The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-11-14
NEED LIGHT; NOT
Citizen PATROL
Council Can Apply Remedy by
Extending System to Dark and
Lonely Sections.
POLICE CONTROL SITUATION
Felt That Organization OF Vigi-
lance Committee Would Make
Matters Worse.
POLICE CONTROL SITUATION

In the opinion OF the police depart
ment no necessity exists for the or
ganization of vigilance committee,
which has been proposed by certain
citizens OF Church Hill and for the
formation OF which a meeting has been
called for tomorrow night In Cor
cornn Hall.
Despite the reports to the effect that
manner of depredations, the police re-
cords show that not one. robbery has
been recorded within the Cast two
acters and the loafers said to c1ngre-
gate on the streets. Church Hill Is
Comparatively free OF them. Two
young ladies have recently been as
could have been prevented unless the
Dolice had been forewarned or one of
them had been actually on the spoe
wien the crime was as. n cGmm, fasse
reside on Church Hill. or in its imrne-
date vicinity. East OF Seventeenth
Street live over forty policemen ois aal,n ~,
Broad live more than twenty-fiv Three
or four officers have their homes with
In q few blocks OF the place where the
crime was committed. on North Ihlrty-
police, therefore, that Church AN Is
one OF the best guarded districts OF
the city.
Have Situation In Hand.
When the assault was committed on
Thirty-first Street last Saturday night
police o1ficer stood within a block
of the see ne; people In nearby houses
were eating their suppers; others were
up and about In the house within a
J few yards OF where the crime occurred;
Iyet no one heard the sound OF blow
| or OF the girl pleading for pity. Hence
| it is held to be next to impossible to
I CT 10 nj
| is to try to hunt the criminal down.
In many sections of the city. where
the proposal to organize a vigilance
committee has been discussed It IS felt
! that some one is apt to be stoned by
4 over-zealous vigilantes: It is almost
certain that some one will be hurt II
the eG n trae that be for many women
at night. But often there is little
foundation for their fears. Every time
4, shoulder and sees a negro behind her
\ following. perhaps. square or two
an alarm is sent into the police sta;
/ known citizen passed by. She beckon,
ed him In. He entered. and pa,pi.
4 she was alone in the house, save for
man who was in the cellar. She was
! sure she had heard man moving
about.
and l proceeded to investirate, Outward d.
ly imperturbable. Inwnrdly lie quaKet
with fear. He got halfway down the
stairs and the match went out TIL,
listening woman heard the sound of {
scuffle. She began to pray. She al
most tainted when a large ton,cat sho
by her into the darkness with a ter
rified meow" The citizen clamberet
back. did you see him?" lie asked
The Police Department does not =
gage to arrest cats acting N suS
pcious manner.
Need More Lights.
AS matter Of fact. whether Their,
is good ground for 1t or not. the alarm
felt by residents Of lonely sections 4
y reasonable, but what Is needed is no
!, a vigilance committee, but more stree
flights and the presence OF the polio
nearby. The police department pro
fesses. Its ability to meet the require
merits, and the energy with which tn
officers are entering into the prosecu
ton of the present case is an assur
! ance that It can do SO. AS for tn
rest the Council can speedily apply
i remedy by Installing lights of som
!. sort where dark and tortuous street
make walking bitter trial even at
criminals away. THE demand for bet t
4, ter lighting In several sections Of tn
n city is growing; and people generall
= viii look to the Council for promp
$ action that will make&unnecessary tn
y formation of citizen patrols that ar
$ likely to excite. rather than to ALA
or AT far ,ay,f : r.