. Irving Proctor was one of
them. He is a colored boy, for whom the
police have been looking for several
months, and there were three charges
against him. A fine Of SO was imposed
In each of two cases. and the third charge
was dismissed because Of a defective paper.
William Smith was the other thrower of
de bones," and SO or thirty days was his
sentence.