The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-07
GAS HIGHER THAN
IT WASLAST YEAR
Bills Much Larger in the City Hall
Than Formerly.
THEY STIR UP JUSTICE JOHN.
A Crazy Negro From King william
Brings Him n Message From the
Lord-Robcrt Epps Goes to Jan
for Stealing an Ovcrcoat'
THEY STIR UP JUSTICE JOHN.

Justice John faces two separate
audiences every Friday widely different
I'm their Character. The criminal docket
yesterday was short and the audience
small in proportion, but the days work
was well evened up by the long list OF
civil cases brought for his decision.
Friday is always Justice Johns busy
day and added to the responsibilities Of
the position yesterday was question
that involved the very principles Of his
court. invaded the rights OF his position,
and threatened the very autonomy Of his
tribunal
lie was up in arms I'm minute and as
fun Of fight as a yelow-jack on June
day. and determined 10 defend the dignity
ana power Of his court with his life If
need be.
HIGHER GAS BILLS.
The trouble was all on account OF the
fact that the gas bills in the city Hall
are from twenty-five to seventy-hve per
cent. higher In 1892 than they were for the
corresponding months in 1855.
The suppositon was that gas was being
wasted. and some of the necessary lights
Justice John swore on the beard or his
| Great Great Great Grandfather Bryan
! BOru that he was the king Of the big
White Chamber. and he would regulate
| the flow Of gas there or bust the meter.
Il turned ont that the Guy Engineer
/ had instituted a campaign Of retrench-
| ment i'm ;hc use Of gas in the city Han
| bccause Of the unaccOuHtatie Increase
/ above stated.
/ II that ha Gould
| get all the lights needed in his depart
| ment. and his sweet lamb-like disposition
! reasserted itself and when last seen his
! face wore a gentle smile and was as
smooth as the features OF a sleeping III
FAINT.
CITIZENS SUFFER TOO.
Very many citizens who have reaped
! the same costly experience as between
| their gas bills for lS9s and their gas bills
, for the corresponding months OF 1899 viii
be interested TO know that the same
/ mysterious gaseous influence pervddes the
| city temple.
There is "a costly conundrum in this
| condition for somebody Go solve.
The Police Court yesterday was
! comfortable as the sunny side of house,
! and Justice John having expended some
| of his surplus energy on the gas question.
| the court was conducted with oriental
l languor and IL only needed divan TO-
! the Great Dispenser, "a fez for Sergeant
| Thomas and q HOokah for clerk White to
! make the picture Of the orient complete.
Robert Epps. coloTed. came TO the front
I'm fautlcss attire 10 answer the double
charge of being a suspicious character
and of stealing Or. J. G.. Goodies oyercoat
The coat was given 10 him TO press
and was recovered from a pawn shop.
Robert put up a plausible story Of ur-
gent eXigencies in his financial needs, and
the mscarrying OF his neat calculations
and best intentions
HIS SEVERAL CRIMES.
HIS former record was discussed. Some
time ago Robert stole a case of surgi-
cal Instruments from Or. Miner and while
serving a term in jail went 10 the city
| hospital with appendicitis and the am
I bu,ance surgeons removed his appendix.
The oyercoat incident followed the re-
covery OF Robert and the circumstances
gave the Great Dispenser an opportunity
! Tor a short and lncsiyc lecture on graft
| tude.
Among Epps other offences was for
| gerry for which he served time in the pen
intenuary Sergeant Tomlinson stated TO
the Court that he thought il was three
years. but Epps said he made q 'prepon-
derous mistake"
Sergeant Tomlinson does not claim to-
tai nfalibiity, but this was the most Sc
rous charge Of his long ana honorable
career.
But TO return TO Robert Epps. His
story told in liquid sOnorous tones had no
enect on Justice Crutchfeld Boy, ana
with a languid lifting OF the eye Ids and
gentle wave OF his jeweled fingers, the
! Great Dispenser sent the incorrigiDle Ro-
bert TO jail for six months
OFF FOR THE PHILIPPINES.
Wilbur Goddin, a young man who has
shown q great distaste for keeping So
her. opened the conversation 0n-hlni be-
fore the Oriental Prince could arouse HIM
self I'm the perfume-ladcn air OF the au-
dience chaml cr and promised n dlschars-
81 this one time he would 20 right
straight and enlist for the Philippines
A police officer was detailed TO accom-
many him 10 the recruiting station and
he retired with many salaams.
G.. l.. Meyers. colored, allowed two
young and giddy cows out after dark
without chaperone and they Were CAD
ding about in the most outrageous man
ner when arrested by the officer.
G.. H. paid four-hard earned dollars
Keeping COWS in Richmond is, indeed
| luxury.
when the criminal court was over the
Great Dispenser found william Farmer
young negro from King William county,
waiting for him.
me negro stated that he was not there
bv his own volltion; that the Lord sent
him. The Lord told him that John
t'uItchfeld was next 10 himself IN Rich
mond. and that the Lord sent him TO get
arrested lrnp ~.
1899 as a suspicious character.
A SHOOTING STAR.
He said he did not want TO come. and
asked the Lord to shoot him a star as
proof that he must come; that the Lord