The San Francisco call., 1904-12-15

AnOlAlCl cNdlludl has OOAAAC
TO light in the Police Department. The
fallen women Of the tenderloin are pay
ing immense sums for protection"
and the uniformed guardians of the
peace are acting as collectors of the
shameful tax Police Commissioner
Hutton has uncovered the criminal
facts. An official investigation of the
matter is on the tapis. The central
figures in the sensational expose are
Hutton and Patrolmen John Dean
and Samuel Higgins.
The toll was eXtorted from the mis-
cradle inmates of Bacon place Tuesday
night, and proof of the transaction is
forthcoming. Hinckley alley, Belden
place, 1929 Dupont street and Pacific
street have all been contributing large
sums 70 the police. In Bacon place
alone the average daily payment has
ranged from s35 TO $50, according 10 the
number of women occupying cribs
AS the men on these details we're
changed daily the conspiracy among
the members of the department must
have been widespread. Each day the
fund has been gathered and disbursed.
Every inmate of the dens of infamy at
Bacon place and 1929 Dupont street is
said TO have paid so cents daily. The
women claim that they have the alter
native Of paying or being arrested for
vagrancy.
The scandal came to the ears of Hut
ton and he Immediately began one of
his favorite private Investigations. Pa
trolman Dean of the park police sta
ton was selected by the Commissioner
to demonstrate the truth or falsity of
the report of the shameful taxation.
Tuesday night the policeman was de-
tailed to watch Bacon place by Captain
Gleason and by Hutton TO gather the
toll. He experienced no difficulty in get
ting the corruption fund and turned it
over to the Commissioner.
The latter planned to continue his in
vestigation and verify the reports of
protection at the other brothels,
meanwhile keeping secret the results
of his detective work. But the story of
Tuesday nights affair spread through
the force like wildfire yesterday. and
last night there were no collections.
BIG SUMS COLLECTED.
Whether the individual policemen
who have exacted the tax each day
kept the total amount or turned over
q part of IL TO others higher in author
ity is the principal thing that Hutton
is anxious to discover The aggregate
sum gathered monthly from the resorts
mentioned is alleged to exceed $4,000.
Hutton expects to be able to show to
whom the funds were paid.
Reports that protection" taxes were
paid by fallen women have been spread
during many years. Occasionally some
policeman has been brought to task on
this charge and dismissed or trans
ferred to the fog belt" Proof of the
illegal transactions between members
Of the police force and the women OF
the halfworld has always been diff
cult TO secure. OF late the abandoned
women and their consorts have been
complaining that the tax has been in
creased and extended to cover practi-
cally every member of the CLIQUE. When
the unfortunates refused or were -un-
able TO pay, they are said to have been
arrested, charged with vagrancy and
usually sentenced to Jail. Thus the
levy was enforced.
In Bacon place the daily Offering was
errand boys are called. They turned it
over 10 the police on duty. it is
charged. The policemen are said to have
pocketed the coin and that is the last
the contributors know oft. The stories
of corruption had Of course Come to
headquarters, and to prevent any one
policeman from getting well acquainted
with the inmates of the brothels the
detail was changed every twenty-four
hours. In spite of this move the toll
was collected each day. as before.
Higgins and Dean were detailed from
the North End and Park stations. re-
spectively, Tuesday. Higgins was not
apDrised of the fact that anything un-
usual was planned. Both performed the
usual duty of taking the names of men
who entered the alley until after night
fall. Then Dean accomplished the spe-
cial task assigned him by Hutton.
Higgins is reported to have taken
some Of the money and to have subse-
quentiy refused 10 surrender it to the
Police Commissioner. He denies abso-
lutely that he has seen any kind Of
money for a week, and is surprised TO
learn that dissolute women contribute
10 the private incomes of policemen.
Higgins has been a member of the force
since July, 1902. He is married. has
several children and is generally well
thought of. His record in the depart
ment has been without a blemish.
Dean is an ex-soldier. who has lived
in San Francisco for the last five years.
He was taken on the force last October.
and is well liked by his superiors. Hig-
gins usual beat is on Sutter and Post