Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-12
|. MAGISTRATE LEARNS a LESSON.

-
Judge Campbell of Tacoma recently
presented a statement and petition %
the Council of that city, IN which be IN
formed that body that portion Of the
building occupied By him for court vas
used for vile aud unisvfsl purposes. and
asked the city governments 20 provide
him another, cleaner and more respect
found reported in the following report
from the committee TO whom II WAS re-
ferred. which report Was unanimously
adopted by the Council
WHEREAS, Alexander Campbell. Esq.
Committing Maoistrats Of the city of
Tacoma, and one Of the Justices of the
Peace Of the county of Pierce, has 10 an
official communication to this body.
charged that the proprietor of the build
ine. a part Of which is occupied As
Police Court for the city, has fitted up
rooms adjoining said police rooms for q
house Of III fame, and the 5 me Is nov
occupied by women for house OF pros
titntion.; and
Whereas, The said Committing Mag
istrate has applied to this body to con
sent that such house of prostitution may
be continued undisturbed by the posi-
BILE danger of a curt being near, and
tn at said court may be removed to other
quarters, either that the court shall not
| Interfere with said brothel, or that said
brotbel shall not interfere with the
court and
Whereas, Ii does not appear that said
Police Magistrate and Justice of the
Peaes, nor any of the police officers OF
| the city or of the county, though well
advised of the establishment and exist
] ence Of the said house of Ill fame as an
appurtenance OF the building occupied
| for a Police Court, have made any at
tempt TO abate the nuisance 80 offensive
10 the said Committing Magistrate, as
IL is his and their duty under the law
and their resp ctive oaths of Office
therefore
Resolrsd. That decent regard to pub
lie opinion, aud tbs due enforcement OF
the law by public officers, are surer pre-
ventives of crimes and lawlessness than
the place Of location of a police OF urt;
and that had the laws on the statute
books been enforced, no such humiliat-
ing record would have been made az
that premises on one of the principal
streets of the city sre used by the police
court, houses IN the front and rear oil
which are devoted to prostitution.
Resolped. That the committing magis-
trate be requested to forthwith cause &c
be abated the nuisance Fhieh he 9th
cially charges to exist, and that 1t Is hi'
duty. under the Territorial law, to pro
seoute TO the full extent of that law tbs
keeper of said house of i'll fame, and q
kcauss said house Of prostitution TO bt
suppressed; that az justice of the
peace he has ample power IN the prem
Ises, bat in directing him to do his duty
as a city magistrate TO preserve good
order in the city, u IL not out of plact
for "a to cite for his guidance sections
1910 TO 1918 and l247 to 1851 inclusive OF
the Code of Washington Territory; ano
said police magistrate Is also hereby re-
quested TO cause TO be prosecuted ths
proprietor of the said premises, whom
he charges with having knowingly fitted
up said premises for such disgraceful
and unlawful purposes.
Resolved, That the Mayor be requested
to invite Il. q. Fulmer, City Marshal
and the several city police officers To ap.
pear before this Council, or = commit.
tee thereof, to be examined under oath
concerning their knowledge of the estab.
lishment of said house of prostitution
adjoining police headquarters, and ~
to what steps have been taken by then
To abate such nuisance and punish the
violators of the law.
ResOiDsd, That IL would be in the high.
est degree improper, against good NOR.
ais and sound policy for this Council tc
declare by its action that within the city
limits of Tacoma house of prostitution
could neoessitate the removal of police
court, and that there Is sufficient dis.
credit to the city government in the in.
efficiency Of its police department, with.
out giving its official sanction to the re.
moval of such court To enable a house
of prostitution to more conveniently
flourish.
| Rssoiped, That the city police are
hereby notified that Ii is a matter al
public noloristy and remark that gam.
bling il continuously and openly per.
mitted IN one or more of the saloons or
Pacific avenue, which are nightly re-
sorted to by sunko sharps and other vile
characters. where ohuck-a-lack, brace
faro and other swindling games are
successfully resorted to, TO rob the un-
wary who are led 10 such dens, and tina,
il is also charged that the police are
aware of these violations of Law.