The Washington herald., 1908-02-16
WANT CRIME HALTED
Two House Members Seek
Protection of District.
WEBB HAS vAGRANCY BILL
Proposes Drastic Measure to Drive
Worthless Blacks from Capital
quate Law of This S0rt-Sims Would
Close Low Saloons and Add Police.

/ Two incidents in the House of Repre-
sentatives yesterday served TO indicate
! that members Of that body are becoming
aroused over the repeated assaults which
are rapidly developing into a chronic
wave of brigandage in the District
/ Representative Webb. of North Caro-
/ lima. introduced a sweeping anti-vagrancy
/ bill, and Representative Sims. of Ten
nessee. in a ten-minute address on the
/ floor Of the House called attention to
the reign Of lawlessness which has the
/ District in its grasp, and advocated pro-
visions for an addition 10 the police
| force This, however. he argued. would
not wholly prevent the recurrence of
present conditions. unless the low saloons
and dives which breed the class which
is responsible for the crimes which are
shocking and terroriztng Washington
/ are put out of business.
Blame Crimes on Negroes.
Both Mr. Webb and Mr.. Sims declared
that the crimes which are of almost daily
/ occurrence in Washington now are the
work OF negroes. and the former added.
in discussing his bill last night, that he
believed that its passage and approval
would result in driving out of Washing
ton at least ten thousand If the worst
class of negroes.
! The proposed law is the result OF exten-
siye investigation by DIr. Webb OF the ex-
listing condition and the best method of
remedying it. He said that the bill has
the approval of the police department Of
this city, and that it Is based on laws at
present in force IN Massachusetts,, North
Carolina, and other States lie found
while looking up the facts that the Dis
tTict has no vagrancy law, one which was
enacted in 1892 having apparently been re-
/ pealed inadvertently by the Fifty-sixth
| Congress.
Mr. Webb's Bill Drastic.
The bill proposes TO define vagrancy in
the District of Columbia and prescribe
the punishment therefor"
1t permits any policeman, upon infor-
nation furnished by any other person. or
on his own knowledge or belief, to arrest
any alleged vagrant and take him before
the Police Court, and provides that If
| convicted Of coming under the descrip-
tions embodied in the following sections
of the biz he shall pay a fine of not more
than 800 or be imprisoned for not more
than sixty days;
"A. Persons wandering around or stroll
ing about I'm ideness, who are able 10
work, and have no property 10 support
them.
"B. Persons leading an Idle Immoral.
or pr0fligate life, who have no property
to support them and who are able to
work, bat do not work.
&C. All persons able to work, having no
property to support them. and who have
not some visible and known means Of a
fair, honest and reputable livelihood.
includes Thieves and Gamblers,
ID. Persons having a fixed abode who
have no visible property TO support them.
and who live by stealing or by trading
in, bartering for, OF buying and selling
stolen property
"E. Professional gamblers living in
idleness.
Fl. All able-bodied men who have no
visible means of support, who live IN
Ildleness upon wages or earnings of their
mother, wife, or minor child or children,
except male children over eighteen years
Of age.
&c. Every person shown to he a pick
pocket, thief, burglar. or confidence op-
| orator. either by his own confession or
by his having been convicted of any Of
such 9ffenses and having no visible and
lawful means of support when found
lettering about a steamboat landing.
railroad depot, banking institution, brok-
er's office. place Of amusement room.
store. shop. or crowded thOroughfare. ear.
or omnibus, or AT any public gathering or
assembly
Professional Beggars Haired.
III Every healthy beggar who solicits
aims as a business
I. Persons without employment and
without visible means OF support who
loiter about saloons or dram shops. gam
bling houses, or houses OF ill-fame
All idle persons who. not having Wis
ible means of support, live without law
| ful employment"