The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-07
In The SLUMS.
Startling and Disgraeeful Sit
uatiOn in Topeka Revealed.
Committee Investigates and Is
Surprised at Conditions.
PLACES WIDE OPEN.
Young Girls Found in State of
IntOxicatiOn.
Members of Expedition Reticent
About Experiences.
PLACES WIDE OPEN

This is the story of stunning ex-
petition in Topeka that was delayed in
| transmission:
district along lower Kansas avenue de-
veIops the most disgra cefu1 state of af-
fairs that has ever existed in the city
of Topeka
There are dozens CT saloons wide
open on Kansas aevnue with no sentry
at the door. Any person may walk in
to them without being challenged.
THE picture that meets the eyes of
those who enter, especially on Friday.
Saturday and Sunday nights is appall-
| ing. The local condition is beyond the
belief of the average man -abOHt-town
in Topeka, who is more or less familiar
with degrading conditions, unless it IS
actually seen.
Those who have seen +he most de-
grading scenes in New York and San
Francisco have no hesitancy in saying
that things which have been tolerated
in Topeka during the last few weeks
would not be tolerated in those cities
where vice runs riot.
Young girls ranging in age from IA
years to % years are permitted to enter
which abound on lower Kansas avenue,
but which in reality are saloons and
wine rooms.
Never before has such things been
tolerated IN topeka 1nere mas De6I
times when disorderly houses and fallen
women have had no restrictions placed
upon them, but Topeka has never been
SO free and open as it is today.
THE dives on lower Kansas avenue
are as open as any store. The front
windows are not even painted and pas
sersby may look within and see many
of the disgraceful affairs that occur.
Most of the young girls to be found
in these places at night are girls whose
homes are in Topeka. Tt IS said that
many of them are girls of the middle
classes, who have nice homes, although
eS. It is also apparent to those who are
familiar with the conditions that most
Of the girls who frequent these places
are young in crime and vice, and that
those of older. years and hardened char
acters are in the minority"
The above is a summarized report of
a committee composed of Al Bauer,
Richard Hayden, Harold T. Chase, edi-
trip through the ''tenderloin" district
Saturday night.
A reporter for the State Journal to-
day asked Mr.. Chase for a statemer1 in
regard to the conditions which he
found.
I did not make the trip for the pur-
pose of getting information for publi-
cation said Mr.. Chase. II went
through this district for the purpose of
learning the conditions in Topeka sim
ply for my own personal information.
Although NJ Chase refused tc dis
cuss for publication the things which
tame under his observation, the cendi-
tons as they existed Saturday night
are matters OF common knowledge
among those who were in the various
places visited at the time. and conse-
quently the knowledge of the sights and
scenes met on the trip are NOR or less
public Information today
It is known that at several of the places
they found as many as eight or ten young
girls drinking and carOusing. some of them
so drunk they could hardly hold their neads
off the table at which they sat at one
place there was a particularly sad sight
Two young girls in short dresses were 50
intoxicated that they could not walk
without being supported and they leaned
against the walls OF the room in order
that they could walk about. These two
young girls were so drunk that they were
not able to fully comprehend where they
were or what they were doing, and it
would be impossible to place in print some
of the things which occurred in plain
sight of a room full of persons who were
drinking and smoking.
It is related that the trip was arranged
to decide a wager made between Al Bauer
ana a prominent temperance advocate in
Topeka. Mr.. Bauer declared that he
could point out 50 saloons in Topeka. The
loser was to buy the other person q suit
of clothes. Mr.. Bauer asked Mr.. Chase
to make the trip with him without in
forming Mr.. Chase Of the bet. After the
decided to add Mr.. Hayden to the party.
The party made the trip between the
hours of o'clock in the evening and 2
o o'clock in the morning and they visited
more than so joints and saloons. Mr..
Bauer won his bet