The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-12-01


therein as barkeeper, caller of fig
ures for dances or habitual fre
quenters thereof; fifth, any profes
sional gambler, or gamblers com
monty known as tin horn gamblers,
card players or card sharps; sixth
any person who goes about to beg
aims who is not afflicted or dis
abled by a physical malady or mis-
fortune; seventh, any habitual drunk
ard who abandons. neglects or re
fuses to aid in the support of his
family.
Section 2791-Punishment of Va
grant-Any person convicted Of va
grancy within the meaning of this
act, shall be punished by a fine
of not less than ten dollars, nor
more than one hundred collars, or
by Imprisonment in the county Jail
for a period of not exceeding thirty
days, or by both such fine and i'm
prisonment in the discretion of the
Judge or court before whom such
trial shall take place"
The above statutes, though in full
force and effect in Oklahoma, have
been more or less neglected: but
yesterday they were put into force
in Ardmore with vengeance, and
as result twenty-seven arrests were
made for vagrancy and nineteen
fines collected in the city court
by Police Commissioner John Owen,
acting municipal judge, in the alb
sence OF Judge Gait. u IS a noto-
rious fact that East Main street
in the vicinity Of Caddo street and
the union station has been infested
for some time by this smooth gen.
try who toll not. but seem to be
living on the fat of the land
They congest the sidewalks by day
and their ribald jests have become
unbearable to the better class of
citizens who are compelled to pass
in that neighborhood. Yesterday
morning, Police Commissioner Owen
together with Chief of Police Gar
rett Issued orders to the policemen
on duty to get busy and gather up
every one OF these Founders" that
couAj he found Their efforts were
rewarded by the number of arrests
as stated above.
Twenty-eight arrests were made in
a short time. twenty-seven for vag
rancy and one for drunkenness. Of
the twenty-seven "vags," nineteen
were fined and the other eight were
able to convince the court, though
not in a very forceful manner, that
they were entitled to go Free Their
freedom was granted with piece
of good advice to guide their future
conduct, and they promised to make
god
In assessing the fines against
these parties Commissioner Owen
told them that this was but the be-
ginning of a crusade that he in
tended to pursue until every one
of them were run out of town or
were following some honest occupa-
ton. A reasonable fine was as
sessed in the cases tried yesterday
but they were informed that every
time they appeared in the future.
the fine would increase until the
maximum was reached.
Another thing was made plain to
the offenders, and that was this:
Commissioner Owens informed them
that they would be arrested every
Gay if necessary until the town was
cleared of their presence, and tha,
every time they appeared the penal
ty would be greater, until at last
a JAN sentenHe as we'll as a fine
would be their portion.
In speaking of the matter yester-
day afternoon. an officer said: East
Main and Caddo streets are not the
only ones in Ardmore infested by
these fellows, but il they are wise,
in view OF what has taken place
this afternoon, they will move and
move quickly"
After the vagrancy cases we're
disposed of, Officer Lathrop announc-
ed that there was a prisoner in
the city Jail who hal been picked
up by the police in a very maudlin
condition yesterday morning. He
was summoned and gave his name
as Small Fulsom. 1t developed from
"Smalls" incoherent remarks, he
still being in a comatose condition,
that he arrived in the city at nine
o'o.ock yesterday morning, and was
registered at the police station as
hOnelecSlv drunlr at fen which is