The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-09


missfOners Claim to RnOw Nothing
ofIt.
In spite of emphatic denials on the
part of the police, it is reported on good
authority that the police revenue of the
city is about to be materially increased
by system of fines levied each month
on the women abOut-town who comprise
the lower world of Topeka 1t is pro-
posed to run Topeka like other towns"
by this system of ffnes' which while
not a license, can easily be made the
eQ uivalent of it
One of the women who would come
under the provisions OF such a police
regulation said: Captain Gish called
here a few days ago and told US that all
the girls of our class were to be fined So
every month. We didn't have any money
and he said we could have until the 14th
to pay it in. If we don't put up by that
time he said he would order the house
pulled and we would all be fined $50.
Gish said the So fine would entitle US to
police protection and that we wouldn't
be molested as long as we kept a quiet,
orderly place. He advised US to get five
or six more girls and get better loca-
ton and we intend to do 500
A member of the police force who
keeps his eyes open and knows all that
is going on, was asked by JOURNAL re-
porter reg arding the truth of the woman's
assertion. At first the officer professed
ignorance and declined to talk, but
finally he said:
1T is true, every word Of it. Captain
Gish gave officer Campbell and several
other officers on whose beats there are
disorderly houses. instructions to tell the
girls that they would be fined So every
month, and in return they are not to be
molested unless they get disorderly.
Gish hasn't said anything to me about it
but l have heard it talked about for
several days. / think an effort is being
made TO keep 1t quiet"
Police Judge Ensminger was asked
about the truth of the story He said,
Il have heard rumOrs to this effect for
several days but officially don't know a
thing about it,"
The fact is not denied that the board
of police commissioners have had this
and other methods of remedying the
social evil, but the commission
ers deny that the plan outlined
here was agreed upon and
say if Gish has done what it is claimed
he did, has acted without their author
ity.
Chairman A B. Whiting said today:
"What to do with this particular ele-
ment is a grave question, and it has baf-
fed the best police boards in the coun-
try. At the board meetings for several
weeks we have been giving it a great
deal of attention, but nothing of the sort
the contrary it is our wish to restrict the
evil as far as possible"
Oscar krauss, the Democratic member
of the board, says: "If Captain Gish has
done what these people claim he has, he
has done so on his own authority and not
on ours. i think myself, however, that
it would be much better for the morals
and health of the young men if this
evil was regulated in such a way
that it could be collected There is no
benefit in in1icting heavy fines on these
women. 1t only impOverisheS them and
turns them out from their houses onto
the streets The city council has been
after US because our expenses are 80
heavy and our receipts are so light We
feel that we have got to do something
pretty soon, but it would be unwise to
try to license those people because pub
lie sentiment isn't that way. Since we
got prohibition here, the peop want
everything prohibited"
Captain Peter Gish hims 4lf was asked
about the assertions which have been
made against him. He 50 "If were
one of the police commits. ers l would
throw the throttle vic open, but so far
as / know the board asn't done any
thing of the sort" He denied that any
"license" was being exacted of the
women either as fines or blackmail pur-
poses
'.Do you deny calling on any of the
women and saying that 50 a month
would guarantee them from police in
terference?" the reporter asked.
81 had no authority to do that" re-
piled Gish, and that was near as he
came to answering this direct question.