Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-25
BOARD TO KEEP At It
POLICE COMMISSIONERS WILL PAT
SPECIAL ATTENTION TO sun
DAY BAR-RooMs.
FOLLOW THEIR OWN METHODS.
Believed That Disorderly Houses
Can Be Controlled. Not Suppressed.
GENERAL REPUTATION WON'T DO
Courts Have Decided That More spe-
ciac Evidence is Required to Con-
yict and Close Up Questionable
House.-No Prospect of Furthe,
Enort to Bring About an Inve.ti-
CATION of counciImen,s Records.

The Police Board will continue it's inveR,
LEGATIONS in regard to the efficiency OF
the department in hunting down violators
of the law. especially where Sunday open
ing is concerned, but they will follow
their own method of ascertaining facts
and running down reports that come to
them from time to time. One of the
commissioner said after the Hawthrons
examination Thursday night that tha
board would not let upon it's vigilance to
hold the department up to the mark
The sentiment among the members OF
the board yesterday was that nothing
new had been brought out by the Haw-
thorne examination, but at the same time
the board is ready and glad to receive
from DR.. Hawthorne and his associates
any information that would put CHEZ
Howard on the track OF violators OF the
law AS to the result of the session Thurs
day night. the prevailing opinion IN the
city yesterday was that nothing tangible
was offered to the board by DR.. daW-
thorne and his witnesses that could lead
to any arrests or convictions
Not n sensationalist.
DR.. Hawthorne stated that he felt that
much good had been accomplished at the
hearing, in that public sentiment had been
auickened. He denied that he had any
purpose to be sensational In his crusade
against vice in the city, but was acting
in behalf of the good citizenship. and his
conscientious desire to aid the board IN
bringing about such reformation as tho
situation seemed to demand. This opinion
prevailed among the minister's friends.
In other quarters it was freely stated
that investigation regarding the disorderly
houses of the city availed little. Many
deemed this question too Intricate 1or
expert sociologists to solve, and 1t was
thought that so long as Chief Howard
is able to keep them under control, and
hold them to strict accountability for their
conduct, the less that is said about them
the better.
DR.. Hawthorne assured the board that
he would give Chief Howard from time to
time the names of witnesses who could
assist the police in ferretinS out violators
of the Sunday law. He handed Chief
Howard the names of two witnesses
Thursday night who were supposed to be
able to give some pertinent testimony IN
regard to Sunday opening, but when De-
tective Gibson was put on the trail OF
this information. it did not materiaizs
into anything OF value.
Not Sustained by Court.
Dr. Hawthrone stated before the board
,..at the general reputation of house
that was supposed to be OF questionable
nature was sufficient to justify its being
raided. On this point Captain Hulce OF
the Second District. cited q case that was
taken before the Supreme Court on this
issue some years ago, and the point was
not sustained.
Certainly the commissioners are agreed
that there Will be no further examina~
ton of witnesses before them who Cal.
give no more specific testimony than thosa
offered by DR.. Hawthorne at Thursday't
session. The next session of the board
will he on the first Thursday of Novenr-
ber, when matters affecting the police
department will come up for considera.
tion.
Effort to Increase Force.
Apart from the regular routine work os
the meeting. ways and means will be dis,
cussed for increasing the number OF
policemen. This question has been befors
the board for q long time, but when
they have sought the cooperation OF tho
Council to the desired end they have
been met with the statement that tho
revenues of the city would not JuStlfy
the expense incurred by the nuch-needed
increase Captain Whitlock and Captain
Hulce both stated III the meeting Thurs
day that their force was Inadequate for
the territory that had to be covered The
latter said that two of his men were on
duty for forty-eight consecutive hours
two weeks ago. They both emphasized the
difficulty that confronted the policemen
in their efforts to get evidence against
Sunday vioiators. as they are all known
to the saloon keepers, and even In citi-
zen clothes they are easily recognized
ana denied admission to bars that are
selling on Sunday.
DR.. A. E. Dickinson. and other minister:
as well as the representatives OF the
Law and Order League, who were pres
ent ar the session Thursday night said
yesterday that they recognized that ths
Police Board was trying to do what the
better element OF the citizens desired. and
they believed that the greatest good that
came from the meeting was gsnerai drack-
ening of public sentiment on matters af-
fecting the morality OF the city.