Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-06
NEGRO IS ROBBED ON
LEAVING PEN|TENT|ARY
Strangers Brush Against Him Just
Outside Of Gate. and Money
Is Conc.
HAS GOOD PRISON RECORD
Governors Secretary Sends Man to
Prisoners Aid Association-Has
job Promised Him In Orange
County ms Foreman on Farm.


County ms Foreman on Farm.
Convict No. S44S, four hours out
spick and span In the ncwncss OF the
bounty with which~thc Commonwealth
or Virginia had CARRIED him from head
10 root. scraped his new shoes care
fully upon the rug at the threshold
OF the eNecutive-omces yesterday after
noon, then ambled in where Secretary
Alexander Forward stood beside his
desk perusinC newspaper
The otherwise soft approach OF No
S4+S was hera1ded by the sharp squeak
or the new shoes as he made his way
across the carpet. and the Governors
secretary. pcerinE over tho top OF the
newspaper. surveyed his visitor
Stocky of build. with a bullet shapcd
head: small eyes. with shrewd, in
curing glance: short, kinky hair and
Il complexion that shone even as the
newly polished shoes, No S44S was
about ms healthy and husky specl-
men as any gang foreman would want
Tor place on his pay roll
IAN right" said the secretary
noddnS 10 tho black man, what can
do. for you?"
is you dc undah sec'etary?" No.
The Governors secretary Srinned and
nodded again
Well. sah," pushed No. si4s, seat
Ing himself without invitation on a
leather upholstered davenport near the
secretary. II done had one very had
accident; yassah. it sho' was one had
accident what happened 10 mo, an
dats dc trufc." lie waited for tho
expected question.
Well. what's happened" quericd
Mr.. Forward.
i done tell it TO YOU JUS lax il
happen" responded tho convict. his
small eyes. twinllliug like starbeams
out of dark cloud, bctraying his sat
isiaction at the secrctarys show Of in
tcresi. lie embraced one knee with
MS pudgy, black hands and Rugged il
I" him as he continued:
( II Jes' done got out OF de penitcni-
tary. fessah: done been in six years
and twenty-nine days. worked some
lon can AK EN-. and dcyll tell you
/ It's tes LAX I say. When 7 come OUT
dis mawin had SIS. Yassah eight
wnolc dollars. Twixt h'yah and dar
! ! been robbed
+! lie paused 10 observe the effect Of
! the information upon the secretary
( obviously the secretary was not prom
erlN Impressed with the significance
| Of the statement. No. S44S looked dis
|. appointed. lie repeated: "Yassah. =
Observation-Disclosures" There Was tragic
seriousness In his tones.
How were YOU robbed" the sec
! rotary asked
4 The convict seemed relieved. The
dis he said. when ] come out dar
was de gate. l comes out Of dc gate
and out In de street, and dar wa.
three men and dar was de gate
! JUS brushes by de three men and dc
three mon deg brushes by me: ar
! goes aroun' lie corner and feels in
de breas pocket of dis hyah coat. an
e'Ent whole dollars is gone. Yassah.
1t happen jes' lax dat. Oar was de
gate and dar was de three men and
1ar M,
a cent let OF my SIS
II says. I been robbed. OATS what.
been robbed. So | goes TO do Chief
OF dc Police and tells him jcs' lax
+ Chief OF de Police, he say 7 can't
do muffin for yuh.' So says will
go an sec do uudah SECRETARY. an
como h'yah to see ef YOU won't lend
me about IS or $40. cause Ga wd knows
\ viii pay YOU back in one month
cf it's dc las thing 7 does. got Il
Job in Orange County, an done fix
IT so am gonna work on a gcmmun's
farm; an he's payin' me se5 month
and keeps. An dc vc'y fus' month
will sholy send YOU yo money"
Where were YOU sent up from"
II was tried in Hanover County. I'm
de man what cut lIczeltiah Fell. I'm
scott Fox. reckon YOU done heard
about me. got seven years
served six years and twenty-nIne days
Iloy done give me cvcy day often my
time dat could he taken off. Dey LAX
me 80 we'll dat when dc foreman
wanted TO go away from de roads for
a DAY he always made me dc foreman"
Don't YOU know that you are on
titled TO railroad ticket to Hanover?
Why didn't you get your railroad ticket
when they let you OUT"
| 'Lawd. boss; don't want to go back
to 10 Hanover. When was workin
on de roads II Orange County Eemman
saw me work and he done hire mo
LAX done toll YOU. Evehody what see
me work on dc roads like my style
Of work. Boss. Amt no foolin.
Trin;n'. common worker My work is
fancy. MI ! want is SIS or $40 to get
started to work in Orange County, an
i den YOU can sec for yourself. 7 sholy
Will pay YOU back. My mothah VIII toll
YOU I viii pay YOU back. She's n cul-
lud lady dat works at dc Memorial
! Hospital"
You're Nat broke, Scott, arc you?"
dat sho is de trufc. boss"
The secretary bent over his desk and
scrubbed a note. which he enclosed in
an envelope and addressed. lie handed
Il 20 No. s44s
There Is an organization here that
looks after just such cases as yours.
F., Scott" he explained. Take this note
to Mr.. Burnett Lewis, OF the Prisoners
Aid Association. Perhaps hc may be
able to do something for YOU"
Gloom settled again upon the Eth
opian countcnancc OF the convict who
had been robbed. His lip dropped. He
sighed.
All right. boss. I'll do ics' LAX you
say" no murmured as he started out.
but all need Is SIS or $40; an SUIT
t"nly would pay you back. Yessah. I
sho would pay you back"
.