Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-05-19
AT LAST.
The Police Authorities make q Raid
Upon Low Bems Of Vice that have
been Staring Deceney In the Face
I0f M0nlno.

gROn low DoWa u vice bnAt nave
fer MOnths.
Occasionally the time comes when pa
tience ceases to be a virtue, and to this
point has it arrived with reference to the
lowest dens of vice hat are permitted to
exist throughout the city by the police
authorities, who have been winkiDg at
the matter for over twelve months, yet
for reasons best known TO themselves,
they took no steps to protect respecta-
bility and decsncy against vice and i'm
morality. The late Grand Jury report
as to open and notorious lewdness being
carried on and dsns of vice being per
mitted to exist on the most public streets,
staring decency out of eountenance,
seems to have walked up the pelice au-
thOrities to a sense of duty.
Among the numerous Objectionable
places where vice in its vilest forms has
been permitted to crop out we're those
bawdy houses kept BY white men, one
kept by Ike Atkerson, known as the Bon
Ton Saloon On Center alley, in rear of
the old Variety Theater on Washington
street. and the other known as the Ar
kansas House, kept by DIV. Davenport,
on Washington street, between Main and
Second. These two places, as we'll as
many others we'll known to the police,
we're eye-sores, fostering, social ulcers,
that have not been interfered with, but
which have been permitted to exist in
our midst. All over the city low dens,
kept BY infamous negroes and white peO-
pie, stare decent people out of counte
nance, to say nothing Of the gambling
bells Of the lowest character, where the
vilest Of the vile congregate.
A few days since the police authori-
ties ordered Atkerson's Bon Ton bagnio
to close out, or else raiding would follow.
The miserable women, all Of the lowest
class Of whites, abandoned the trap and
located with Mrs. Blackburn, who, near
by IN Center alley, kept a baguio Of like
grade. Last night the police authori-
ties ordered a raid upon this Gen Of vice,
which resulted in the arrest Of ten Of
the inmates, including the notorious
keeper of the dive. Mrs. Blackburn put
up a forfeit Of fifty dollars for herself
aud ten dollars for one of the girls, and
they were released, but the other eight
were locked up.
Yesterday a German from the coun
try went into Davenport's Arkansas
House on Washington street, and wal
robbed of fifteen dollars, in conse
quence Of which a man named
Jerry Peyton and q lewd woman
named Pauline we're arrested on tn
charge Of robbery and we're locked up
D. W. Davenport, the proprietor of thi
saloon and bawdy house, was also arrest
ed, but he put up a ilty.dellar forfeit an.
was released Last night Sergeat
: McElroy, in charge Of a squad Of police
| raided the establishment and arreste
: three Of the women. The men found i
i. the den were permitted to 90 free. Tn
5 respectable people on Washington stree
e and Second street, adjacent to this DEF
have long protested against the exis
e ehce Of such places, but the police al
!, thorities refused to grant any relief unit
g last night, and then only partial relit
was afforded. Washington street, sine
= the pavement was put down, has becom
, a popular th%eroughfsre, and on it dens
vice are out Of order. Respectable
. should be encouraged and protected an
infamy and immortality should be drive
TO the wall.
1t is to be hoped that the authoritit
will not now grow weary in we'll doinI
but will see that those places raided la
: night are absted. A police surveilsnC
= placed over such places is absolutel
. needed and officers Of the police shoul
be instructed to go through these dive
) nightly and arrest the inmates foun
therein. Let no personal prejudice
local politics interfere with the propt
enforcement Of law and justice in ord
10 nrnLAnt virina against vice.