The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-01-19
VIOLATION OF LAWS.
Will Be Promptly Reported by Bishop
Potter,s Vigilance Committee

New York, Jan. 19.-The World says:
The vigilance committee favored by
Bishop Potter is being formed by in
dividual members of the city club
There will not be $4,000 of them, nor
5000 and only men of tried and proved
trustworthiness and CONSERVATISM VII
be in the ranks. The total number may
not exceed 500
The City club as an organization is
not yet the official sponsor for the COM
mite of vigilanteS, but after the or
ganization has been perfected a PROPOSE
ton may be submitted to the members
of the club to father the body
Bishop Potter said in speaking OF the
vigilance committee last night:
4 think that a body of earnest,honesI
men who would promptly report 70 d
central committee every violation OF tne
laws for the restraint of vice when
came under their notice, SO that the
people of the city might know the eA-
tent of official laxity, would render
service of the very greatest Value-
Referring to an objection MADE Dy
some of the members Of the Committee
of Fifteen to the employment or young
men in the work, the bishop said: Inae
has struck me as rather funny SopeL,y,
don't see how the young men Oh the
CITY are likely to fall into any greater
danger than now meets them al over
the city. OF course I do not advocaee
any promiscuous delving into the secrets
of disorderly houses. or any partcipa-
ton in gambling. But there are Few
men in the city who have not at one
time or another been solicited to vice or
seen it Haunted in the streets. How IS
it going to hurt them to make RECORD
of that fact and report 1t TO the ceHeIal
committee for Investigations CONFESS
] don't see. .-aa
this morning from Harlem telling me OF
the existence of a disorderly mousse N q
certain street and Of the roplng III u
men by two policemen in PLAIN ciothes
who get their pay out of the men they
capture Now how is it going 70 hurt
a young man who sees that from across
the street to report the natter
eft seems to me that no reform such
as we wish to see accomplished can be
brought about in any way save by the
persistent publication Of the aounuant
instances of police corruption and col
fllsion with vice. 1t has been SHOWN
that the whole city is suffering from
reign Of terrorism on the part OF the
notice force. On the East side this IS
particularly marked. Many small
tradesmen do business there solely by
grace of bribing the police,
The bishop told Of other forms OF po-
lice cupidity He cited the case of a
policeman who found the lost son of one
Of his friends recently. The policeman
simply did his duty in taking the small
hoy to the station house where he was
found a little later by an older brother
But the policeman appeared at the
BOYS house on three successive days
and demanded payment for finding the
little fellow.
~Pn afraid, !" said the bishop, chat in
difference is at the bottom Of a good
deal of the trouble. What we need most
az all is a constant concentration Oh
nubIic attention upon the present condi-
lions That is what 1 believe to be
essential to reform I see no better way
Of accomplishing it than through such
a vigilance committee as advocated
in St PauPs church
such little pills as De Wits Little Early
77isare are very easily taken and they