Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-05
DR.. ]. J. HALL
At Park Avenue Baptist Church
Sunday Night
On Norfolk "A Wicked City-A Ringing
Call to Her ci,izcus- Something Ought
: to BE Dono to Stop tho Evil.

Rev. DIR. Hall on Sunday night adj
dressed large audience at the Park
Avenue church, and in his sermon
made some very important remarks re-
lnting to our city and tho county of
Norfolk. DR.. Hall said IN part: You,
Who for more than seven years have
listened to me, know it is not my Gus
tom to bring municipal affairs into the
pulpit. We have our secular papers,
and am not in competition with them.
1t is so difficult to separate these
things from politics, and in my hum
BILE Judgment the pulpit is no place to
discuss politics. l think many a
charge against city wrongs is often eX-
agSerateo, and am not blind to the
material prosperity of Norfolk. Our
school buildings would honor any city;
our new churches speak we'll for the
community, and our new business
blocks assure us of a great commercial
future.
Judge then of my surprise when a
statement in u recent city paper,
taken from n New York periodical.
made the charge that Norfolk is the
most wicked city in the United States.
1t is not rash statement. 1t is not a
charge trumped up for political pur-
poses. 1t is founded upon Informal
ton furnished officially by the police
reports of one hundred cities, com
mencing with New York and ending
with Sioux Falls, S. ID.
Il could hardly believe it. 1 knew
we had very unique police force, but
that crime was so rampant in our
midst did not know. But here II is.
and In bold letters 1t has gone out to
the world that Norfolk is the most
wicked city in the United States.
WHAT CAN WE DOp
1T will not do for us to close our
eyes and say Nonsense We had bet
ter measure up the thing and see what
we can do to stay the evils which
threaten the good name OF the city.
Recently the world was shocked at
the terrible revelations of crime being
committed in Paterson, N. j., and the
mayor OF that place took it upon him
self to rush TO the city's fair name.
and to write that Paterson was a good.
moral city. But, thank God, that did
not satisfy the people. They held in
u,ignaIion meetings, appointed inves-
tlgating committees. Three of the evil
doors are awaiting trial. Public opin-
ION Is fully aroused against the terri
bic iniqufties which recently fourished
there.
The trouble is public officials seem
10 become weli-nigh Indifferent to the
suppression of vice. and IT BECOMES
NECESSARY every now and again for.
TIL CITIZENS TO ARISE and take
hoid OF these great evils which dis
grace city's good name.
NO POLITICS IN 1T.
This should be done irrespective of
politics and scrambling for office. but
II those In authority are not Willing ~
undertake the work then let the Gift
it done. ms
II send greetings to the workers in
Philadelphia. where the ministers of
the Gospel. irrespective of creed have
undertaken this work. l send good
cheer 10 the workers in New York
Guy. There business men, whose
names are known throughout the com
mercial world, are graphing with the
vicious classes"
THE KILLING OF FOGARTY.
took up Friday mornings paper and
read Awful tragedy last night;
Thomas Fogarty is dead: Churcb
Lewis is seriously wounded; he is shot
three times in the body" The shoot
ing occurred in the bar-room of MIR
Church Lewis. How tragic the scene
when the hastily summoned Jury was
attending to its duties. There is the
Saloon. the breeder of crime; there is
inc Justice sitting on beer-keg: there
Is the dead body Of the man shot with
its gaping hole in the forehead. and
the blood oozing therefrom: there is
the physician, probing the wound Just
made by the deadly pistol, while the
dim light adds to the horror OF the
scene
My respects to Justice Hawks. can
he not do something to close that ga
loon. 1t is more hurtful there than a
pest house would be. WHY is that sa
loon there? o, the person holds Ii
cense to sell liquor therein! But how
came license to be granted for that
place? If ! remember rightly (and if
am mistaken will be glad 10 be cor