The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-31
Hundreds Walk Norfolk Streets,
Muttering Unkind Words
About Officials.
Especial to The Times-Dispatch.l

Especial to The Times Dispatch
Norfolk. Va. March scarborough
ly Disguised and disgruntled over the
enforcement of the. Sunday labor law,
hundreds walked the streets to-day
muttering unkind words about the law
and city officials and others responsible
for its enforcement. Tho proprictors
OF several places deiantly ignored the
law and were arrested. They say they
Will make test cases. Among those
arrested were the proprietors OF the
Monticello and Lorraine Hotels and the
Lee Park pharmacy. Most of the drug
stores kept open, but sold nothing but
medicines.
One man addicted to the coca cola
habit went from drug store to drug
store begging for a drink. but no was
turned down at every place Finally
he went into cafe and drank several
cups OF coffee and went out on the
streets to join the throngs, heaping
imprecautions upon the blue law"
None of the drug stores nor hotels
would even sell postage stamps except
those that openly ignored the orders
OF the police. One OF tho largest con-
fectioncry establishments in Main
Street. displayed this sign:
"Closed. Blue laws I'm Norfolk
Closed. At request OF FIVE people.
names not given, Harvey Dickson. OF
Board OF Control. has Issued orders to
enforce Sabbath laws long regarded as
obsolete. Our 800 Sunday patrons cali
not, therefore, be served. If you have
car fare you can get ice cream and
soda water at Ocean View. II you
are satisfied. we must be- but how
about trying to make Norfolk a liberal
and progressive city,"
| Right under this sign somebody
! pasted a card bearing the words Go
back home II you don't. like this
! u,5arGr->'.' .'
! 1t was the first time in the history
( OF Norfolk the sale OF cigars and other
articles of similar character could
| not be purchased at any OF tho drug
stores soda fountains. Thousands
went 10 the beaches. probably because
! of the balIny weather. but the blue
l law" is getting credit for causing many
1 to leave the city fer the day
Harvey NJ. Dickson. of the Board OF
/ Control. and chairman OF the police
committee. tonight Issued this reply
TO his critics
''rhe Sunday closing law as outlined
10 the police by Chief Kizer VIII be
rigidly enforced. AMI the department
has instructions to keep visIiant
lookout for violators. The police, as
we'll as those In charge OF police ar
fairs. have been severely criticized for
an apparent laxity in the enforcement
OF the sunday laws, and II la but the
duty or those who have been selected
sec that they are enforced. Things
have come 10 pass in Norfolk affairs
when something had TO be done. and
AZ long as the law liz on tho statute
book. IL viii be enforced. There can
be no redress from conditions which
prevailed in Norfolli to-day save by an
act OF the Legislature"
Those arrested to-day, and those for
whom warrants have been issued, but
not served, will be arraiSned in police
court tomorrow morning.
The instructions OF the chief of po-
lice TO captains, sergeants and patrol
men contain the following orders.
Drug stores will be allowed to keen
open for the compounding of physi-
cianc' prescriptions and sale OF drugs
only.
NO cigar stores Will be allowed to
open Where ncwstands are operated
In connection with cigar stores. the
same rule applies.
Ncwspapers may be sold on the
streets but not from news stand.
proper, and you will see that side
walks In front OF the various news
as news stands
} NO fruit stands will be allowed Ia
open.
NO candy stores soda fountains
Will be allowed to open"
Major kizer. chief of police saws in
his instructions TO his subordinates
that the above instructions are In ac-
cordahce with the law As interpreted
by Police Justice James S. Barron
when twenty-nine merchants, drug
store proprietors and others were fined
FOR having violated the Sunday labor
laws. embraced in Section S7aa of the
Code.
The crusade was started several
weeks ago. when the Sabbath Law OBJ
servance League demanded that the
state law providing for the proper OBJ
scrvance OF the Sabbath be enforced
private detective was employed and
le0 alleged violations were referred
TO the police ana 10 the Board of Con