Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-03-06
REV DR. BATEN
breaches a SERMON ABOUT
FORT WORTH MEANNEsS.
Nc Gives Some Specifications In Regard 10
Tho Discharge Of a Policeman What
Ne Said.

"Woc unto them that call evil good
aud good evil. that put darkness Tor
light aud light for darkness. thlt put
bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter
-lsiah. v, 20
Municipal NIoouncss Is my subject
this evening
Before beginning It. Is bui right that I
Should apologize tu this congregation for
a statement or two made 10y me last
Sunday night | int 'mutcd that faith.
hl policeman had been discharged for
doing his duty. I want to apologize for
that statement | ann sorry : did mot
put 10 great deal stronger will now
try 20 make amends The facts In the
ease are these: A certain policemen
was assigned duty on Houston street
The blocl, ou which the pnstoilicc stands
was In his beat. he suspected that
house IN that block was hciug used for
immoral purposes He soon found that
what he Ind suspected was true. More
over, he saw prominent men iu TIE city
going I'm and coming out of this house
lie filed complaint before the city court
and gave the names of these men as Wit
ncssrS He was warned that VI this case
came 20 trial IL would create genuine
sensation. Efforts were made 10 pre-.
vent the trial taking place. The pro
prietor was hurried Ia the depot with
view TO escaping, but was Intercepted b.
the vigilance OF this policeman Finally
when ii Yves seen that the officer could
neither Doc summed, nor hluGed the party
was induced TO plead guilty 10 the crime
of keeping "a disOrlcrly house ana the
fine of 500 was paid The mogey was
furnished boy persons other than tie
one under arrest The noble policeman
who thus stood, like Spartan gladiu-
tor i'm defense of law and order soon
lost his job although Dee was q good
man, % poor man with @ family and had
been fniJhful. sober officer in the city
for seven years. Ills sor, of man was
not wanted on th' police force Woe
unto that city whose police committee
calls good evil and oyil good.
Unfortunately such officers as this one
are very scarce While ne broke up
on, disordprly house, there are great
muny other such houses running i'm foil
blast In Fort Worth. The very laws
tlat are intended % suppress them are
so perverted as 20 license them. The
thing Is done in this way: An officer se-
cures the names of all persons violating
these laws. Once n month he goes round
aud collects fue from euch one, with
thc understanding That the offender
shall not be pat GO further trouble. Now,
/ submit that when q certain thing BIS
prohibited by law with fine affixed the
fine rs intended as a means Of suppetsing
the iIIIllNhs AhNl ~ INV GUSTS Nlti 1T hi ~
actually nude a license, and now the adj
vocatps of the now charter are asking
the legislature 10 give the city court
concurrent jurisdiction with the county
court in all misdemeanOr cases. In The
name of good order, in the name of good
morals, ina the name Of common decener
In the name Of the churches Of the Lord
Jesus Christ, In the name OF the yOnug
men ana women of our city, iu the name
of many happy frcsides, In the name Of
many a broken heart let's not give the
city court any more power tlll . shows
some signs of lawfully using the power
IL already has
Last night a man was robbed on 1Nyelf
ia street, In six feet of the sidewalk
Two policemen Were within q few rods
of the place hangiDE around saloon,
and even I'm the saloon q lew minutes
later An affidavit 20 this effect can br
had II necessary have understood
that | am To dagger OF bcing pros cuted
for libel Now tlat would br one Of tho
most interesting libel suits You ever
heard Of: you know Wien a man o.
prosecuted for libel he Is allowed 20
prove the truth OF his alleged libolOus
utterances III ho can. challenge any
one 50 inclined 10 institute suit for libel
But pray tell noe what the city wants
with more jurisdiction Wien her police
management Is $50 corrupt that man
loses his Job on the police force Tor ds-
charging his duty. when the laws intend,
ed 10 suppress crime are so perYcried
MS 10 license crime, when policemen
lounge about the saloons while men ore
beirg robbed? May God pity Fort
Worth III nny more power should BE- put
into the hands of her police. Last night
great many saloons kept open doors
nfter ~ o'clock Loud music was played
in many OF these saloons and poieemen
were IN at least one saloon whose doors
vepe open. and where loud music was
being played after Il o'clock N You
want 40 affidavit 10 tins 81
fect it can be cheeffmi}
furnished. Yes, get up q libel SUIT; Y
viii he an interesting interruption OF me
dtll times now in Fort Worth. now
why does this state ~ Affairs exist
II Because the idea largely prfgahs
That laws tOuchiIg MORAL questions can
rat Be enforced n that be true, let
ouit trying 10 enforce the law aeainat
Doriury. That Is law touching iaofnls.
lei us not trY 90 enforce me iaN
aeginef theft Those are laws Touching
morals. Tho SAME il trne Of laws Aei5t1s.
arsOn. MURDER, outrage, etc, eic. h4l
they say, you cant legislate morals