The morning call., 1893-05-11
ARE THEY PROTECTED?
Something About Women Not Mo-
Tested by the Police


Tested by the Police.
Some time ago the church authorities
made complaint Of the shameless conduct
OF women who were the occupants of
many dens that fronted on Dupont street.
between Bush and California What the
clergy knew, the police knew. 1t was not
news 20 the police ~ inform them that the
women were an eyesOre TO The respectable
women and their children who had to
move along that tnoroughfare on their
way to church. The orders previous to
that time. issued from headquarters, we're
that the occupants of these houses should
keep away from the windows should not
accost passers by, and that there should
not be any bright lights in the parlors
There was tacit understanding that they
might occupy the houses provided that
they c0mpOrted themselves in manner
that would not be offensive to any one
who chose 10 pass and Iepass along that
street.
Some OF the officers detailed for duty in
that quarter performed their duty in the
manner that was expected, but there were
others who. probably acting under an in
iiuence that Judge CoElan says does exist
al this lime and has existed for n long time
past, allowed the women to do just as they
pleased. to the annoyance of people who
have right to expect better service from
the men who are paid to enforce the laws.
As result OF the complaint made by the
clergy an order went forth from the head
Office at the central station that the women
complained OF must yacate the rooms on
the ground floor or seek other quarters.
This order struck CONSERVATION among
the occupants, who were at loss to know
what to do. They called upon their land
lords, who receive on an average 500 a
month for each tenement, aud they sought
10 have the obnoxious order revoked, but
the head OF the Police Department stood
firm, paying no attention to entreaties or
threats.
Then the order was modified TO the ex-
tent that The women might occupy the
upper floors, with the understanding thai
they should keep away from the win
d0ws."
They were very quiet when the modified
order went into effect, and unless people
east their eyes toward the stars-not those
that are COM planned Of from the bench
none would Know that these places were
inhabited. But the women became holder,
they had Railways built in the lower rooms,
brilliant lights put up, and on the door at
the end Of the corridor were placed allur-
ing signs that could not be mistaken.
Then the upper front rooms were brightly
lighted and the women placed themselves
at the open windows and by finger and
voice attracted the attention of those who
walked by on the sidewalk. The evil that
was complained of became as fragrant as
ever, and all this with the knowledge of
the regular officers on the beat.
Along kearny street, from Bush to Clay,
portion Of the principal thoroughfare
that is used nightly by people Of all classes,
there are to be seen number of women
who are known TO the police as street
walkers" who ply their Illegal vocation
from 5e time the lights are lit until 3 and
4 o'clock in the morning. They are to be
seen there every night, in The same cos
tunes, at about the same posts, and they
carry on their business with as much i'm
punity as if there was no law on the ordi-
nance books against such traffic or police
officers TO drive them of the street OF arrest
them, as 1t is their sworn duty to do. II
the officers who are on that street do not
know these women or do not know their
character they must indeed be very
stupid lot and ought TO be assigned tc
some duty that fits their mental capacity.
TINS suggests the question, do these
women purchase immunity from prosecu-
ton ?"