Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-12-02
NOT STRICTLY MORAL.

The investigation growing out of the
death of Eunice Odette and the subse-
quent examination of the deceased
girls chum, Gertrude Hillsberg, has
brought to light many facts as to the
city's present state of morality, that de-
cent people have hitherto been unaware
existed within the city's confines. For
this state of things we will not attach
any blame on any one or collection OF
individuals, but certain it is that there
should be a house cleaning and the
town rid OF some lecherous whelps and
crime breeding resorts. We have it
from good authority that certain citi-
zens will assume this responsibility if
something is not done in the matter
soon.
The confession of the Hillsberg girl
in court proved her to be so hardened
in life of shame as to make her an
object If envy for the most soulless har-
lot. And what made her so? Such
places that she has frequented, some of
them in the heart of the city, and the
men who make these places their head
quarters are responsible for this.
Drinking houses have been in existence
for hundreds OF years and probably will
continue to be licensed by law and
fostered until the end of time, and if ii
is neces sary that such places should ex-
ist in city they should be conducted
on plan whereby their name should
in fair measure not become blot up
on the name of city. But in the light
of present facts we cannot give all the
saloons OF Wausau and surrounding
country credit for being thus conducted.
According to the testimony OF numbers
there are some that are little better than
brothels. These have wine rooms" or
Frestaurants" in the rear whose only
articles of furniture are few chairs, a
poker table and couch aud here men,
women, boys and girls gather, drink
intoxicating liquors and become in
ebriated, and for theSyoung one such
experience generally results in their
undoing. Almost nightly, girls are seen
entering the back alley ways to these
places and we are told certain woman
receives remuneration from the keepers
of these, places for enticing girls into
them. In her testimony, the Hillsberg
girl implicated many who have had a
hand in her ruin and among them a
policeman and also member of the
local Chinese colony. 1t should have
been .he policeman's duty to have res
cued her from place OF the character
we have mentioned, but she alleged his
actions as quite the contrary. That
policeman has since resigned before
charges could be preferred against him
There is another matter that needs
the attention of the public. We have
been told that for some time past gamb-
ling has been carried on to a greater
extent than it ever was before in the
city, and that six of the main saloons
on Third street have conducted roulette
wheels, without interruption for months
past, until the recent stir-up. The
allurements of the gambling room with
their demoralizing effect have too often
been told to need repeating at our
hands, but we will tell of fact which
the general public perhaps is not aware
of. In the mills and factories of this
city there are good many young men
and boys employed who are under age,
and who of necessity are called upon to
help support their parents,-or may be
widowed mother and younger
brothers and sisters. They toll hard
during the month and at the end get
their pay envelope and then look for a
poker game. Invariably they come
away from the board, losers, and then
have to make excuses at home for not
furnishing an ample supply of money,
claiming that they are being paid poor
wages or that their wages are being
withheld by their employer. This fact
has caused the employers of labor in
Wausau no end of trouble, in replying
to questions asked by the parents and
guardians of these boys in regard to
the wages being paid.
These are but a few instances of
where corrections can be made in this
city. We did not intend this for tenn
perance sermon but merely to awaken
interest in this matter, and if we mis-
take not the sentiment of business men
and decent people there will be gen.
eral shaking up, not such as character
lied the shake-up two years ago, but
one that will be lasting in its effects.
Before closing we must warn parents
that they cannot be too careful in safe
guarding the interests of their chill
dren, and not allow them to roam the
streets nightly at their will for many a
good intentioned youth or Miss has
haen led into nitfails