The herald., 1896-12-23
An Official Statement From the
Society
ORIGIN OF THE MOVEMENT
liz Present Condition Is Internally
Reviewed.
The Facts That Its Members Believe
They Have Established-How They
Regard Public Criticism.


Parkhurst movement in Los Angeles:
For years the existence of gambling
places, saloons, houses of i'll repute and
other agencies Of vice have threatened
and have preyed upon the people of this
city. From time to time efforts nave
been made to suppress them, but never
with very gratifying success. The Min
isterial union, believing tnat eternal
vigilance Is the price Of good govern
ment, saw fit to appoint committee TO
erganize a vigilance league. This was
done upon motion of Rev. John A b.
Wilson, D. D.. who stated at the time
that, while this Is one Of the most moral
cities in which he ever lived, yet. in some
Of its features, the law breaking and
immortality Of this city exceeded the
worst conditions in New York in the
days of Tammany Halls greatest pow
er. Fer instance the custom of courte-
zans distributing their cards with
names, street number. number of room
and telephone number. he found to be
peculiar to the west. He had never seen
nor heard of it in the east.
For some time after the appointment
Of this committee nothing was done.
About five months ago certain persons
sought an interview with one of the pas
tors of the city and urged some aglta-
ton in favor of the enforcement of the
law against a pool room that it was
alleged, was being run in violation OF
the law. 1t was stated by these per-
sons, who seemed to be reliable and we'll
informed as to what was going on among
the gambling element of the community,
that the pool room referred to was being
run at an expense of $500 to $1,000 per
month in the way of hush money which
was distributed among city officials,
newspapers and others. It. was further
alleged that other pool rooms and other
gambling places would be opened If the
one then existing was not suppressed,
and a corps of city officials elected who
could not be touched" with corrup-
tion money. Much other information of
the same general character was given.
The situation as described was reported
to the committee already referred to and
the proposed organization for the en-
forcement of law and the maintenance
of good government was speedily form
ed, receiving the name of the Park
hurst society
THE PURPOSE OF THE SOCIETY.
The purpose of this society, as stated
in it's constitution, is to secure munich
pal reform, the enactment of such laws
and city ordinances as shall conserve the
peace and morals of the people; and to
secure the enforcement of the laws
against vice and immortality, and the ex-
posure, punishment and expulsion from
office, and defeat when candidates for
office. of such persons as have been
derelict in duty while in office, or who. by
their personal character and affiliations
do not give assurance of thorough en-
forcement of law, without fear or IA
vor'
THE WORK DONE.
Agreeab,y with this purpose, a COM
mittee was appointed with DR.. c. c.
Mclean as chairman. whose duty it was
to make investiga tions as to the alleged
violations Of public law and morality.
The chairman of that committee, in an
interview with the chief of police, was
Informed that, to obtain evidence upon
which convictions could be secured, it
was necessary that liquor be bought
from the dealers and drunk on the prem
ises at such times as the law says the
saloons must be closed. Accordingly
with the aid of detectives the committee
visited a large number of saloons and
a number of houses of i'll repute for the
purpose of ascertaining to what extent
the alleged conditions exist. and to see
whether girls under age are being en-
tloed from home to a life of shame a
commonly reported. The results of their
work have already been made known in
part in public meetings and in the
courts. 1t may be said that. out of the
whole number of saloons visited after
the hour of midnight. not a dozen We're
found closed. And in the single case
that has been tried (Which was one of
the very weakesD the defendant was
standing behind the bar when the
plaintiff and witness came from the REQ r.
of the room. evidently awaiting sale
which he did not hesitate to make In
other cases that We're dismissed the only
flaw found was that the committee, both
from personal dislike of the work and
from insufficient knowledge of legal re-
uuirements, failed to visit the place q
second or third time and thus prove that
a business is carried on. The existence
and the character of the places is not de-
MED. In one of the saloons visited at
2:3o a. m Sunday morning, November
29th. the following conversation D.
CURED between the proprietor of the sa :
loon and two members of the committee
1t may be taken to explain, in part at
least, the attitude of some of tho papers
or the city toward the movement to rec
tify some of these evils The members
of the committee referred to entered the
saloon at that hour and asked for some
thing to drink The proprietor said,
with an oath, I'VE have to be careful
about violating the law. for these
preachers are after us. Don't you know
that?' looking into the eyes of one of the
committee, to which he replied, Eyes,
Know IT. Do you suppose that I am
blind and can not read the newspapers 90
He replied with an oath. 'I don't care for
the newspapers. All they are after is
money. They can be bought But with
an oath) the preachers are not to he
bought
The member of the committee referred
to replied. You should be very careful
In making such a statement as that.
You might get yourself into trouble. Do
you know that these papers can be
bought" He emphat tically declared that
the saloon men knew they could be
bought, and that he would give con-
versation that occurred In his saloon
In proof of his statement, with reference
to leading daily of the city He then
stated that two men in his saloon said
the one corrobora ting the other. that the
proprietor of that daily told them he
would like to vote and work for certain
candidate for a prominent city office
but that his paper was for sale The
committeeman above mentioned replied
THAT is terrible charge to make" and
said that he could not believe It, Where
upon the proprietor of the saloon said
These two men are known citizens OF
repute and said they would swear TO
that statement at anv time
PUBLIC CRITICISM
The society does rot. nor does the
committee. contend that the work done
IL wholly free from criticism. Probably
no man ever accomplished any real re-
suits in life which if he had RI f1pf7a