Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-26
ONCE A TOUGH PLACE
How Sheriff curt{s Reformed
a Bad Neig1borhood.
HIGH TIMES mi OLD DAYS
That Section OF Hampton Iv,np a,onv and
North of Upper oue;i. In Street ono.
Famous 4 sca,,sy.
sother Htbms.

There was time l., ~ ,,;,
Hampton when uppeG -. 49,. -
above the ancient wtil,on. go $3.50.
ethe boundary line OFT ~ I''a. No
theroughfaee, was f. M .oNn o,i tlae
pie of both s.xes land toughest peo-
ire ,lingv 80 si. ~ all races. From
cd Nv oandIas Shacks dimly light
came tba $500 - pickering oil lamps.
nv a. niah, sbacchanalian revel- |
p,,ni,r o Up more than one
tarr,,r.,ea .a .s rs 1ong period of unln-
into rickety chagbbers .aarad I ,,.,t,,
human blood. The neighbnrho @u w was
ha;,ar =. 49, ithe men We're noted for !
viyial condit all seasons in that con-
saoiai fon described In liberal
~ soeia 'no e.sleG by the word '.fulI." while
70 n :, ron.en who hailed from it's razory,
1850. Shanties We're commonly
II 1880 a,eu 10 as being fast-as they we're. |
ers IN ~ points on the street deal
"A ri1I= eHar and water displayed their
~ w and song and the laughter
within. With few excep. |
s,.ons buildings lining the highway |
~ dt one story high. but it mus, |
s,'Ma; supposed that they We're not
nIe estntly commodious to furnish am
~! - groom for first-class row They
fWere. as the official records will show.
RMS interesting settlement, however |
was not confined to Queen street
Stretching away to the north were q
score or more of small houses. some OF |
which We're able to boast of second
story. in which. night after night,
transpired scenes of reckless pleasure
thatwould have turned Bowery ba Mo |
green with envy. even in the days when
that matchless street was known far
and near as the home of the vilest met,
ana the lowest women. Tin Bucket AL
Il a mt sar,< r<Nr-
paimiest period remotely approached
the Wild and woody seton along and
above Queen street in it's nietly pro-
gram Of fast and furious fun EVEN
ually. it is said. the locality became
unsafe for people having occasion to
pass that way. Robberies and assaults
began to De matters of frequent occur
renee, and now and then the police
We're summoned to aid a belated tray.
eler with broken head. The rescue
was nearly always easy. but the appre-
hension of the culprits was a task.
winch IN large majority of cases bae-
fed official skill. Arrests were made,
but when the parties accused were
placed on trial they found no difficulty
in proving that they were not near the
scene of the crime.
The ease with which the offenders es-
capped justice had marked effect in
stimulating the lawess element to
holder deeds Then it was that Judge
Peek and Sheriff Curtis put their heads
together to consider the situation and
devise some means by which order
| could be established. They We're not
long in deciding what to do. First o:
all. it was necessary to enlist the aid
| of influential colored people in the
| movement. Without such help it would
| be impossible to apprehend the ring
leaders. phe dens of iniQuity lying
| north of the street, conducted by wo-
| most Of the mischief was bred. would
have to be broken up and the keepers
| and inmates driven away. II "A few
| fearless colored men could be induced
| to take a hand in the fight this could
| be done Such was the conclusion to
which the judge and sheriff came. One
| man was found. He lives in Hampton
| now and is respected by every lawabid-
ing white citizen of the town. Thai
| man Is Elder Shorts. pastor OF Queen
Street Baptist church. Through his in
! fiuence others We're persuaded to assist
the cause Scouts were sent out with
| instructions to report to the sheriff.
! The names of persons who could be de-
| pended upon to tell the truth concern
! ing disreputable houses We're obtained
! and filed for future use. The keepers
of the disorderly gin mills. scattered
| here and there. were spotted and
! chain of evidence which false swearing
i
and active sheriff. with the AID Of Pas
| tor Shorts. and thus. While the sport Of
this bold and brutal gang of male and
| female rowdies was at it's highest the
! trap was laid and baited.
| While Sheriff Curtis entered upon his
! task harrassed by many hindrances he
| did not doubt his ability to win. Good
| people said it was no use, just as they
| do nowadays when moral conditions
become intolerable and they are asked
| to show their colorS. Even church
! members saw obstacles in the way
which could not be overcome. But the
| sheriff and Pastor Shorts sawed wood
and said nothing until they saw the
game step into the well laid trap
Then. one fine morning. there was
| trial and half dozen men and women
| who had been openly spurning law and
| order were informed that they We're
guilty Of the charges filed against them.
! But the good work did not stop then
| the offenders We're punished. and 1t was
no halfway punishment. either that
| was melted out to them They were not
locked up for few days and then let
! out to return to their old haunts and
! their old ways. Others quickly follow
| ed and were as severely dealt with and
| within q month from the time that the
| trap set by the sheriff was sprung law
lessness in the vicinity of upper Queen
| street was a thing of the past.
| Tie section is still the home of col
| ored people, but, with the exception OF
an occasional row at the Cross Roads.
/ it is as orderly as any part of Hamp>
| ton.