Evening star., 1896-01-01
OVER FORTY UNFORTUNAyES
They All Began the New Year tho Wrong
Way:
Early Morning Reception Held by
Judge kfmban in the Police
Court The Cases.

Forty-seven persons started the New
Year behind the bars, and many of them
were in this deplorable condition because
of trivial violations of the District ordi-
nances. Others were victims of alcohol,
while many others were brought to the
prison cells because Of desire to live on
the road. and get their food by the Sweat
of the brow of others. Some of these
men, too were also victims Of rum and a
number of them made good resolutions
last night. In some of the police stations
there were all-night watch meetings, made
necessary by the loud noises of those who
We're so much under the influence of liquor
that they were not mentally responsible
for their conduct. But there was not the
same amount of drunkenness that there
was week ago. and the patrol wagons
were not kept so busy. There were so
many alleged vasrants of the tramp
kind included in the list Of unfortunates
that the officers on duty in the stations
got the cases, depriving some of the street
men of the number of cases to their credit.
included in the young army of tramps
was man who, although not so old, had
white hair and beard made SO by expo
sure, and he was one of those who made
the promise to turn over new leaf and
make an effort to get off the road and re-
turn to work and home.
He had good home several years ago
in the west, but he wanted to become
wealthy in hurry, and this he thought
he could not do so long as he was employ
ed at hard labor But fortune did not favor
rim. and instead of becoming a millionaire
he became member of Cen" Coxeys
army of the commonweal. and endured the
hardShipS of the march from Ohio to the
national capital.
Since the army of tramps and others dis
banded this man has spent his time on the
road, sleeping in barns, hay stacks and
outhouses and eating the secondhand food
from doors Several
he has slept fE the woodward, and there he
mad to saw and split wood, the only thing
In the nature of work he has done since
lis march here with the so-called army.
Il have endured all sorts of hardships
since I started on the road" he said, land
now l have resolved to return home and
see my friends and relatives, and there l
know can get work without any trouble"
The officer who heard the mans story
believed every word he said and did not
lock him up but released him this morn
ing and he left the city for his western
home.
About the time that he was started out
of the building to resume his journey west
ward, a number of strapping young men,
all of them able to follow a plow dig
in trench, were marched to the Maria"
and later in the morning they appeared in
Judge Kimballs procession. Besides these
alleged tramps were several residents, In
cluding several women, and they, too, were
in the procession.
Robert Carter, a young colored man not
well dressed, was the leader of the process
sion, and he soon found that he had occa-
sion to believe that he was to have happy
New Year.
I'm guilty. he responded when arraign-
ed en- a charge Of disorderly conduct on a
street car, but would like to speak"
What do you want to say?"
Il was on a street car last night" he
cHndEctGr
he didn't give me any change. When we
got down near Maryland avenue l asked
the conductor for the change again, and
then we got on cross questions"
"A street car" the judge told him, ''is a
bad place to get on cross questions"
Il krow this young man." said Policeman
Greer. Hes a ha1d-working man, and
last night he was slightly under the influ-
ence of liquor. l hope your honor will take
his personal bonds this time
'I don't like to take personal bonds in
street car cases" said the court but IN
make this an exception"
Robert gave his personal bonds and was
released.
I'm not guilty of stealing" was Alex
ander Tyler's answer when arraisned on
charge of vagrancy and suspicion. Il was
trying to sell a weight for a friend, but the
weight was not stolen"
There was no proof to the contrary, and
although the colored man told straight
forward story he was locked up and re-
quired to prove his ir' ocence. The case
will come up tomorrow.
Not Suspicious.
William and Henry Reuth, fairly we'll
dressed young men, were in the tolls as
suspicious persons.
Prosecutor Pugh had filed the charge
against them, but when he heard the proof
he willingly admitted that there was no
reason why they should ne held.
They were ut the Center Market yester-
day and some co,Intl ymen with whom they
had dealings had expected to wear dia-
monds today, but the young men were ar
had been made.
.'They paid Is cents each for the rings"
said the officer, land were trying to sell
them for 25 or so cents"
But that doesn't make them suspicious
persons said Mr.. Pugh.
Not unless they had said the rings were
gold" added the court.
Even that wouldn't make out the case"
the prosecutor told the court. eff a mans
fool enough to buy such things he GER
tainly can't expect to punish those who
sell to him. And If the buyer thinks they
are gold and buys them so cheap he's
suspicious person"
The officer said that the young men be-
long in Baltimore and are in need Of foed
The young Baltilnoreans said they had
never been arrested before, and the court
discharged them from custody.
David McCarty, Frank Edwards, James
Kelly and Frank Smith are strangers in
the city and there was no one to wish them
a happy New Year this morning.
Policeman EmEaert complained against
them because they were begging on F
street last evening.
1.-The street was filled with this class of
men last evening"" said the officer, land
so many complaints were made that I put
on citizens clothes and caught these men,
and they were begging?" queried the
court.
Eyes, sir.''
Kelly was the only member Of the quartet
who had a word to say. and he begged the
court to release him.
II think Kelly has not been here very
long," the officer said, and he was willing
that the court should release him, but
Judge Kimball was not SO inclined.
Begging on the street," he said, must
not be permitted, and those who do it will
have to go down or give bond"
They we're given thirty days each.
WINS Represented.
Georgetown was represented by colored
quartet, composed of Ike Henderson,
Henry Green, Matthew Taylor and William
Jones.
Policeman Smith was told that they had
been shooting crap, and without warrant
or aEy legal writ he arrested them.
Judge kimball promptly dismissed the
prisoners, and told the policeman that he
h.