The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-28
SOCIAL
How Worthless Character Get the Cinch
ON the Police Oficers.

How WORTHLESS Character Get the Cinch
on n Police Onicer.
special Correspondence Of the standard.
BITE. June E.-Of the many dis
reputable and worthless characters that
find a harbor In this city the most dis
graceful and contemplate are the
~''pinkies," who live of the shame and
sin of their depraved female consorts.
Some time q the police declared war
against these parasites and arrested n
number of them, hut with results so poor
that the ~blue-coated guardians Of the
city's peace and dignity have about be-
come disheartened aud will probably wait
some time before making another raid on
the creatures. With but few exceptions
these wretches are men of more than
ordinary cunning and shrewdness, and,
being lost to every sense Of shame and
manhood, do not hesitate to commit The
most fragrant perjury to shield themselves
and other members OF their class.
When arraigned for trial they are al
ways on hand with witnesses innumer-
able. those OF their own ilk, who hold
their hands aloft and while swearing 60
tell only The truth r tell the
nesses testify that the accused are
workinRmen or engaged in some occupa-
ton that affords them a livelihood, when
In fact they know the opposite to he the
case. Occasionally, to make IL all the
more binding, some n Is secured who
swears hat the defendant is in his en-
ploy in some imaginary capacity and re-
ceives regular wages Tor his, work. The
! officer who made the arrest being unable
10 testify as 20 he m in which the
defendant spends his every minute, can
only tell In n general way that he IL seen
to lounge about saloons n houses of ILL
fame, consort with fallen women and de-
port himself as an idle n dis
solute person. The result usually is that
the loafer goes scott free TO afterward
taunt the same officer and jeer him for
his impotency to secure enforcement Of
the city's ordinances.
Probably in no other well regulated city
in the country is this class Of human scum
so bold and defiant as in Butte, for in no
other city does their testimony receive the
same amount Of credence as against that
of a peace officer. In other places that
could he mentioned the testimony OF the
'~'pinkies'' receives but small considera-
ton from the police magistrates before
whom they may be arranged, no matter
how il may over-shadow that Of reputable
officers that appear against them.
A case which affords an excellent IL.
lustration of the way resorted To by these
barnacles ON the community to evade the
laws was tried recently. A tall. able
| bodied loafer was arrested ON the usual
charge. As thec case against him appeared
to be very plain he was ut a loss what to
do. At the last momen n thought struck
4 him. He secured a friend who testified
that the fellow was employed by him as a
cease keeper" I'm a gambling den. This
defense was so palably gauzy that even
the court was inclined To smile. but as the
testimony remained unrebutted he felt
compelled to release the defendant Case
keeper can he seen nightly loaf
ing about the streets until IL or
1 o'clock waiting for the oma who sup
ports him to close her house for the night,
when lie and she repair to n restaurant
for supper, n then retire for the night.
IL is q well known fact that the fellow
has not dom an hours honest work since
his arrival i'm The city. Yet he wear
good clothes and always seems 10 he lib
orally supplied with money. He is not
molested, because to arrest him would TIE
useless, the police well knowing that by
means of perjured testimony he could sc.
cure his release.
Every police officer and night reporter
in the city knows dozens of just sucl
cases, but so long as ''pinkie" testimony
is accepted in courts of law. so long will
the evil complained of exist. 1t Is these
well dressed loafers who are responsible
for much of b crime committed in the
city, n not the poor, half-starved, lily
clad wretches that sleep i'm chairs and eat
at free lunch counters.