Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-23

will have to pay when the case is decided.
If the decision of Judge Pritchard should
be adverse when the case is called at Ashe-
vile the last of this month it will GER
tainly be carried higher. and if the litiga-
ton had before the corporation commission
has to be repeated the matter will be ex
penslVe, 25,OOO pages of evidence again re-
ported.
A force of twenty men is engaged in talk
ing census of the city, and while the men
have ben at work but ten days, enough is
shown to warrant the assertion that the
population of the city will go far beyond
the 100000 mark, possibly high as 10000.
Inc work Is being paid for by the city, and
is being managed by men who understand
the business. The census will show the ex-
act number of whites and blacks in the
city, together with the number of males and
females. The number and character of
dwellings will also be stated The work is
to be completed as soon as possible.
Base Ball in Richmond.
A party of lovers of the national game
have organized and stand ready to put up
any amount of money in order to have a
club here that will reflect credit on the city
and bring players of higher class than is
permissible in a state league. The city
Is ball crazy, the attendance at the games
here averaging some $500 a day. On holi-
days and Saturdays the patronage is any
where from 5000 to 10000. Ladies are great
followers of the game, hundreds of them
never missing a contest. The other cities
in the state do not more than pay ex-
penses, the clear money being made when
| the clubs visit this city. The salary limit
is low in Virginia, made for the reason
that other clubs cannot afford to pay
enough to get such men as Richmond
would be glad to have, and which the pa
irons of the game are demanding.
Society is discussing the advent of Miss
Sherrard Wilcox of this city into theatre
cal life. Miss Wilcox is only about twenty
years Old, a debutante of last seas IN,
and one of the bellies of the city She has
hundreds of admirers and
lite. She has appeared in a number of anna
teur performances and has been regarded
as woman of extraordinary talent. She
has a fine carriage, Gear voice and a
magnificent figure She is to appear to-
morrow night in support of the Percy Has
well company, playing stock here, having
minor part in "Niobe." The company has
been here twelve weeks and has teen do
ing fine business. 1t is understood that
Miss Wilcox, who is to be Patricia War
rem on the stage, is contemplating entering
on a professional career, and may be S en-
with Miss Haswell in Baltimore and Wash
ington this fall and winter
Since the police have begun a determined
crusade against the sale of cocaine among
the negroes and lower class of whites of
the city, the element addicted to the dope
has resorted to another diversion, this time
reviving the old-time policy game. Several
shops have been opened up and have been
doing fiourishing business. The police
have begun a still hunt for the places and
with the aid of spoilers" have. succ aeded
in making about dozen arrests The pen
atty is $40 fine and a day in JAIL and so
far all the operators arrested are negro
men. The game is one which appeals to thu
race and they will walk a mile to play
the numbers.
The State Fair.
While the date for the state fair is some
five months away, the management has
begun active preparations for the annual
exhibition. The dates will be around DC
tober -. and the horse show will take
place at the same time. 1t is announced
that racing will be a strong feature of the
fair. large purses being offered for various
events, of which there are to be about a
dozen each day. William Jennings Bryan
has written that he will be here the last
day of the fair and will make a speech
on. the grounds. the subject to be politi-
cal.
With the beginning of warm weather
there has been great increase in petty
crimes among the colored population. With
in the last few days not less than a doz N
cases of theft have been worked by the
police. the cuprits being too small for con-
finement in the Jail. The negro reforma-
tory is full of petty offenders between the
ages of eight and sixteen years. One of
the latest cases to come under review in
the police court was that of a negro boy
of about ten years who had stolen a num-
Der of brasses from railroad cars Another
is a case of shooting over a dispute in a
marble game, while the theft of chickens,
bicycles and such articles is a daily oc
currence.
Mary Johnson. colored woman, belong
ing TO of the most respected colored
families in the city. is in Jail with a
charge of infanticde pending against her.
The woman confesses that she is the
mother of an infant found murdered 4 week
ago. but she denies that she is guilty of
murder She will not be allowed bail. The
dead body of the child was found In an
clubhouse by the scavenger.
Detective Capt. Tomlinson. one of the
oldest men on the force. says that with
the coming of watermelons the increase of
crime among negroes is always noticeable
And watermelonS are arriving on the mar
ket.