The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-13
WHAT CHIEF CHILD SAYS
He Expressed Willingness to Co.
operate With the Committee.
He WILL WEIGH THE EVIDENCE.
He Gives Some Interesting Facts About
the Methods and Results of the sup
preston of vice-He Has Not Yet
Heard From the COMMITTEES OF 100.

The discussion OF the subjecs of the
work of the committee of 100 for the sup
preston OF vice is now on again, since
the committee OF nine has reported that
the full committee has been secured.
What the methods of work will be is un-
known, because the committee las not
met, so far as anybody knows, although
of course, they might sit together pri-
vately and keep 1t quiet, as nobody Is
supposed to know who they are.
In order 10 find cut what the disposi-
tion of the police department In regard 70
the matter is NEWS reporter was sent TO
interview Chief Child to day. The chief
had just finished receiving reports from
the captains wnen the reporter entered.
He stated that he had not been APP
preached by any one of the committee OF
one hundred and had no idea on what
line that body proposed To work.
Suppose the committee decides on
line of work and asks the police depart
ment TO cooperate, would you be willing
10 do so ?" asked the reporter.
YES" replied the chief, IF they bring
me evidence AID are willing to leave IL in
my hands 10 use as / see fit | will DO IL,
but must be allowed t. judge Of the
evidence aud decide where and how /
shall use my men,"
"But suppose that the committee
should come to you at first and propose "a
plan for cooperation with TIE depart
ment In the suppression of evilsi"
II would be glad to help them in any
thing which was on the right line" said
Mr.. Child. 1T is easier To think that
one has evidence than to actually use it
in the courts. Fellows come I'm here and
say that the have been ia such a house
where they lost money at gambling. and
they want me To proceed against the
house. j say 10 them; Are yOu going
into this to follow it TO the end or do yon
simply want me to get your money backY
They usually say that all they want is to
get the money back. and tell them that
i am not going TO be made catspaw in
such n transaction.
II am in position between the law
and the people" continued the chief,
"and III my evidence fails aud tie cases
are lost, the city has to pay the costs"
Continuing the chief said that in cases
where girls were even taken out of houses
of ill-repute, known to be such, they often
claimed To be servants ana there was no
evidence TO show that they were not.
Now there is another point" said the
chief. "When those women, no matter
how low, are brought In court,you would
be surprised to see that many very re-
spectacle people will try to help them
through sympathy"
The chief intimated that il the people
who want to help those girls could pet
them To agree To 20 TO some place of
refuge or give them some kind of en-
ployment they could be let off in the
courts with much more propriety. lie
also stated that from what he had heard
he understood that the committee OF
100. chosen by the ministers, was made
up OF level-headed business men who
would not 40 into anything unwisely or
take up any methods not justiiaDle.
The trouble OF getting the right kind
of legislation was another point on which
police had tried TO get laws against carry
ing concealed weapons
III such law could be passed the tough
citizens and drunken men, wicked ltal-
ians and such people could be fined and
eventually prevented from carrying
them. In the prosecution of people for
this offense the circumstances would be
taken into consideration.
In Chif Guilds annual report in 1881 he |
urged the enforcement of the laws in re- |
gard 10 minors, ETC. lie stated that |
LILY minors had been arrested for crimes
and misdemeanors, about IA per cent. of |
the whole arrests, aud he urged parents |
To- prevent the evils surr lding young |
girls on the streets, forming the acquajn- |
tance OF strangers, etc, by being more |
watchful and taking pains To see that |
they had better surroundings lie re-
minded them that such pathway led TO |
shameless lives. He also referred to ne |
elected children and boys in billiard |
rooms and saloons.
While these suggestions of the chief
were not In the line of correcting evils
already In existence and are not especial
ly pertinent in the case where evils are TO |
he abolished which already exist in the
form OF houses Of ill-repute and gambling
dens, they were wise words aud show
OF the chiefs point OF view az /
that time, which he asserts he still main
tains.
The NEWS presents the chiefs views
on the subject, and the people have an
opportunity TO consider them aud com
pare them with the facts ms known TO
themselves. When the committee of 100 |
formulates its plans, the cooperation of |
tbs police department. may be tested.