The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-03
WANT BOND feature
TO GIVE law EFFECT
Commonwealth Attorney Asks
Justice to Require Security Of
Sunday Violation.
FORFEIT in EACH CASE
This the Extent Of Present Sta
tutc, Which is Not Sufficient
to Serve as Preventive.

The cases Of the men who do busi-
ness at lakewood on week days, and
last Sunday tried to do turn or two
on the Sabbath and were nabbed by
the police. were taken up In the Police
Court by Justice Crutchfeld yesterday
morning. Commonwcalth's Attorney
Folkes was on hand to look after the
interest of the State and the city, and
Mr. Wyndham Meredith represented
the defendants.
The first case called was that Of
Lewis Selden the man who takes
lightning photographs It was easily
proven that Selden was found laboring
at his profession or trade on the Sab
to disprove this fact and the Justice
promptly charged him with a forfeit
OF 50.
Will Ask for Bonds.
Mr.. Folles announced that at a later
stage of the proceedings he would ask
and demand that this man and all 9TH
ers who might be required to pay a
forfeit should be put under bonds to
guarantee that they would not in fu-
future forfeits. That proposition raised
a question Of law which Justice Crutch-
field was not Just ready to decide. He
said recent divisions among judges of
a higher order had rather "confus-
cated' him.
It was contended by Mr.. Meredith
that the forfeiture was a civil trans
action. and that a bond could not be
required. Mr. Follles said that might
be so. he himself was in doubt. but
he wanted the matter settled one way
or another. IF tho law as 1t now
stands does not reach the violators OF
the spirit of the Sunday laws" said
Mr.. Folkes, we want to know it be-
fore the next Legislature meets. so that
the law can be amended to reach such
cases as the one now before u.s.
To Make Test Cnse.
1t was agreed that test case should
be made up, and that the selden case
should be so used. The argument or
the motion to require bond Of the de.
PENDANTS will be heard some day this
week by Justice Crutchfield, and II he
decides against the defendants, the
case will be appealed to the higher
courts. and final decision on the mat
ter will be reached. even should It q
to the Supreme Court of Appeals be
fore the assembling Of tho next Leg
islature.
Under the present law, and the rul
ings of the courts SO far. the onl.
thing justice can do under the cir
y
ST. Any of the vendors and show-folk
at lakewood can we'll afford to pay a,
extra two dollars for the privilege O
doing business there all day. and un
til late In the night on Sunday. There
| fore, as the law now stands, the of
fence being a civil matter valued at
forfeiture OF only two dollars. an,
not a criminal matter subject to fin
and costs and maybe imprisonment, 1
not In any sense a preventive unles
the justice has the power to requir
bond that the man who pays the for
felt shall sin no more. This is tn
important question that Is yet to b
passed upon. and II the judges fror
Crutchfield on up. decide that the LAY
ends with the little two-dollar for
FIXTURE. the Legislature Will probabl
be appealed to make the law more OK
acting. <
The other cases were disposed OF |
the same way. and "forfeitures" to tn
amount Of about sixteen dollars wer
! entered up.