Telegram-herald., 1888-03-10

CAY GRANTED ANoTHER RESPITE.
TIE Fssfimesy Of Gsa- c. smith 4Ea
Ersak ~. B@ll T.ksa fss1ez4.y
Clay Try Ia - Rross = Goa
splr4ey 1s4sssa fasm-

The Cay Investigation szs resumed n
ths Probate Court ysslsrizy as0rning. wiLa
Attorney General Tssgzrt absent and Ar.
Fischer appearing for sns prosecution.
Ar. Gag asked thaE ths sabpasna issued
for bls witnesses and the officers retaTn Of
TIE same % ealsred as part Of the records.
tie asssd tbs. principally. because the
oflicsr's rstnrn showed be vas unable %
nnd Enos Putnam. one OF the witnesses
B4u4sd Ia the subpoena The entry vas d Ads
la fuA
Mr.. Clay asked Superintendent Smith to
sfafe the number aud location Of the houses
of prostitution IN Ibis eily.
Mr.. Fischer o0Iectsa ~ the question.
Mr. Clay said il bad been brought out ia
the Investigation thai be had relu<ed 10 aid
Chief of Police Smlth Ia s1ppre=sigg these
hous<s- tie proposed 10 shos. IL Dc was
given sn opportunity. the anlmas that led
NJ Smith to institute the proceedings
sgainst him. he would show that the
action vas broaghE because be Clay had
refused 10 bs the tool of Superintendent
Smiln 10 doing dirty work aud work ia
sbseo smith Disseminated IN favor OF his
tzFoFiles.
"Have you brought suit against all the
houses OF prostitution 10 THIS CITY, asked
Mr. Clay.
Mr Fletcher objected. bat the court per-
miited the question 10 0e answered.
Mr. smith have not.
Ar. Cizy-Why haven't your
Mr.. 5mlth-fhat ls question that re-
| quiies al an3Ser OF some length. In the
workings OF the police department OF Grand
/ Rapids sad in nay own Judgment. houses OF
prosti ,Gtion regulated by the poiice depart
ment are a necessary evil. Where they
have conformed 20 the rules and regulations
Of the department they have not Teen
molested. The department has used every
i effort TO break up houses OF asslsnauon,
| where young women are drawn ia and
/ ruined l consider that it is better TO per-
/ init houses OF prostitution 10 exist and run
| with open doors under police regulation,
/ than that the pure and chssie women OF
the city should be assaulted and insulted
upon the streets as | believe would be the
case without these institutions / believe
| without thsm the prostitutes would be
driven into the blocks. where they are ore
/ thousand times moro dangerous Ia their
| evil influences. --s
| Mr.. Clsy-Then you have knowingly vi o.
| lated State law. which says such institn-
tons shall not exist. and continuously?
Mr. Fletcher objected TO the question.
| holding that Police Superintendent Smith
| - not on trial.
| Mr.. Clay argued his right to answer, Mr.
Maynard assisting him Afr. Maynard held
| that the first charge made by Superintend-
| ent Smith against Mr.. Clay was that Clay
| wanted him l5mith) to permit The Morton
House To violate the State law, and that
| nov the defense had . right 10 show Mr..
| Smith was daily and knowingly violating
| the State laws. Mr.. Clay insisted that
Smith had testified that he had hindered
him in his work as Superintendent OF Po-
| lice; had refused to issue warrants against
saloon iuen and houses of prostitution. He
| proposed To show that Mr.. Smith was the
| hindere- and had embarrassed him. 81
| Will show that cannot enforce the laws oil
| Kent county" said Mr.. Clay. when Super
| intendent Smith is regulating these institu
! tiOns. | Will show that assaults with intent
| 20 murder have bean committed within his
| regulated institutions; will show that d
| criminal assault was made upon young
| Allegan county girl in one OF his regulated
| institutions; will show they are the greatest
sources Of crime aud pAuperism IN this city,
and thas by Mr.. Smiths open defiance of the
Law be has blocked my efforts. and pat the
county 10 great expense IN enforcing tbs
laws and trying criminals whose evil deed:
were committed IN thess institutions"
The Court permitted the answer to the
question 20 be taken.
Mr.. smith, know the law relative tc
prostitution. PrspuetOrs have not beer
required 70 report names OF patrons; hays
no list of citizens names IN my office pur
porting TO be list of patrons OF such in
stitufiOns; can't state aumber or location o
gambling houses now running within the
| city; knew OF one at TroTbridges wheT.
Mr.. Clay used TO be patron; knew o.
! one gambling house on kent-st., one il
| Powers Opera House block, two or
South Division-st. two on Pearl and one OF
two others.
Mr.. Cssy-Tell me how you know ther,
was a gambling room in Powers Operl
House block
Witness-From the information tia
came to me from patrolmen, saw list pur
porting 20 be list OF the men who gam
bled there never asked money or wa
offered money TO permit the proprietors o
these rooms to continue operations; mad
efforts TO suppress the establishments sas
the proprietor. one Johnson, and notified
him thst gambling must cease there; don
| think your name was on the list (to Clay ,
Gsve heard gamblers say they would no
lst you play: heard several say il you los
, s. you Immediately wanted % borrow 80
Gon's think men who frsquented the operI
house rooms told me tnis; can name men /
| you insist.
Mr.. Clay did not insist
Witness continusi- Don't remember vhs
told me you xambled al TrovDridxe's; ssv
a list OF men purpOrting TO be those wh'
zzmbled there, think Trowbridge shove,
| me the list. bad heard 50 many rumors o
your Official misconduct that / was lookinl
you up a little. think about fifty men be
long 20 the Trowhridgs Club. think som
Tood citizens belong 10 the club. take
with Mr.. smiley sbout these proceeding
before beginning then; have talked wit
n A. Earle regarding the proceedings
aevsr bad snv talk with Mrs Clay excsp
when youlxecs brought into Police Court b
her comolsiot. | saw the article in the Dai
DsuoCr1f stating that you had gone ava
never 10 return. etc. Was interviewed OF
Democrat reporter st that time. but don
remember who tn. reporter wa hav
talked with Frank W. Bali aO0ut these pro
ceedinxs. can't say how long is was betor
the article in question appeared. nsvs
made any srrs1ssments with Mr. Ball q
stand sp for me as sgsinss you lCiaYl.
nevsr knew anything about the article De
fors it vas published. / have repaired "a
| houses II prostitution 70 report the name
ard number OF their inmates weekly. an
it thsrs are sny charges 90 name TIE san
I Obtained transportation from Mr. Sasib
| OF fhe q. 2 & I. road for Mr. Forces 70 az
/ from Hsrbo7 Springs. and I tired 70 get tn
return port y revoked. | did this becaus
/ thought from his actions on the witnes
ssaas sonle OF your agents bar w0rxe3 apo
! him 20 q back upOn BIS affidavit snd test
merry. sent Ferees tee money became
thought he woald be broke and would %
! ,ouae without the transportation, Clinto
p SaOemsker came to mT once snd sai,
! CLAY sss shs d--t rsscsi known - "a
, community and IA Wished % assist IN shor
ing him I'D. ssid Nsr3 kpew Al. seoE
Akin ease sad Re could 6bd ont frol
I Wsr5 a. sbnuE it. ss Ward rss AiSin's a
tsrney. I only listened - this conversation
! | telling him ~ nst no money "a psv hil