Evening star., 1896-07-18
IN THE POLICE COURT
A Bicycle Rider Who Made q Fast
Record.
Hats Are Not Popular I'm the Court
The Cases Heard and the
Results.

Silence" shouted Bailiff Cole this morn
ing. when Judge Miller entered court Then
he said, Hats off, and opened the days
session. There were not the usual number
or familiar faces in the audience, Police
man Flynn's warning having had good ef-
feet. The regular visitors had needed the
warming, and for the reason that there were
not so many people in the audience, there
was decided Improvement in the atmos-
phere. ,
Ihere were not many wheelmen in court
but behind the bars there was one Charles
Gordon. young colored man, and Police
man Charles Keefe of the eighth precinct
charged that he was guilty of fast riding
On the down grade on 14th street northwest
Just south of Florida avenue.
He was riding at the rate Of from twenty
to twenty-five miles an hour" was the COM
plant of the policeman, and Gordon is not
a racer
And" added the officer ct held I'M my
stick to attract his attention, but he didn't
stop, and arrested him"
Did you grab him when he reached you
or d1d ne pass you and return?'
Il grabbed him."
Gordon denied the charge that he was rid
ing at such fast rate of speed and he un-
derstood very we'll that he could not have
going so fast.
Judge Miller, who is not a wheelman. did
not know from experience in what space a
wheelman could stop when going at so fast
rate OF speed. but he concluded from the
lated the law. ~ '-o
D,dnt I Gordon break the record?, LAW
yer Martin asked the policeman
Il don't know"
lf he was going at so great a rate OF
speed and stopped so suddenlys' said conn
SCI, ne certainly broke the record
l m not going to have any nonsense about
TINS bicycle business" said Judge Miller
Inere Is too much of this reckless riding
ABOUT the Streets and there will he nohody
Killed II l can help it. A horse NAV he.
come unmanageabie and run away, but a
olcycle can't run away. and the court is 60
ing to protect the pedestrians"
A fine of s. or fifteen days was imnosa
and the colored wheelman stepped back.
He Is Woodworking and respectable
young man and says he will have to spend
MS two weeks on the farm unless his en-
ployer pays his fine.
Walter johnson, a Virgipian. was in tho
Tolls because Policeman Vanhorn had ar
rested him on a charge of vagrancy.
saw him begging" said the policeman.
ana after he had gone in a saloon and
Soiten drink 1 arrested him."
He asked me for assistance" said Wal
yer Mayhew He came to the house where
was watching and said he had been on
Ine road between here and Baltimore for
which to buy food"
WI hat have you to say for yourself o''
the prisoner was asked.
w ell. judge" he answered, I'm not ex-
playing In hard luck. I've been in Balti-
more and now I'm on my way home to my
home in Virginia.
DO you drink?'"
Il take little whisky once In awhile
Yesterday I had two drinks aud paid {,
cents for some thing to eat"
III you had remained here about one
more day without getting arrested" the
court told him, you would have become a
confirmed vagrant."
But l was going to leave last night" he
said, If had not been arrested
I'm afraid you would not have left here
had not the officer arrested you. You may
go this time and 1 would advise you to re-
turn home without delay"
One Woman.
Maria Douglass. colored. the only female
offender against the District ordinances,
made denial Of charge Of disorderly
conduct. but upon the testimony of Officer
Hoagiand a fine of IS or fifteen days was
imposed.
Not guilty" was the plea of William
jackson. a young colored man, whose ar
rest had resulted from his alleged partici-
patton in a game Of Zip on the sidewalk
In rear of kernan's Theater.
saw eleven men on the pavement in q
crap game, was Policeman Hartmann
complaint. "A number of complaints have
been made against these people, and this
man was the only one could catch"
Judge. your honor" said the defendant,
Il wasn't in any game. When came along
yesterday there were twenty men in the
game, and stopped, and"
And made twenty-one." interrupted the
court.
He was fined $ or fifteen days on the
farm.
John Kelly's continued dissipation has
had serious effect on his health. He
has been making periodical visits to the
court for a long time but he is no longer
the robust man he was when he first an
peared. Heretofore he has contested suits
brought against him, but today he said he
was guilty, and was sent down in default
of fine.
An Assembly.
Seven colored men-Charles MackaIl
George Smith, Caesar Gordon, Joseph Ar
thur. August White, John Merriman and
Fred simms-were in the procession for an
alleged unlawful assembly in Clicks alley
Last Saturday about noon there was a
crowd of colored men in the alley" said
Policeman Pearson, "and 1 think these
men were In the crowd"
You think they were?" queried coun-
sell
Yes" he answered: land 1 had expected
~ AoNC Soihc "ltI-cSSeS mere, DOG did not
have time to summon them"
Dismissed"
There was another charge against Smith
and upon this fine of IS was imposed.
William Holmes, colored infant, was in
court on complaint of Sarah Coleman.
charged with throwing stones. Sarah had
three big stones. which she said the little
boy had thrown
Take him home to his mother" said the
court, and the boy departed.
Georgetown was represented in court by
young man named Frank Gates, the
charge against kim being "cruelly tortur-
ing and mutilatirg a cat"
Not guilty. was his plea.
Il wish you would come up my way"
Mr.. Pugh said to the young man. There g
million cats in my neighborhood"
Agent Rabbit told Of having Investigated
a case In which q bulldog had killed a cat.
Did you see the cat?'' the agent was
asked
After 1t was dead"
Was the cat dead?'
Yes, SIR"
thought cat had nine lives"
A witness identified the defendant o.. +h.