Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-04-09
AT THE LOOKUP.
Why An Order Was Issued Excluding
Persons From the Cells.

Persons From the Cells.
Yesterdays Iutelligencer contained q
paragraph under the caption CT Delicious
Presumption" in which it was set forth |
that Clerk of the Municipal Court Darrah
had issued an order that reporters should
not hereafter be admitted to the sacred
precincts Of the city lookup, and after
characterizing Mr.. Darrah ss aspiring to
the position of the Pooh Bah Of the pO-
lice force" wound up by erquiring BY what
authority the Clerk uSurped the duties OF
Turnkey Artburs, Chief Of Police Smith and
the force in general.
In Justice to Mr.. Darrah, ii should be
stated that he never issued such an order.
An order was issued, however, BY e mem.
Der of the Board OF Police Commissioners,
directing the lookup keeper to refuse all
persons admission to the cell room, and
this was supplemented by an sdmonition
from Judge LETTERS to the came effect. This
order was called forth BY the recent flock
ing to the lookup of couples and squads
Of Young and middle aged n ep, also scala
wsgs, thieves, fancy" and sporting"
men, eager to confer with prostitutes who
were spending q night in tie cells, in most
cases from q morbid curiosity to zee fallen
women behind the bars; but it was psrtIcu-
larly the outgrowth of an incident occur
ring on Tuesday night, which is best told
in the words of Clerk of the Police Court
Darrah:
ION Thursday night Maggie Sour5 and
Annie Morrison we're arrested in front OF
Joe Barum's place, on Market square, BY
Officer Watson, and locked up. the charge
being, appearing on the street between the
hours of sunset and sunrise, they being
known women of the town. Barum
came down to see the girls, but was refus
ed admittance without an order from
Capt Smith. This order he procured, snG
was let in 10 see them. Going to thu
Sours girl, he told her to plead not guilty
to the charge, thus compelling the arrest
ing officer to prove her character. Bsruu
also epjoined the girl not to give anything
away; the remark presumably referring tc
the lettering Of prostitutes in his saloon
Tbs the girl agreed to do, and did entel
such plea in court, thereby puttlug tbt
police to some little trouble and ieopsr
dizing the cltys case. Bsrum alsc
told Arthurs that Capt Smith had directed
that the girls be released on $40 bal, wher
no such word had been sent up by TIT
Chief. Similar visits were paid TO othe
girls in the cells. The whole thing has
been running on for quite while. Tbs
. Barum matter, however, was what called
forth the order. told Jack he ought no
to allow miscellaneous persons to visit pris
oneIs, but issued no order If reporters
: want to see prisoner arrested late a.
night, for instance, for some serious crime
, the lookup keeper can bring the man int,
= the rear room at headquarters, where ab
! solute privacy and safety is assured. Thi
+. plan is in vogue in other cities, and work
well. Of course, newspaper men ought +
? see prisoners at times, in justice to the ac
cused person, il for no other reason, bn
the sdmittance OF people into the eel
room, and especially of toughts and ias
r young men, who want to crafty their CT
rioSity or talk to prostitute, should b
< stopped"
An instance Of how men flock TO hesd
, quarters when q possessing woman {
this character is behind the bar'
l. was we'll illustrated on Wednesda
night when Dolly Tucker wa
y locked up by Officer Carney. There wns
8 sort OF procession Of young men goinI
!. in and out Of headquarters, notes wer
sent in to the prisoner, fellows dropped il
! to talk about the weather" who otherwis
!. would not have thought of going near th
CITY Hall, and when the case was decideD
q there was enough money available fror
!. "frieDds" to buy q small farm, WhereWit
!. to pay her fine
4 While on this subject, 1t may not b
p amiss to refer to the practice Of releasjn
!. prisoners on bail, and to quote Sec. 2 G
A the ordinance in relation to lock up an
!. lookup keeper;
- "SEc. r. shall be his duty TO tax
charge OF al prisoners brought under 81
. rest to the lookup and them safely kee
4 therein during the interval between tn
time of their arrest and the next session c
r. the Municipal Court, unless said person
;. shall sooner be ordered to be taken befor
the Judge of said Court. 1t shsll be hi
:. duty CLIO to keep the said city lookup in
. clean and wholesome condition, and to pei
h form such duties as may lawfully be re
r CURED from taller under Stats Jaw, an
as the Council BY ordinance, or the NJ yor
r or City Sergeant, NAV require OF him"