Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-20
They Blame the Public Safety De-
partment for Its InactiOn,
ASKING THE CHIEFS TO RESIGN
Demand That the Laws against Crime Be
Eigidly Enforced.
APPEALING TO THE PUBLIC FOR AID

press. Inc courts are askeu 10 lay Lne
matter before the grand jury and have that
body inquire into the action of the Public
| Safety Department. The ministers want
the courts to see whether this department
is not governing the city in open disregard
of the laws 1t also asks that the chiefs
of these departments be requested to resign
il they do not show some disposition to do
| their dutv. They still have recourse left
if the courts fail to act in accordance with
their request The ministers will take up
the battle themselves and fight it to victory.
In mild way the paper refers to the re-
marks of the New York ministers in regard
to the manner the Pittsburg clergy dealt
with the women several days ago.
How the Ministers Feel About 1t.
The paper, rs adopted at yesterdays
meeting, follows:
Having waited for almost three weeks for
the Public Safety Department. to make some
practical move toward the enforcement Of
the law for the suppression of disorderly
houses, in accordance with the Mayors
direction and urgent request, and seeing no
indication that such movement is intended,
we make an appeal to our fellow citizens
and the courts.
Communications from residents Of the
First ward have directed attention to the
appalling imnoralities practiced and pro-
tected in the lower part OF the city. Some
thing like $50 resorts existed in that COM
munity alone. Illegal liquor selling was
carried on in every one of these habi-
tations. All this was not only known to the
police but brought about by their foste ring
care and directions. AS many of the re-
spectacle people as could get away fed
from the doomed district as from the pesti-
lence.
Brought in Contact With Crime.
Being a denseiy peopled locality, how
ever, and many of the residents for business
purposes were compelled to remain, these
were constantly exposed to contact with
all manner of vice. Children playing in the
streets or on their way to and from school,
boys and girls and men and women going to
| and from work, or out for the evening and
| on their way home; clerks and laboring men
! who fill the offices and factories that crowd
the ward; Christian people on their way to
church on the Sabbath, all classes
face with this aboninable and debasing
| vice. Appeals came from the people
| and especially from their religious
| guardians and teachers, but all in vain. The
| people of that ward are poor and there was
| nobody to take up their cause The only
| answer by the police department to expos
ure and appeal was the bold assertion that
| the social evil is a necessity and they would
| not interfere with it. Even the illegal
| liquor selling was justified on the same
| ground and the purpose'on the part OF the
| authorities to continue in this scheme OF
contamination was plainly and unblush-
| ingly announced.
This state OF affairs alarmed and Mortified
the decent and thoughtful people of
the city Ministers called attention to
| it in their pulpits. 1t was under these cir
cumstance5 that this association took
| action. On our first appeal TO the Mayor he
was disposed rather TO lecture US and our
churches for neglect of duty toward the
| criminal classes than give our demand the
respect and consideration which would
seem to have been its due.
Mayor Gourley Was Convinced.
Our subsequent appeal, however, he pub
licly declared convinced him of the justice
and reasonableness OF our demands and he
forthwith directed the police department to
enforce the law.
How did that department respond? Their
action must appear to all sober, intelligent
people as most censurable and menacing.
| The law requires the arrest and prosecution
| of keepers of disorderly houses; the prose-
used for immoral purposes. This was the
| thing, therefore, demanded by this associa-
| ton. Instead, however, of this regular and
orderly process, an order was issued that
| into the public thoroughfares of the
city. For two days the police department
| the guardians of the peace OF over 250,000
people-permitted these women to tramp
our streets, to assault the houses of our citi-
zens and violently force an entrance into
our homes in the dead hour OF the night
without offering US the slightest protection
from these invasions. 1t was even insisted
by these women, who came by the score and
assaulted us with language most foul, that
they were directed SO to do by our police
authorities. This was the response OF our
public safety department to the respect
phl petition OF this assoclation, sustained by
the authority of the Mayor, to enforce the
law against crime and vice.
Explaining Their First Position.
While the cry was raised by thoughtless or
vicious people that these women were at our
instigation turned out to suffer on the
streets, it is known to every one that their
houses were not closed and that they came
and went to their former places of abode
without molestation; and that, while there
was ample provision for the care of scores
in the comfortable institutions open to them
in the city which it was publicly announced
we're open to all, there was not a single sim
cere application at one of them or in any
other quartet Tor assistance.
Our appeal now is to our fellow citizens
and to our courts. What shah we do? When
we respectfully petition to have the law en-
iorced against the most dangerous and cor
rupting class of criminals in our city we are
answered by having them turned loose upon
us to wreak their vengeance by invading
our homes and then to go back to their re-
sorts unmolested. Is it safe under such cir
cumstances to call upon our police authori-
ties for the enforcement of any of our crimi-
nal statutesf Are'we not in equal danger OF
having any other lawless class turned loose
long enough to teach Us not to interfere with
the business of this Department.
Asking for Officials designations.
Does not the conduct of this department
of public safety justify the good citizens in
demanding either the resignation of its de-
linQuent chiefs or some reasonable assur-
ance that they will proceed to do their sworn
duty and give adequate protectionP
crisis is upon US. While criminals are
protected or unmolested, law-abing citizens
who dare demand the enforcement OF law
are abandoned to the will of the lawless. This
is what inevitably comes o. parmitting the
sworn guardians of our peace and executors
of our criminal statutes to substitute their
own Will for law, and, instead OF suppress
ing. fostering and regulating crime We are
warned not only by the official report of
Superintendent 0'Mara, of this CITY, and
the attitude OF Byrnes, o. New York, but by
the attitude OF police officials in all our
large cities, that it is the deliberate inten-
tion to force upon the people or this country
the practical legalizing of crime. 1t is
claimed that this is the only practical
method OF dealing with it; that It cannot
be suppressed, and that even II it could be-
it would not be wise to do SO.
Accepted as a Necessity.
1t is accepted as a necessity. In view of
these facts, SO full of danger to every in
teIest of society, we appeal to that great
class in our community which loves social