The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-24

/ license was revoked would not be ell
/ gible to conduct pawnehop in Hlch-
mon for FIVE year,
Police Want Number Restricted
Chief of Police Werner appeared in
strong advocacy of the ordinance as
nrerared by the Police Department.
/ He has seen the number OF pawnshops
grow from eight 10 twelve. with no CITY
ordinance limiting their number, ana
practically no regulation save "hst ls
contained in State enactments. Gap
/ tain of Detectives T. j. McManon ac-
vocated the reduction in number. tell
/ ing of the work of the police IN keeping
/ track of such places to recover stoieh
/ goods Mr.. Thalhimer. represent
/ ing the Retail Merchants ASSOCIATION
/ strongly advocated adoption of the
ordinance. giving specific instances
/ where merchants have been robbed OF
/ large quantities of goods. which have
/ later been found in various paw n
shops In one instance. where z ne
gro pavned large number OF new
suitcases he said. ii was obvious 10 any
one that he could not have come by
/ them honestly, yet the pawnbroker,
without question, advanced money on
] them He has found goods taken
/ from his own store on approval IN
pawnshops. Captain McMahon saio
/ that while the pawnbrokers were in the
J
had not given as much assistance as
was possible in locating thieves or IN
tracing stolen goods
Pawnbrokers Favor Regulation.
For the opposition. Archie Steiner
approved of the daily report system
( Mr.. Gelman saw no objection save 20
the limit of the number; Mr.. Jacobs
said that his father had suggested the
/ push-button plan as much as ten years
ago. and recommended that the po-
lice have printed a daily description of
/ stolen goods, that pawnbrokers
might be on their guard. and MIR.
Hirschberg thought the push button
F, idea a good one. but saw no reason
why the cost of its installation should
fall on the pawnbroker-
| H. NJ Smith. Jr.. representing sew
eral of the .pawnbrokeTs. approved OF
general restrictions but directed 70
that if the restrictions were rigidly en-
/ forced Objectionable places would soon
! be eradicated by due process of law.
| half of the pawnbrokers out of bust
| ness at once. with no evidence TO show
that the six selected were conducting
their business on any higher plane than
I the six rejected. The business ne
I frankly considered sort Of necessary
evil since wherever pawnbrOkers have
been refused a license the police have
had endless trouble with fences or
Legitimate places for the receipt and
no city ordinance limiting the mum
! Der at present. there are but twelve
pawnbrokers in the city, and he did
| not think that numb Der excessive.
Some Amendments
! On motion of Mr. Disney the ordl-
nance was amended 10 make the total
| number twelve instead Of six. thus pro-
. viding a chance for all those at pres
I ent engaged in the business The
amendment provides that If any pres
ent license holder violates any OF the
provisions of the ordinance as to max
ing reports. or fails to aid the police
in recovering stolen goods. his license
IL TO be revoked and no new license
issued in lieu thereof until the num-
Der of licensed pawnbrOkers in the
city is brought down to six. after which
should any vacancy occur. new license
bv the DawnbrOkcrs who protested
their Willingness TO cooperate with the
police in every way and who believe
that the limitation of the number vii
tend to place licenses al "A premium
as has been the case in the matter OF
liquor licenses. which are now said g
be worth several thousand dollars eacf
as trading assets
On motion Of Mr.. Vonderlehr the or
= dinance was further amended to place
on the city instead Of on the Individua
. ! nawpbrokers the cost of installing push
buttons connected with the police tele
. / graDh evstern by means Of which DO
b ( iiceman could be readily called IN even
of any suspicious circumstance IN con
. ! nccfion with any transaction \ furfh
amend ment was made on motion OF Mr.
b paul. fixing the hours al from \. NJ
10 p NJ. daily. except on Saturday
b / when the shops may be open TO u p "
Several Of the Daxnbrokers desired =
. f,srth her exemption during the Christina
holidays. when there Is rush OF nigh'
was recommended TO the Council fOl
. License for Pool Rooms
| The committee also recon Ticndcc
o. adCn.fon an ordinance fixing nc