The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-09

The business of the banana Man.
! The police have again been instructed
! TO pay particular attention 20 travelling
| fruit vendors. and see that they keep
| their carts moving. A dozen or more OF
! these peGdj,rs have been summoned to
| the Police Court since Monday to answer
| to the charge Of violating the regulation
! EoveruinE them In nearly every case
! there has been forfeiture of collateral
The men arrested on this charge gener-
ally know they are guilty. and hence
save time and trouble by giving up their
/ security money and not going to court.
The Police Department seems 10 work
| on these Offenders spasnodicaIIy- For
awhile. after "a number of them have
been prosecuted. the whole fraternity Of
I fruit-cart men will be on good behavior
/ Then when they think the policemen have
! forgotten them they halt at a corner or
near some busy locality and remain there
dispensing peaches, bananas, oranges
and nuts for hours at a stretch The go
along I'm this way year in and year out
Their immunity from punishment for
their defiance of law rarely lasts for any
considerable length of time. They are
bound 10 be brought TO a reckoning soon
CT or later The present move on the part
Of the Police Department promises to
bring many Of them to book as such
movements Invariably do.
Last Saturday night two policemen in
citizens clothes were posted at a certain
corner. where there is always on this day
Of the week a throng. TO watch the cart
men who consregate there. one Of these
policemen was recognized by a reporter,
who ventured TO ask him what was going
finally replied and commented freely and
interestingly on the fruit peddler, mis-
methods and his money-making procIivi-
ties. He said ne had been detailed at vari-
Gus times during the past three or four
years to watch, as he was then watching.
certain cartmen in order that a clear case
might be made against them
There were at least half dozen Of them
on corner directly opposite him and his
partner. He took his watch from his
pocket and said. 1t is now nearly s
O'Clock. Those fellows have been there
since g. These men were summoned TO
court Monday and forfeited collateral.
Commenting on the ability OF the fruit
cart man 10 stand nnes or f0rfeiturss. the
policeman said he know Of one Italian
VINO he was confident had paid 10 the
Police Court not less than 800 in the last
year IN collateral number had paid
from So 10 so i'm that time. he said Few
people had any idea OF the volume Of
business these foreigners. as most of
tnem are foreigners, do. or the profits
ihvy reap While their dress and manner
lead nearly everyone to believe that their
lot Is Eard one and that they exc out
a pare living, IL is said that there is no
business that requires so little an outlay
and produces so much revenue as that OF
the ltineraut fruit veudeT. He could well
aHord to pay tue OF a dollar or 50 for
standing at such point for an hour or
two an evening
from another source reporter CLEANED
the information that energetic fruit cart
men do business OF from SO 20 SIS q day
m good weather. and that three f0Irths
OF TINS income Is net Recently there we're
summoned 70 the Police Court or one dav
ed s.