The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-04
PITTSBURGH'S BIG PROBLEM.
THE MAJOR SENDS 4 sHARP LETTER
TO THE POLICE OFFICIALS.

the Outcnsts from Their Abodcs, hut Did
Order the Police to shut Up such Places,
nnd supposed that Only Customary and
I.erri Methods Would he Csed-He Quotes
the LAW showing How Owners OF Prop
erty May he Renrhed-The situation Re-
mains ns II Was with the Resorts Open.
PITTSBURGH, Dec 3-Thc social evil prob
lem md the conflict between the Mayor and
tho Chief Of tho Department OF Public Safety
over tho proposed suppression ofthe disorderly
houses hero is no nearer n real solution. The
disorderly places remain wide oIcn. however,
Tho Mayor to-day addressed another letter to
Chief Brown bearing directly upon the order
Issued by the Chief yesterday instructing the
Superintendent Of Police not to interfere with
the women until the Mayor should designate a
definite timo Tor acting. When asked to-day
as to the probable outcome OF the situation the
Mayor said:
IL havo not yet determined what course
will pursue should tho Chioi disregard my let
ter. In fact. have not yet contemplated such
. condition OF things. We only know that the
law must 10 regarded" Soc. II OF the city char
tor, however. provides that the Mayor shall
have general supervision OF nll depart m enis.
with power to direct their officers within the
duties under tho law and the ordinances" II
Mr.. Brown refuses to obey the Mayor. the lat
ter may go to councils and have tho officer Inn
peached. or no may go into court. charging
tho Chief with misdemeanor in Office.
Senator Flynn and other recognized leaders
OF the local Republicans held long consulta-
ton with Chief Brown this afternoon. but the
Chief has nothing to say about it. Superin-
tendent of Ioce Roger OMara said that he
was going to Baltimore to night to attend tho
Prison Congress.
"wi!I anything be done In tho matter dur
Ing tho absence -
no. there will be no action by the police in
this case until return"
Mayor Gourley is II member Of the Prison
Congress. and had been invited to address the
meeting. but he decided to-day that he would
not leave Pittsburgh at this time. The
Mayors letter to Chief Brown was as follows
Mayors OFFICE. rirrssuRi. Pa. DEc B. lsv2
J.Sph Es"rn. Eg. ,hi,f beinrt",m Ibi,c Sute,y:
DtAR Sin: saw yesterday afternoon printed IN tho
public press your letter 30 the superintendent ,, roce
directing him not to eject moet any of the inmates
OF the houses of prostitution until his Honor uho
Mayor shall indicate tho date At which he desires his
order of Now 80 to go into execution" THIS order OF
yours quoted in part above. is SO remarkable that
cannot let 1t without notice though you have ade
commune alton OF 1t to me- II assumes power IN
you me of suspendns the laws governing city
That canno: even BY silence permit to go without
dissent. My order to you OF Nov. 80 referred to
In your communication to your Suprrirtc ndent did
direct you to eject the inmates O; houses Of ill.,
fame 1t SIMPLY and only directed you to enforce the
law against all houses of Ill repnt. thr cuy. And to
prevent amy possible Misunderstanding quoted In the
communication ment toned tn. tu!I TEXT OF the law
under which you were to act and Which constitutes
She only authority Tor any acton at all by yoa
In the premises b. referring t. thu Law or ordinance
quoted and which asked You to rn!or'r by pre-
tencc you find a sctntilla OF authority for sum
marily rJect,n1 tn. inmates OF houses Of Ill. f
summary c.osins such houses by driving the IN.
mates out ct their d"1rs mpon the streets To the
end OF suppressng houses the la" gives your de-
rRrtm-nt p"w.r ito arrest every keeper AMI eN'ry
person found therein and I" hin all such PERSONS be-.
lore the police magistrates vi sIIl cty Ia. ,Nanna
ton and Esarns, and each r..,"n founl sHity att
trial shall be iinri tor U.irn'-.
THIS law only convr.. after examination and hear.
ing" does not profess t" invest y"u me with
despOtic POWER to bai.sh into the streets an make
hunci,ss "nd sh"tere's even women "r lame with
arrest, examination an hearing. And even after
convection upon suCh cNnnnati'n ni!d hearing it does
not im:o.. "a sentence oi cJcc;ment from the house.
but u nne. AMI in def ult OF ptyInrnt mpri 70
mem.. i"n cann,t tai 10 tina; your Ter
81 NOV 81. Reported to me 10y !ou To drive these
me" our "mn he ,ire.'s ami !" close amt :" Keep
or by anything ~ my commune 81 that da" d.
i..ieu',." Your power the premises und-r III.
INV s a. snrr' ,Ir E"Ine al" gH'r rsr,"n nS
tate. l"r exam nnt'on and 'earn. Your '"rr un'e'
AN c,nnnrn tnai. II !ou c",ihn. y"nIs.II |" tho
s'nip sc"a'ge Of nr"G'y as swarm officer fr"m
fals tr closed with III, "rf unauthorized
i"w ."i m V"nr Ir, S', ~" and ort, A
pr ana Dnn"cr-.nry suffering once. or
n"n. g." gu. not" III m la;,o. WAGON mtl
10 ~ Their nne. As !"a raw led these
In in. c,s, viii sas'y """ suggest TIA, You servs
notice upon them thai after REASONABLE" Tin. sum
Shsr MEX y"s re",, y"H WI enforce ne law
Is
:" innic. H. sentence Of ne "a" up such Il, may b.
"syy. mat M 20" rnrts tins course H. only
very soon d sap"'ar. rI"u tns, rous~ no, accom-
sSr.ysa %arsS IL. I J. ~ Snsn is.. as
common b"dy nous e. ' Or Ia, kn" no" " iet or
s O. .. sa n"I he :n +" % 20 SspI 10
CONVICTION lie ,entrnted t" ray l. he not eNce-i.
.nsnv tN" y.ar sr @ law y"a ay. 1 M.:
S 20: ss"a, not do n." AM 's srrs>, re 1S"n
Tis r-spons. b'Hty ~ drsrharg:uy ,h,, plain day
e""r.s 5" JAIN AID an" " MI. E hcr XXX the
;us ii ."' t tsIM !" y"s Ca ar Wa, " "a IT
from sol-nn sei'se of pnh.c "Ir.at"n t" -. t.,t
s.s ~. Observance of the IL" i "I w ,r@y
To-day the Mavor'- r1aI contained many
letters from various i re-. IlaceS with woods Of
written by {. Il. Van Urn Of West Twelfth.
street New orb. syi..es,r.i that some 81 III.
women turned put hrr" ilt.lt ma shelter III |
Now iGrk. 'Ih" writer =. al h." Thought he
could rrnyid" homes ior n .raHt SIN Vi them
In rsln=cs rs,".!lSh"d in No" York: NJ"
writer ..aG: used q, fine quality Of stationery,
Ei;h Il monogram ana address raised in blue
lcttrr".
francis Murphy. tho temrcrnrc" APOSTLE.
whose mrthu,i> ri reaching tho iu!lun were
yesterday held up to til" ministers b. tac
Mayor ~ worthy o! example. said to-day:
- have read with priiyrriu! into. est the tr-
counts in the n"""t ahriS rrgardlns the M
fortunate women our city and III" p!aA
proposed hy some Of our well meaning people
to cur tho disease. Pittsburgh ln-dny - lho
most law-abdin. city IN America: the streets
are cleaner from no pirsruce OF the untortu-
mates than any other city Of tho same popuiH-
tlon in THIS country or any other, Pittsburgh
H. known the world over rs the gres,ts-t centr.
Of Chris. ian influence on this continent. Her
charities are s"!nclEiEg enormous. III" faint !
est call for help is heard and answered hy tnu |
people. | am Grirvcd that This great city |
should be hc'd NJ before III" world as Il pest |
place. thirst never entered cumilaints IN n |
Mayors oiii,r, asking him to arrest the publ /
cans and sinner. and hen drove them out Of |
the city in'o III" night without shelter. Ile |
sud to prosecutors: he that is without sin ,
among you. 1T hm east the first Stone"
The l,nv, William Robertson, "A United Pres