The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-11-01
Heard and Seen
inPublicPlnces.

.rrhc Jews of the entire country arc
going to make the coming Thanksgiving
Dav one of Importance III their American
calendar" said Mr.. II. 4. Ezekiel yes
terdny. "Throughout the nation they are
going to celebrate in suitable manner tho
two hundred and aftieth anniversary OF
Tie landing Of the first Jews to come to
America. Two hundred and nifty years
ago this fall Qlie exact date Is not re-
mcnibered) the first Jews to reach these
.hospitablc shores landed at New Am
stcrda,n, N. Y. The authorities were
little dubious about permitting them to
land and locate here. Stringent condl-
tons were imposed, one Of which was u
pledge that the Jews should forever take
care OF their own poor and never allow
the government or state TO suffer expense
for the maintenance OF Jewish paupcrs.
The history OF the country tells how well
they have kept their pledge. Did you
or any one of your acquaintances ever
hear of a Jewish pauper in q pubic
Ialmshouse or in q hospital at the States
iexpcnse?"
"Riclmond Is being flooded just now
with very bad and very la.wlcss colorcd
people from North Carolina said Com
lmonwcalths Attorney Richardson. The
records and the testimony in the Hust-
'ings Court and in the Police Court snow
that there is and has been for several
months All epidemic Of that very ,lnde-
sirablc immigration from the Old North
State l have been puzzled to know me
cause Of It. but think now have found
1t out. It is because of drastic va.grant
law they have over In North Carolina,
pb haF N n riYi1Iv nnfOrC.
Ing. recent Legislature, the last one
1 think, passed this law which Is called
in common parlancc the nove-on law
1t requires all healthy men. whether white
or black, rich or poor. 10 go to work for
themselves, move away, or go to work
for the state. Under the rigid enforce
ment Of the law loafers In town or coui,-
try must stop loaflng and go to work. or
get out or the State. Otherwise they nrc
arrested, tried and when convicted they
are put to work on the country roads. 1t
might be well for some ofathe members
of our next Legislature to get copies Of
this North Carolina vagrant act and study
1t. with the view of copying 1t into the
Virginia Code.'
THAT reminds mo OF little private
Vagrant law n certain Virginia justice
of the peace once made for his own use,
and lie enforced 1t, too said II gentle
man who had heard Attorney Richard
sons remarks. The justice or ex-justice
! refer to IS now citizen OF Richmond,
but at the time lie was a magistrate he
lived In Danville. It was back in the
seventies. before the whipping post was
abolished and nine and thirty was tho
extreme penalty for petit larceny. When
ever tramp or a vagrant or a totally
worthless character was brought before
this Justice on a charge of larceny and
the charge was sustained, he would SEN
,tence the prisoner to twenty. thirty or
thirty-nlne lashcs. order ten or a dozen
administered at once and then release
the culprit on his own recognizance to
return in the afternoon or the next morn
ing to receive the balance OF his sentence.
It is needless to say that the half pun
ished criminal would in the shortest pos
sible time be across the North Carolina
line, never to return. have no doubt
that this justice rid Virginia. OF hun
.dred bad characters by. this little law OF
his OWr.' 5l;sa r2sa t7lt55as