Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-27
Indictment of Disorderly House
Keepers and Roadhouse
Men Causes Commotion
NEWSPAPER CRUSADE DID IT
Catholic Church Leaders Also Have
Been lnsistent in the Matter of the
Officers Neglect to Suppress I'M
notwithstanding Element Leaving
Town.
Times-Re publican.


stirred up as ii has by the return of
the indictments against the disorderly
houses. lighthouses and some saloon
violators A majority of those indicted
have been placed under arrest. The
grand jury WAS in session twenty days
and over seventy five witnesses were
in regard to the existence of houses
of i'll fame
The report of the grand jury has been
when it was learned that indictments
We're returned against keepers of re-
sorts little surprise was expressed, even
among the sporting fraternity. as the
county attorney was backed up In his
endeayor to secure The Indictment Of
the resort keepers b. the Catholic au
thorisies especially. and the newspa-
pers.
The keepers of three OF the biggest
resorts in Sixth street left town Fri
day, and it is not likely that they viii
return. The town has been stirred up
over the grand jury's investigation anu
much feeling has been engendered
against the city authorities for their
failure to close up the resorts. 1t is
understood that the resort keepers have
turned over their places to other per
sons. and the saloon connection Will be
conducted as formerly. However. no
women will be allowed In the rear of
the places and as many of the inmates
have already left the city it is inn
probable that they will return.
Among those who testified before the
grand jury was Mayor Berg. but he
stated that he WAS not aware OF the
existence of houses of i'll repute n the
city. Chief of Police Morgan has been
out OF the city since the grand jury
convened, but several policemen told
what they knew OF the existence of
bagnios.
Ii is understood that there will be a
shaking UP Of the police department, as
it is known that several of the officers
have been knocking Mayor Berg for
some time This is due to the fact that
there is a general impression that ia
voritdsan is shown TO some of the Of
iicers white a majority Of them are
frowned upon. Officers who have tray
eled the red light district" at night
do not hesitate in saying that ha 4 they
been summoned To appear before the
grand jury they would be able to supply
that body with sufficient infor nation
as to the existence of the resorts With
out sumnoning SD many young men
who perhaps had never been In the
places and who stunned the publicity
that their names have been given be-
cause OF the fact that they testified
before the grand jury. 1t is learned
that numerous robberies have been
committed in the places. but the vic
tins have never made any fuss over
their unpleasant experiences because
OF the distastefui notoriety thag would
result
The Sixth street resorts have been
the most disorderly IN the city and last
week a tragedy was barely averted in
one OF the places. Three men who
feared that the loungers We're making
an effort to get their money drew revoi-
vers and there was a general STAN
pede among the inmates. The men
We're placed under arrest and were fined
heavily in police court. The keeper
was not arrested.
Saioonkeepers Complain.
Several prominent saloolkeepers
have also been making fight against
the disorderly houses for several
months. owing TO the fact that beer is
sold in these places all night, while
the saloonkeepers are compelled to close
up at IL o'clock They called on the
mayor several weeks ago and informed
him that they would like to be granted
the same privileges as resort keepers.
but the mayor paid no attention to
them.
The grand jury did not retura any in
dictments against the inmates of the
houses and it is the belief OF many that
those who have left the city VIII return
when the storm blows over and again
occupy the quarters that they have
abandoned. II is pointed out that it Is
almost impossible to Danish immoral
houses from town the size of Du-
buque, especially n river tow n. as this
city has not yet acquired the reputation
of being city of puritans, AMI further
more 1t is the only town IT. Iowa In
which prize fights between heavy
weights may be decided The next ses-
sion of the grand jury will De held in
May and in the meantime 1t is not un-
likely that the city will again don its
gala attire.
Much of the time of the grand jury
was taken up in Investigating moral
conditions in that part of the outskirts
of the city designed The Line" 1t
has been common gossip thai this mid
way is the haven of the sporting ele-
ment of the city after the sights of the
downtown district lose their glamour,
and according to the evidence intro
duced before the grand jury The
Line. has features that are not to be
found in the city resorts. 1t was shown
that life is not safe after nightfall on
this highway on account o. the large
number OF Intoxicated men and women
that frequent 1t, and scenes of depray
lily were not unusual
Newspapers Promoted 1t.
When the grand jury convened il was
not thought tnat any attention would
be paid 10 he moral conditions of the
city. The neW spapers are responsible
for the indictment OF the resort keepers.
A democratic newspaper Insisted that
1t was the duty OF the republican sher-
if to suppress immortality on the out :
skirts of the city and arrest the keep
ers of roadhou ses for conducting houses
of designation in connection with their
saloons. Sheriff Steiner replied that
he would make the arrests IL warrants
were sworn out against the keepers OF
roadhouses A republican, paper point
ed out that 1t WAS the duty of one
of the democratic judges to call the at