The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-24
TO DRIVE ALL BECCARs
FROM RICHMOND STREETS
Ordinance, Long Winked at by Po.
lice, Will BE Rigidly Enforced
Beginning To-day.
MAJOR CHRISTIAN PROTESTS
Alderman Says That If Authorities
Do Not Carry Out Law, He VIII
Swear Out Warrants for Arrests Of
Mcndicants.

hereafter in the streets OF Richmond
there Will no longer be heard the prac-
tlccd wall OF woe nor the real and
mournful plant OF the needy men
oicaht. orders will be issued by the
romeo Department day to have every
mendicant removed from the street
anu to be forbidden ever to return to
Their accustomed stands of refuge
Major l.. T. Christian. one Of the new
members OF Board of Aldermen. called
AT Police Headquarters yesterday after
noon and Informed the authorities that
he would make IT his business TO see
that the ordinance now existent against
mendicancy and professional begging
DC enforced through the proper chan
ncls, or that he would himself swear
out warrants against all violations
He said that he had promised his con
stituency, before election that he would
see that the vagrancy law was en-
forced and II was in no uncertain
terms that he Informed the police Of
iicials that he would keep his pledge
REGARD HELD FOR SOME
WELL-KNOWN BEGGARS
Mendicancy. in restricted degree,
mas been permitted and winked at by
the Police Department in Difference 10
protests against the enforcement lod ed
by men and women OF social and pro-
tessional prominence in Richmond. Re-
gard was had by the professionals for
Hello Bill,' a crippled woman who
from wheeled chair sells pencils and
shoelaces to those who are kind enough
to buy. for the blind Psalm Singer
who sells pencils and newspapers In
front OF Broad street store. for the
cripples who sit In the shade on Ninth
street and for the blind man and wo-
man who perch on q soap box AT the
corner OF Sixth and Broad Streets and
grind a hand organ for those who stop
a moment 10 listen to the Inournfui
melody.
When the ordinance was passed and
these blind bcggars ana cripples We're
about TO be driven from the street.
well-known woman high in the circles
of the Virginia Chapter of the United
Daughters of the Confedcracy made q
personal appeal TO the police that they
should not make these mcndicants sub
jcct to the law. Others put in "A like
appeal and so far these special pro-
ducts OF misery and misfortunes were
concerned. the ordinance was allowed
TO lapse, and there was no one to mako
complaint against them.
PROFESSIONAL BEGGAR
Is DENIED PERMIT
But the police would not permit out
sidcrs TO. make Richmond a haven OF
refuge. and it was only yesterday that
professional beggar from It Northern
city called at Police Headquarters and
requested that a permit be granted him
to ask aims on the street
we uon grant Such permits, he
was Informed and we advise you to
go ut once. under pain Of being ar
rested" The man waited not upon the
order of his going, but Immediately
went
In all, there are about a dozen halt
crippled and blind whom the police
pass by without molestation They
have kept to their elf-assiGned posi-
tons so long that they are regarded
almost as landmarks and II is seldom
that their days work OF selling near
profitless pencils and papers or grind
ing out canned cantatas does not result
In enough to last them until they take
up the weary task again
But they are violating a city ordi-
nance. and the ordinance is TO be en-
forced. beginning to-day. II they per-
sist in returning to their stands they
Will be arrested. If they seek not aims
on the street and fulfill the law there
is the City Home. or, perhaps. some
other hand of organized charity will be
extended them. The freedom of the
street will not be permitted them again.