The plaindealer., 1900-01-26
,,rorrd Criminals in X. c.

In compliance with your request to
,,rtrib9f4 an article on the criminal
Nogro of Kansas City, do so fully
aware Of III, inability to discuss this
nbs.e of sociology with the skill and
Governmental knowledge possessed by
.ome but as clerk of the police court
d Kansas City for the past two years,
I've had an opportunity to study
certain Negro characteristics as ex-
bbited by those who have been
brought before the court for trial, and
7 may ada that there is no better
school in which to study the criminal
tendencies Of petty thieves and other
vjolators Of law in this bustling
and progressive city, than in the
police court
Otof r.99i cases tried IN the court
during I,o9, ?,272 aoere cases against
Neqroes. little less than one-third Of
al eases tried, while the Negro pop1t-
htioa IS jm one-tenh Of the city's
DoDplation. However, it must also be
remembered that Negroes are arrested
for trivial otienses, in the commission
of which a white person would not be
moIested In this connection | wish
to say that | do not believe there is a
more preiudiced police force in
the country than we have here in
Kansas City, Although there are
some excellent men connected with
the department., thev are woefully il
the minority
The Monday mornings police court
session furnishes the best opportunity
to study the seamy side of city life.
Drop in and witness the motley array
of offenders as they are marched out
Of the detention room to face the
police Judge. First cumes a" bully
who started, in to clean out" the
North>End or Bowery district, bu
ran un against a policeman's club anC
suddenly realized that he was "uI
against the real thing now" TIL,
Judge assesses a fine of ten dollar
and costs Then come a couple O
Negro women who have fought owe
the affections of some dusky dude
Five dollars EACH" says the court
while the cause of the trouble laugh
at their discontinue next, buncI
ofHashiIy dressed females, whose braz
en- countenancps betOken their occu
patton. Ten dollars and costs each
which they pay with an indifference
that plainly indicates that they car
little for money and still less 70
public opinion. Here comes a gans
Oh twenty or thirty Negroes of al
shades Of complexion and degrees q
intelligence, who were raided in :
crap game, each one of whor
anXlo1Sly scans the crowd of on-lOoker
IN the court room to see if hi
woman is on hand to pay his fin,
After few explanations by tn
ofhcers making the raid and a
exhibition of the "bones " and none
secured from the "crap" tabl
mingled with strong denials by th
culprlt-, fne of two dollars an
costs Is imposed and they are hustle
Oack INTO the detention room to max
room Tor detected looking husban
VINO is charged with cruelty to h
vile who appears to prosecute. Aft
the Judge has heard each side, an
patiently listened to the stories tol
with a pathos that would all bv
make statue weep, he kindly lectur
hem both and advises them to s
IN peace to their home and try
i've happily together. They lea'
with tears in their eyes and smil
Oh their faces, while everyone pr
Dounces the judge second Solomo
No" comes one of the so call,
Negro " clubs" that was raided al
eYentv-eight men and women arrest
On Saturday or Sunday night at ii
resort are lined up before His Hon
ior trequenting a disorderly hous
All guilty. The proprietor is fin
SooO his charter is burned in op
court and the frequenters of t
alleged "club house" are fined s
each, While the better element
negroes heave a sigh of relief und
'ne impression that this particul