The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-09
MIGRANTS ARE NOW
 IN OTHER CLIMBS Faces of Familiar ldIers Can No
 Longer be Seen WORKINGS OF THE LAWS Judge Feasln Says Chief Wier's sys- tenn of Kidding Birmingham of ob-
 jectionable Characters Has
 Been of Great Benefit.
 
WORKINGS OF THE LAWS

With the coming of the Christmas holi- days Chief Wier and his vigilant band of ''Old Sleuths'' called a momentary halt in the chase of the unhappy vagrant and since business has settled down to its accustomed haunts the idler has disap- peared. No more Is Patrolman Murphy called into service to clear the streets oi Johnnies, "rubberers." or whatever they may be called. These men whose means of support Is indistinet have passed from public view. They are no longer in the public eye.
 The complete disappearance or such a well-known class as vagrants is a mat ter for deep thought and long considera- tion The police know not their where abouts and Judge Feagin suffers from a similar lack of information. Of course they were not all arrested and 1t is diff ficult to believe that all of them have left town It is equally hard to conceive or entertain the idea that all of them have gone to work. At any rate they have disappeared and while missed by persons who are accustomed to their fads the police have shed no tears. The police advance the theory that the boys of easy habits have migrated southward, taking advantage of the Christmas excur- sion rates and are now operating in the resorts of Florida and Louisiana.
 Gambling Almost Impossible.
 A well-informed man on shady questions says that now the operation of gam bling house in Birmingham is practically impossible. There are a few mild at tempts. he says, to start up game but in his actual words there is nothing doing''
 "Chief Wer and Judge Feagin have simply put the law to them good and strong" remarked this undignified and al most irreverent gentleman, "and it's 8 hard proposition to beat. All the boys car do now is to simply lay low and wait til the thing quiets down little more and then business will begin to pick up. The people of all cities like to gamble and nothing can keep them from it except tc go broke"
 Failure.
 The new vagrancy law which created such a hubbub In police and gambling cir cles several weeks ago and practically re- suited in the vagrants being driven oui of town and forced to work. has proven z failure technically Judge Feagin has found it difficult to make convictions un der it's provisions, and he says the old law Is by far the better of the two. There arc several ways to evade the new law, ant these have not been overlooked by attor- neys for men on trial. One of the veal points in the new law, according to police officials, is that If a person can show that he has made efforts to secure employ. ment he is not guilty. They say that al most anybody can furnish this proof ane many real warrants are turned loose. An other loophole is for young man t' prove by his parents that they supper him. An indulgent father will do this II nearly every instance, 1t is said, to ore vent disgrace being brought on the family
 There are five sections of the old law under which person can be convicted and in police parlance each of thes' clauses is considered sure shot
 Judge Feagin says the system employed by Chief Wier in ridding the city of gam bling and vagrancy Is deserving of grea praise. He says the chief has alwayi shown a spirit towards helping a mai back to the honest paths of living, rathe than to degrade him and make him wors than if not punished at all
 Judge Feagin's Theory.
 "You will be surprised" said Judg' Feagin, "to see how many of these young men charged with vagrancy are honor able In numerous instances l have ad vised young men to go to work and or their promise to quit gambling l have re leased them Numbers of them stuck tt their promise and l believe will mak' good men. My theory is to reach a mar through his soul rather than his body. | l can convince him that gambling an' vagrancy are wrong and can set his min' straight I will do vastly more good t the country than to throw him In jai where his mind will become poisoned There, surrounded by criminals, hi InDuRDtS are CTllillidi hIu WHti HIS liih is served he Is turned loose an ulce on the side of society. If l can convinc them of their wrong doings and turi them loose better men then I will hav' done something that will be benefit t the public.'
 Judge Feagin says one young mar whom he discharged on promse tha he would quit gambling has written hin letter asking to be released from hi promise. The young man says that if h' Is not released he will have to leave thu city. The judge says this is an instance of the honor still left in some Of thes, idle men. This young fellow could prob ably have gone on gambling and thu judge would never have known out hi. sense of honor would not permit 1t.