Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-08

what he needed, and the way in which
he has played his cards shows that
he is skillful fellow at his
business. Some two weeks ago
he had his plans all matured and eet his
wires to snare his prey. He got men to
visit the cottage under the guise of patrons
OF the place. The McCormacks had been
going along unmo,ested and prosperous
Tor so many months that they were
thrown off their guard. Then Sheriff
Agulrre got clever man fr1m Detective
Lawson's force whom he dressed up as q
woman and gotanother of his men to take
this disguised comrade to the cottage,
where the spy was left for several DAYS.
In this way, of course, fine line of evil
dence as to the nature of the house. the
visitors and their purposes and doings,
was obtained. This done, the only ques-
tion was as to the time Of the capture.
THE BIRDS TRAPPED.
Yesterday was decided upon as the
day, and at O'Clock in the afternoon
Sheriff Aguirre, armed with a warrant
for the arrest of the men and woman,
appeared at the Flag Cottage. This war;
rant was issued from the court presided
over by Justice Savage, on complaint
sworn out by l.. IL. Brown, com mplaining
of the house as disorderly. The McCor-
macks were at home, and were at once
taken into custody, AT about g. O'Clock
last night they were called before Justice
Savage, and the nature of the complaint
explained to them. The 18th instant
was set for the trial Of the defendants,
who meantime were admitted to
bail in the sum of $500 each.
When the question of bonds arose,
Ed. Niles, who happened to be in the
court, offered himself as one of the bonds
men, and Mccormack asked the Sheriff
to go with him on the street for hall an
hour to find a second. He WAS soon dis
covered In the person of Johnny Abbott,
the bonds were signed and the defend
ants allowed to go.
AN INTERESTING CASE.
There is no doubt that Sheriff Aguirre
has done his duty thoroughly as an off
Ger in this case, and he will, at the trial,
present large mass of evidence to
show the nature of the place. The
trial will be one of universal interest for
many reasons. In the first place, this
is the only place of this kind near the
city. Very many are deeply interested
in its suppression. But can it be done
as matters go? There will no doubt be
a jury trial demanded. Who will try it?
Then if these people are driven from the
Flag Cottage, will they, or will some one
else open similar house in some other
locality? These places are adiuncts of
all large cities. The effort to suppress
them drives the keepers to all sorts Of ef-
forts to conceal their true nature
and there is where the real danger lies.
So long as these gilded palaces of sin are
we'll known, only those who desire to do
80 ever enter their doors. It is alleged
that many have gone to the Flag Cottage
utterly in the dark as to its character
until they were within the fatal portals
of its doors. The case will also be inter
esting If the habitues generally should
be suop9naed as witnesses at
the trial. 1t is said that no
end of married men who occupy
high positions in the society of the city
may be put on the stand. and nainabile
dictu, that terrible gossip, Dame Rumor,
says that many Angelic matrons, who
are usually looked upon as the very
pinks of perfection, also have followed
that devious path on the back of the
card whose terminus is the flag cottage.
The names of no end of these people are
but truth compels the scribe to
say that 80 far as they have fallen
under his lynx-like eyes, they are
all the names sof men and women un-
known to fame in Los Angeles, socially
Or otherwise. Still they may stand for
men who have wives and daughters, and
for women who have husbands and pure
friends. Lest this should be 80, the re-
porter, with that charity for which his
craft is so distinguished, and which is
said to cover SO great a multitude of sins,
draws the veil of secrecy over
heir sad downfall, and leaves them all,
Nameiess here forever more.