St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-20
Though, Severely Scored, the
Detective Has an EN-
phatic Answer.
Potter, Gray and RinkeP Talk
Pump While the Commit
tee Rests.
Ankeny Wants the Home for
the Friendless to Make a
Test.

eight inmates or her First street mouse
of ill-fame, which occurred yesterday
afternoon, developed features which,
while they were net totally unexpected,
proved highly interesting. The women
were all on hand when the case was
called, and the attendance of spectators
was unusually large. Before the case
OF the women was taken up James
Shannon, who was arrested few days
since on the complaint of the Went
worth woman for an assault upon Flor
ence Doe one of the inmates of her
house. was given a hearing. The teSti-
monv went to show that Shannon had
visited the house, and while there had
assaulted the girl, striking her with his
hand and finally shutting the door on
her foot. He was sentenced to pay a
fine of 500.
Celia Wentworth was then arraigned
on the charge OF keeping house of i'll
fame, and Ella Shaw, Lulu Bailey, Ella
Wilson, Nellie Olson. Mary Anderson,
Augusta Olson, Jennie Smith, Charles
Clark and John Armitage on the charge
of visiting 4 house of i'll fame.
Detective King, who, in company with
NJ. E. Doyle. arrested the women, stated
that he had visited the Wentworth house
to ascertain the extent of the injuries
sustained by the girl assaulted by Shan
non, and to learn the circumstances of
the case, intending to furnish the court
with such information as he should Sc
cure. The Wentworth woman refused
to low him to see the injured girl or
to tell him where she was. and told him
she would not tell him where the girl
IN m
| give him the other information he de-
sired, and he then arrested the occu-
| pants Of the house.
On being questioned as to whether
| he he'd been sent to the house by Chief
| Henderson or the mayor, he said no,
that he was acting in the interest Of the
taxpayers.
The Wentworth woman, when placed
on the stand, admitted having told King
that she did not know where Florence
was, and that she wouldn't tell him if
she did know. She stated that when
King arrested her he had said: Il will
show you whether you had better have
Lawrence and Howard or King and
Doyle for your friends" Two of the
other girls were placed on the stand,
and gave materially the same testimony.
The case was submitted without argu-
ment, and in announcing his decision
Judge Mahoney administered to Detec-
tive King the most severe censure de-
livered from the municipal court bench
in many years. He spoke somewhat as
follows:
Il have given orders that these peO-
pie should be instructed that they must
conduct their places in an orderly man
ner, and must not allow their girls to
advertise their business either on the
CT 1a< o% In 4 lou. E
their houses. But as long as these in
structiOns are observed, and the Gus
tOmary fines are promptly paid. shall
extend 10 them the same protection that
do to any citizen. This court was open
all day yesterday, and if anything wrong
had occurred at this house its inmates
could have been brought in during the
daytime. But instead of that the
person who made this arrest
waited to do it under the shadow of
night. l consider this arrest as a gross
outrage, and during the eight years
which | have sat upon this bench |
know of no case where Z greater out
rage was committed. These women had
paid their fines and | can see 10 reason
for this arrest. excepting personal VEN
geance. This court is not intended for
the wreaking of private vengeance. and
| cannot permit Ii TO be used in that
manner. 1t is perfectly plain to me
that this arrest was made purely to
prejudice the assault case of Shannon.
and the man who would be guilty of
such an action Is a disgrace to the pO-
lice force of any city. l shall dismiss
every one of the cases"
Detective King was asked last even
ing what he had to say regarding Judge
MahOney's roast. He answered:
tN lille | am not la WVpr | TOnld
like to have Judge Mahoney's course
reviewed by those having knowledge of
! the law, and compared with his own
! course TWO years ago. when substantial
| ly the same thing was done by me. and
my acuOns Endorsed by him, he fining
| the inmates as provided by law.
Whether Ut not l was justified in what l
saw fit 70 do matters not. 1t
was admitted by the parties
yesterday that they were guilty, yet
| they were dismissed. 1t might be
deemed contempt of court were to ex-
| press my honest convictions or dwell on
/ the fact that at no time since | refused
| to present Judge MahOney's name to
| the Democratic convention for indoTse-
| ment has he gone out OF his way TO IA
J vOr me. The facts are that these women
were found violating the law and ar
rested; that they admitted their guilt
and were discharged. The only justif-
cation that can see is that
the court has been converted to
the license side of the social
evil question and considered that one
fine a month was enough. 1 am we'll
aware that If Mahoney was mayor in
stead of Judge L would pr mptly lose
my official head; but. fortunately for
myself, and. perhaps. for the city, he
| isn't mayor, and isn't likely to be-
sincerely hope the mayor Will investi-
gate the case, and am willing to stand
or fall by his decision, or that of any
| unprejudiced tribunal"
1rrrr ~ -H-