The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-24
H>rislatiye Committee Appointed To
SIT n Sensational story.

v>~,.l.,ixe Committee Appointed To
sift n Sensational story
Austin. Texas. February 23.-one day last
veek an evening paper Of this city deyoSei
Considerable OF its space to the publication
az sensational story about coy ana
virtuous maiden who was supposed to have
bcen decoyed to Austin with promise
Of honorable employment by procuress'
whose purpose was to conslgn her 10
Wife OF shame. Certain unnamed members
Of the legislature were alleged to have
fallen in with the girl after her arrival
hero and to have freed her from the
clutches of the human spider. into whose
snares she had become entangled, only to
take advantage Of her innocence FOR the
qualification Of their own base passions
Luckily for the unfortunate maiden. how
ever. so tho story went, n good. kind and
chivalrous hash house director. into whose
hopping tho wicked legislators had placed
her. intcrfercd and prevented her undoing
Later on tho attention OF the Rescue So
ciety was attracted to the case and tho
roor. connAinr creature was raiirnaded
back TO her former haunts none the wcrso
on for her brief experience in the slums
OF Austin
or course. en- thrilling a tale as this was
hound to challenge attention md many
good people experienced snasn after spssm
os INDIGNATION after reading Il ind he
gan to inquire In no uncertain tones how
such things could be within the very
shadow NJ the caritol ard IN defiance Of
tho Christian influences which surround
This highly moral municipality mt Whom
close investigation developed lha, this sad
romance OF wronsed terSiir vas founded
moro in fiction than in frt ana tia, there
VAS rooi ground for ,hA entertainment ~
tho suspicion that somebody had heen
,naae the victim Of a con" game the OK.
element subsidized and the matter would
the spirit OF evil moved one Of tho msm-
bers IT the lower house 10 this morning
Introduce a resolution rrovldlag Tor the
appointment ~ a committee to look into
Y and report thereon. Granting that tho
author or the resolution IL sincere q "a
hard TO understand lust exactly what 10
proposes 20 accomplish by raking M a
most disgusting episode and making I, II,
subject of legislative inquiry. At the extra
session NJ the Twenty-four,h legislature
a similar proceeding was attempted whict
degeneratcd into lamcn,ahlo farce A
populist member from Navarro county had
disappeared and under gulsc ~ finding out
whether he had been foullv dealt wl.h an
Investigation was instituted. which pro.
to be nothing more nor less than a general
examination Of the dcnizens Of certain
tainted precincts Of Austin. without a
single good result that any ono has ever
heard 81 md wthou, the reflection Of ino
least credit upon single person concerned
therein. In the present case tho excuse for
a legislative inquiry into the lives OF dem
monde luInnaries is y anything less ten
able than It was In the case recalled above
and these who are anxious to proceed
Herewith may md II difficult to hereafter
3uetify themselves before their constitu ants
for wasting time Ia eilolting salacious tcs
timony which can not be printed In the
Journal from the lips Of fallen women
who. in spite Of their sins, are certainly
entitled 10 protection from the prurien,
curiosity OF misguided busy bodies II may
be. though. that there is q mistaken ideF
prevalent that IL is necessary for the Lower
house to clear itselt OF the insinuatior
cropping out between tho lines of the stor!
IN question that some OF It's members hav,
fallen by the waysidc. In such an event
although probably meaning we'll enough
the advocates OF The investigation com
mittse proposition have gotten OF wronl
and will accomplish little beyond brinsin,
cansure aud ridicuic upon themselves. TIL
story Of the poor, deceived. oonhding younl
Girl has been exploded. the basis for IN
alleged sensation has disappeared. an,
nothing remains to prompt regalyanlLa
ton thereof. but an abnormal appetite 10
knowledge OF the doings OF class whc
thrfyes upon notoricty. LAP.