The herald., 1895-03-27
THE SUNDAY CLOSING LAW
The Police Commissioners Dis
cuss the Matter
TIE REMOVAL OF THE CRIBS
The Chief of Police to Consult the City
Attorney
A Special Committee From the Council Takes
Hand In the Deliberations and Fir.
Plrtle Is Outvoted

The Board of Police commissioners held
its regular weekly meeting yesterday
morning, all the members present and
Mayor RAIDER presiding.
After the transaction OF the routine
business Counclmen Savage and King
cry, who were recently appointed COM
mittee by the council to dispose of the
cribs. were calleu upon by the Mayor to
express their views.
In response Councilman Savage said
that long petition had been presented
to the Council by Rev. Will Knighten re-
questing that the cribs be removed from
the Eighth ward and he said at the time
that he agreed with all Mr.. Knighten
said, but he would insist that some place
be found in which to place these fallen
creatures before they are forced off of
Alameda street and driven into the hotels
and lodging houses to live alongside OF
children and decent people.
Mr.. Pirtle swung around in his chair
and said that he was fairly familiar with
the matter under consideration; that
during the week he had talked with
Shaffer brothers and Thee. Bauer, who
own most of the Alameda street broth
els, and he had arrived at satisfactory
/ to close up the present fronts of the cribs
entirely and make an alley in the rear,
running parallel with Alameda street, up
on which the cribs would face.
Mr.. kingery said that he did not think
that the commission was working on the
line of the petition, which requested that
the cribs be removed from the Eighth
ward. This business of closing the pres
ent front and opening the rear will not
change matters in the least. This board
has the power to dispose of this great
and growing evil, and l want you to do it,
Mr. pirfl a n nf
Supreme Court decisions, the crib woman
cannot be legislated out of the city. In
its decision the court practically held
that "a woman living in crib is not in
a house of ill-fame."
''Still, " said the gentleman, ''the police
can so harass these women that they will
have to go to other quarters, wherever the
site may be selected"
Mayor RAIDER took occasion to remark
that Los Angeles compared with other
cities is not immoral, and the more the
skeletons are aired the more it hurts the
city.
Mr.. Pirtle replied that Mr.. Knighten's
petition stood in refutation of the
Mayors claim for the decency of the mu-
nicipality.
City Attorney Dunn was called for by
the Mayor and he Immediately presented
an appearance. In reply to questions he
said that there was ample law against
prostitution. but to abolish it entirely by
practical application of law remains as
much of problem as it ever was in all
large cities. There is no Supreme Court
decision as some suppose, but northern
Superior Court decision to the effect that
woman living any place in illicit rela-
tions with men does not constitute a
house of prostitution, and therefore can
not be reached by law; but there are sew
eral statutes against open prostitution and
renting property for this purpose, and the
make it so hot for this class that they will
be driven out of any special locality.
This will be, however, only to go into
some other locality, and it simply remains
question of expediency and propriety in
driving the fallen women from place to
place throughout the city, with the dan
ger of making the situation much worse
President iced went into the meeting
about this time, and he too took part in
the discussion. He said that the agitation
against the cribs came from lot of inn
practicable people who do not understand
the situation. He said that the women
should be restricted and kept within a
certain quarter and not permitted to go
oil over the city. Still the Police Com
mission nor any other body can officially
pick out a quarter for the cribs and locate
them there.
Councilman Savage said that he wants
the cribs out of the Eighth ward. and if
they are not, no good would result from
interfering with them.
Finally Mr.. Pirtle offered the following
resolution:
Resolved. That the Chief OF Police
consult the City Attorney and use all
means in his power to drive all the pros
titutes from New High and Alameda
streets.
The resolution was adopted, and during
the next week Chief Glass and City At
torney Dunn will have an extensive ques-
ton to wrestle with
The commission next turned its atten-
tion to the Sunday closing law.
The application of M. l.. Poaski & Co.
for restaurant liquor license was read
and the Mayor remarked that he saw no
reason why it should not be granted, but
he was shut off by Mr.. Pirtle, who said
that the request was made for but one |
reason-so that they mi ght evade the Sun
day law and sell liquor on the Sabbath.
Commissioner Barham said that M. l.. |
Polaski d Co, are running a legitimate
business. including q bar, grill room and |
an elaborate restaurant up stairs; other
restaurants, including Jerry Illichs and |
dozens of Others, have restaurant liquor |
licenses and he thought inasmuch as the
applicants had invested large sum of
money in their business, that it would
be wrong to refuse the license. docs |
any one pretend to say" said Mr.. Bar
ham, that people who desire It cannot |
haze quart of claret if they wish it with !
their meals on Sunday as well as at any |
other time? like wine with my meals
and if | cannot get it at Polaski's it simply |
means that customers will be driven to
other places"
Mayor RAIDER agreed with Commission
er Barham. He said: 'This community
IS largely made up of people who came |
here for their health and to enjoy the
beneficial effects of Southern California |
climate. They naturally board at restau-
rants and in many cases drink liquor
with their meals upon their physician's
advice. There are people who are stop
ping at the same hotel | am, and don't
believe they would remain in Los An
geles day if they were denied the priv
lege of having liquor with their meals. "
Mr.. Barham moved that the restaurant
license be granted to M. l.. Polaski & Co.,
and it was carried, all voting in the af-
firmatve save Commissioner Pirte who
voted mo- in an emphatic tone of voice.
Continuing on the liquor question the
Mayor said that he thought all of the
saloons were closed last Sunday, but Mr..
Pirtle disabused his mind by saying that
he twas informed" that Charles Shredder
of the Hollenbeck bar kept his place open
all last Sunday and said that the ''Chief
of Police and the Police Commissioners
could be DID,"
Mr.. Pirtle further said that he was told
that certain policeman had dressed in
clothes last Sunday and bought.
. drink at the Hollenbeck.
The, Mayor said that he had not been