The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-04

she had been arrested The women
don't like to be dragged before the court
ana we have made it a rule that they
put up the amount of a probable fine and
forfeit it BY non-appearance- The dock
ct will show that.
sThe mere fact that a woman or two
women live in a house and men visit
there is not sufficient evidence on which
to convict . woman and fne her and
where are We going to get the witnessesI
It is not such an easy matter as the pub
lie imagines to convict women Of that
kind NO long a. they are orderly and
sober.
mir. Welch is right in saying that it
is the business of the police to look after
these places, but he must remember that
the police must have undisputable evil
dence before they can expect to make
successful case.
IF Mayor Harrison objects to the way
We doing the things vie would be
pleased to have him come and tell us
at meeting of the police commissioners
on Saturday nights. We are there to hear
Just such cases, and if anyone will help
us to get the women out of the city and
keep them out we should be mighty glad
Of IL"
COMMISSIONS Whiting Talks.
Police Commissioner A b Whiting
talked freely On the subject also He
said: Il think Mr. Harrison has been
very unwise in bringing this matter into
print Hardly one person IN 100 that
knows now OF the existence Of the Tenth
street place knew anything about it be-
fore Mr.. Harrison began TO advertise it
"Weeks ago we notified the residents
of the place 10 move and know they
have been in search of a house ever
since. Last week we told them that if
they did not move BY Monday they would
threat was a bluff. We couldn't arrest
them for we had no evidence on which
to convict them of running a disorderly
house.
ANY ofthe neighbors would have been
willing to swear out com plant against
the place as q nuisance, but we have
nuisance ordinance We are compelled
to convict people under the ordinances
of the city Of Topeka More than year
ago l asked City Attorney TilIotson to
present such an ordinance to the council
He did so and it was pigeon hOled and
finally lost / don't know whether he
ever prepared another one or not, al
though / asked him to. The state has
nuisance law and if the people want
places of that sort closed up they should
file their complaints with the county at
torney, not with the police who
powerless, until they become disorderly
or we can prove specific violation of the
ordinance. BY a decision in the district
court two women have a right to live to-
gether and receive male callers at any
time they please, and still their places
shall not be considered disorderly.
II guess we have canvasaed every plan
under the sun IN ard to this matter,
and none seems better than the one we
now have It is a fact that when the
women are arrested for disorderly con-
duet they are allowed. upon arrest, to put
up, say, So for their Appearance and then
forfeit it. For that 50 they are given a
receipt Of course. No woman in town
il licensed in any way. The police have
strict orders from Us to enforce the laws,
and to the best of our knowledge
they are doing it. If anyone
can prove anything to the con
trary we should certainly be obliged
for the information and would
take quick action on it. have asked
the policemen on the beat if they have
ever seen anything about the Tenth
street house that would be cOnvicting
evidence and they assure me they have
not"
"Mayor Harrison's statement that the
houses Of this kind are more numerous
now than they were before is assuredly
false. The city was never in better
condition either as regards number or
cleanliness. l think the mayor has been
misinformed by some one who has
talked to him about it till he believes it.
/ don't think Mayor Harrison is in po-
sition to know anything about it person
ally"