Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-28
GOT IN THE WRONG STORE
Also He Got In Bad With MI. Lewis
Bernstein.
AND LATER GOT IN W0RKHoUsE
Mean Way to Treat Folks Who
Want to Spend Money, Says
Visitor From Alexandra.

ROBERT Richard. a colored man. whose
native home" he will tell any one. is in
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. but who recently has
oWet In Alexandria, came I'D to town
yesterday AFTERNOON to do a little shop
ping. stepping from the cars, he visited
tnat block on d street northwest where
gentlemen furnishings are bought and
Sold He bore In his hand the business
caro- OF a certain merchant, and while
gazing over the long lines Of garments
hung out above the sidewalks in a vain
endeavor to find the man with whom he
intended to deal. the solicitor at the front
Of Lewis Bernstein's establishment got
him.
The rest OF the story must be told in
the shape Of Police Court evidence.
Bernstein told Judge Mullowny that
Richard tried on complete outfit, pink
underwear, 15-cent socks a suit worth al
least "A and a pair of shoes Then he
suggested having a drink. So all hands
went across the street. where the mer-
chant took cigar and Richard wet his
clay with liquor. Then they had one
more turn Bernstein still sticking to
cigars. and after that Richard wanted to
hear little graphophone music before
he would pay for his outfit. Somehow OF
other they drifted back to the store, and
Bernstein says that Richard showed some
slight ANNOYANCE at the mention Of money
bernstein then proceeded to undress Ri
ctard and when he had him stripped to
underwear and shoes Richard started for
the street.
Fled Clad in Pink Underwear.
on he ran. attracting some attention in
his pretty pink underwear and his new
shoes. The shoes bothered him, and
~ thA~ ~ A. \
them into the street. Bernstein gave
chase with loud halioos and the fleeing
symphony in pink became the object OF
man hunt In which many prominent
merchants on D street. assisted by one
Kelly. took part. Policeman Trice finally
caught up with the pink 'un and locked
him up. That was Bernstein's story.
richard drawls his talk in a slow, dazed
fashion. but he got it all out finally:
ledge. jes' came up from Alexandria.
an l was goin' long this yer mans
street. an that other fellow, he grabbed
me and seq. Come in,' an SEE No.
gotta card from the man next do an
other fellow he SEE You come In. an
I'll show yo' Jes' what yo' want So
he jes' grabbed me like dish yer. jedge.
like dish yer, Den he shows me a coat.
seq No. when / buys, I buy ALL l
mos chilly buys all, jedge. a whole suit,
socks an all. Den he gifts out all dish
yer stuff, and shows it to me. an puts
it all on"
Nobody Said Drink.
And who suggested a drink" inter-
rupted the judge.
Nobody done do dat to a drink. We
jes' took drink. an den we had one
mo- drink 1 was thinkin he ought to
treat. jedge. l dom know muffin bout
dat music. jedge. An all de time he's a
putin dem cloe's on me Use a tellin'
him I wanted to buy dem cloe's mex do.
Den SEE. Look hyah. man. don wan
desc yer cloe's.' cause he tellin' me dey
cos 50 much and den he raise de price
on me. Den I stahted To- to take desc
free times. jedge, an I stahted TO to
run. Jedge, you let one dem fellers hit
yo' while yo's takin of yo' cloe's. Yo'
run. too"
Did you run out in the street with
these underclothes on?''
"Yassah.'
Had Money in His Clothes.
did you have any money in your other
pants?"
"Yassah. Dat is. l did have, but / amt
got no money now. Lessee. 1 had ten dol
labs and sev'y-f' cents, but dey got it
ALL"
whereupon Bernstein said that all Rici-
ard had was ID cents and two cards from
business people.
Richard told q lot more of his discov-
cries in the clothing district. and was go
ing on at "a lively rate. but Judge Null
lowry cut him short with a sentence Of
four months in JAIL
AS Richard went back into the pen he
said:
go months for not buyin' suit O.
clOes. I'm"