Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-24
REPORT OF YESTERDAYS SESSION POLICE BOARD

80, - e - -.
their counsel. and the parties. presume
whom they had employed. don't know
whether that was a fact or not. ANYHOW.
it was agreed 20 settle these cases on con-
dition that the bar-kcepers would pay the
amount in money to the Sunday Observ.
ancc League. Now. where is the discre.1
| ton IL that matter?
Mr.. Landerkin. That was compromise
Mr.. CrutchfieId had been or
the bensh he never would have
done It: he never would have compromised
it: he would have fined them all. and NOT
fined them the minimum fine. either
DIR. Hawthorne: That is all I want to
ask the Major.
The Chairman: + understand you to
say they were compromised by the sun
day Observance League
Major Howard: BY the Sunday OBJ
servance League and the counsel for the
parties.
Mr. Landerkin: I would like to ask
Major HowarG-I have not been on the
board very long and I do not know exact
ly how many of those houses OF prostitu-
ton have existed in the past-I would
like to ask you now IL the number is
larger or smaller?
FEWER EVERY YEAR
Major Howard: They are diminishing
every year.
Mr.. I4anderkin: You have got thsm
down to ninety-sevsn?
Major Howard. Niuety-seven nov.
When I was made Chief OF Police and
made the first roster. think there was
then about three hundred and fifty
Dr. Hawthorne: Three hundred and ff-
ty houses?
Major Howard: At that time.
>rr$t-. lfvyp
going on in the city to-day. nor has there
been any since last March:
Major Howard: Not that know of. II
think every man in the Police Department
now is thoroughly on the alert for gam
blers 7 don't think there is any golns
on except at the clubs. All these poker
houses speak of are now working under
charter.
DR.. Hawthorne: Playing poker?
Major Howard: Yes. sir; chartered as
social clubs. just the same as the Com
monwealth Club. the Westmoreland Club
the Virginia Club. the Jefferson Club, and
all other clubs.
Mr.. Landerkin: Mr.. President. az that
seems to refute the charges made by Dr.
Hawthorne in his sermon in regard to tho
number of houses of prostitution. ana
| as Major Howard assures US there Is no
gambling being done in Richmond TO-
day I suggest that we now take up the
! cases OF the seventy barrooms that Dr.
| Hawthorne states are open on Sunday
/ Dr. Hawthorne: I am not through With
| this part of it yet.
i MR. CRUTHFIELD QUESTIONED
At this point Major Howard was OK
/ cused and Justice John j. Crutchfisia was
| called TO the stand and questioned ~
! Dr. Hawthorne as follows
| @. Judge Crutchfleld. what classes g
I offenders of the law come before ydt
/ A. From expectoratiug on the s;siewaiS
! to q murderer
(! Q. Do you try cases of disoraeflF Wo-
| men who come before you?
/ \. Yes. sir.
/ O. Do you recognize the fact that thosr
! institutions exist contrary to the law @,
! the State?
! a Yes. sir: that they exist.
| Q. When the police arrest women fer
i keeping such houses and bring them be-
/ fore YOU, do You fine them according 10
! the statutes of the State.
DEPENDS ON THE CASE
/ 4. I have different ways of doing It.
Depends entirely upon how the case is
presented, lust like YOU would to take up
| a subject II | think 1t is best for tho
| community. I continue the case. say, tor
! ten days before I hear any testimony
whatever. If she moves in that time and
the complainant withdraws his complaint.
the case is dismissed.
! c. Are many such cases brought to you
by the police?
Justice Crutchheld: Do you mean white
or colored?
DR.. Hawthorne: White or colored.
| Justice Crutchield: Do you mean botht
DR. Hawthorne: Yes. sir.
/ a. I suppose I average such women
three or four day. sometimes twenty
/ five or thirty.
| @. Are those persons brought before
| YOU as violators of the law which pro-
/ hibits the existence of houses OF pros
| ttution?
/ A. Let ME understand you
| O. The statute law makes it an Of
! Tense punishable by fine of 5000. or I'M,
| prisonment for twelve months in Jail
/ Justice Crutchfield: 1 think YOU have
/ made a mistake in regard to the punish
! menr That is the maximum, is It not
I Dr. Hawthorne: Not more than tna'.
/ Justice Crutchfeld: Not exceeding
/ twelve months That is III the discretion
I of a man in my position 70 put 1t one
/ cent and one hour.
1, q Do the police Just take UP q per
| son. any woman that they suspect OF
| keepinS Il house. and report her to you.
! or do they report only such cases as the
| people in the community make complaint
| against?
/ !. That is question that is out OF my
power TO answer. am Il judicial ofFcer.
/ I never rneddle with anything unless 1t
| is brought to my attention. | have trois-
/ bIes enough II you had just come down
| and sat with me this week you ~euit,
| have thought I had.
+! O. Are most of the complaints that cone
+! TO YOU about these women from citizens
! living i'll the vicinity. or are they frem
Policemen?
\. Come both Ways. doctor
4. Do more come from citizens or from
police?
A. Where the "first-class" houses are 70
be broken up. they 90 come from the cisl-
zens. Now, We have all grades of them.
so they tell me. don't know.
BY Mr.. Jacobs: Q. Justice Crutchheid.
| ycu said that several are brought before
you daily. Is it often the case that street,
walkers a.c brought in
| =. Yes. cir.
q That ere not denizeEs of any partie-
ula- loeaiity
A. Yes not denizeIs of any particular
locaii :. except Scale House alley and the
market. ard particularly back OF Brsaft
Street Methodist church. there are bne
of two there I have just broken up a
! woman that kept a house on Tenth street.
en- the side of Broad-Street church I
never went into the evidence to hpu
! whether she kept Il house or not. hut he
main complainant was an old arniS GEM
~, ttys,y Nr~,s