Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-08
.CRuTCHF|ELD RULES
THAT J|TNEYs MAY RUN
Their Operation on Sunday ms Com
mon Carriers Held to BE
Necessary.
JURY FINDS AGAINST sCHER
Fine Of So Imposed for Keeping Soda
Water Stand Open-Kramcr Is
Acquitted When Evidence Showed
He Observed Saturday.

1
|
| Important court decisions yesterday
marked the progress of the contests
inaugurated against the enforcement
of the Sunday blue laws" in Rich
mond
a jury in the Hastings Court sus-
tanned the Police Court in imposing;
| hneS upon persons convicted OF selling
| soda water and cigarn on the Sab
| bath.
| Notice was given OF the first appeal
| for the final decision of the Virginia
| Supreme Court of Appeals.
Police Justice Crutchfield ruled that
| jitncyS may operate on sunday pi;'c-
| ing them in the same category with
| street cars.
1t was also held that the delivery Of
| flowers for funerals on sunday was
within the law.
Judge Richardson. in the Hastings
| Court, decided that Il person who con-
scientiously kept the Sabbath ON Sat
| urday could conduct his business on
! Sunday without interference by the
authorities.
On the whole, the Commonwealth
appeared TO have the best of the deci-
sions in the enforcement of the blue
| laws" made necessary under the new
| custer act which went into effect last
J month. 1t is expected that Justice
|
| further decisions in similar cases. in
| Guiding that as to whether the pub
| LEGATION of a daily newspaper, causing
| Sunday labor, is a necessity.
JURY FINDS SCHEH
| GUILTY or SELLING SODA
The first case to come before jury
! was that against Mike Schcr, who con-
ducts confectionery, cigar and soda
water shop at Ninth and Broad Streets.
| His counsel. w. Kirk Mathews. at
tempted to have the law under which
his client was arrested declared un-
constitutional. but his motion was
| overrulcd by the court. Judge Rich
| ardson refused to quash the warrant
and the trial proceeded. The jury
| which heard the case was compose
| OF the following members: Walker G.
Cottrcll. T. Harvey Peace. Charles
Edgar. Charles r. Blankcnship, Walter
G. Cartwright. George G. Jefferson ana
| Richard NJ. Jones.
Police Sergeant Johnson and Patrol
man Mitchell testified that Scher had
| carried on his business on sunday, June
| %. The courts instructions were 10
| the effect that 1t was necessary for
the Commonwealth to establish whether
| there had been violation OF the saw
In 4 few minutes the jury bought in
| a verdict of guilty and Il verdict of a
| son then placed Scher under $500 bond
TO keep the peace for twelve months
| which means that second conviction
| for similar offense will cause the
| forfeiture of the bond. Counsel for
| Scher noted an appeal.
| " s Barbarian was found guilty of
Sund:@ selling and was fined 50 by
he jury. Barbarian contended that he
| closed his place of business on Satur-
| ju,. Iitt vi
rad never done SO prior to the en-
orccment OF the custer law.
Similar cases against George Mar
inia Mike Hagapician Sarkes Papa
zian Jacob Baron, George Fahed and
l.. MISTER were continued until the
| october term of the Hastings Court
Moses Kramer. who proved that hc
vas a son OF a Jewish rabbi and hac
always observed Saturday Is the Sab
bath was found not guilty.
JITNEY DECISION Is
GENERALLY APPROVED
When he dismissed the charge q
operating on Sunday against y. +. Me
Reynolds Il jtncy driver. Justice
Crutchtield fixed the status Of ,hi:
popular mode of transportation as IA
rs tho enforcement of the blue laws
is concerned. He held that the jitne,
=. as much n public necessity on Sun
lay as street car. His decision mcan'
Shat 200 jitneyS, AFTER SuSpcnuinS sab
bath Day operation for the past three
weeks pending the outcome of Nc
Rcynoldss case. will return to Yves
End streets tomorrow and Will un
loubtcdly bring relief to hundreds o
patrons who find their use more con
vcnient than the trolley.
Tn" delivery of flowers for funeral
on sunday, Justice Cru,chficld said. W.
not illegal. but he postponed action i
tho case of j. i, Ratcliffc n florist. an
several employees charged with Sunda
labor until July &c. Mr.. Ratclinc tcsti
fed tina; his place was never open o
he sabbath for business. but that
was frequently necessary for him I
hav" flowers delivered for funeral
which took place on that day.
No effort was made to test the Ell
forcement of the blue laws whc
forty-1vc cases came before Judge I
Carter Scott in the lIenrico County Cir
cult Court. The cases had been an
pcalcd frofE magistrates court by tn
Kentucky Tobacco Products Compan,
whore forty live operatives were fouu
at work on Sunday. June % Al th;'
time the defendants counsel announc"
the intention OF lighting the law bu
when the cases were called in III
upper court pleas of guilty were cr
: tered and fines of 50 in each case wcr
assessed.