Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-13
GIRLS NOT SAFE
At SAN PEDRO
ATTORNEY MAKES STARTLING
ACCUSATION
Declares Men of Prominence Mistreat
ChiIdren--Case of Destitution
Brings Testimony of Sea-
port Citizen

1T is a pitiful fact. yet nevertheless
true. that San Pedro is an unfit place
wherein to rear girl unless she can
have the constant care and watchlns
of her parents 1t is one of the noto-
rious shames of the city that in the
city park or on the water front, any
evening of the week, grown men, many
of them married, others prominent busl-
ness men and some of them dockwork-
ers, can be seen hugging little girls
and making vile proposals to them.
Most of the girls thus treated are be-
tween the ages Of II and Is years"
Such was the statement made yester-
day by a prominent attorney of San
Pedro, who came to Los Angeles as
witness in the examination Of the re-
ported destitute circumstances of the
family of w. H. Huff. Isabel Huff, a IA
year-old daughter of the couple had
been taken charge of by officers of the
ton home under claim that she
could not be properly watched by her
mother and father, both of whom have
but little attention to give from their
duties.
InsuIted by Boys
The little girl is a sweet natured
youngster pretty and attractive. and
Yesterday Judge Wilbur was startled
when during the examination the girls
father blurted out that he was afraid
to trust his little daughter at school
because she had already been insulted
by certain wealthy lads, whom ne
named, and had also been subject TO a
vile proposal made by former promi-
nent citizen of San Pedro, who had
since died.
Judge Wilbur instantly shut off the
testimony because there were many
people in court but according to the
statement of the attorney who was a
witness in the case, little girls of San
Pedro, especially the daughters of
the workingmen who are seldom care
fully watched, are being mistreated by
men old enough to be their fathers, and
i'm most cases the youngsters make nc
complaint to their families.
The Fluff case yesterday occupied the
time of the court until after O'Clock
The little girl had been taken from
home by humane society officer sew
eral days before, and has since beer
in the detention home while her mother
has been making desperate attempts tC
secure her release.
Lived on Outer Harhor
According to the evidence produced
yesterday the Huffs came here from
Chicago about a year ago and have
since been living In an isolated cot
taBe on the water front OF thS outel
harbor. There the children have beer
comparatively happy with the COM
panionship OF sea gulls which have
become pets. The youngsters also have
Pa number of pet squirrels and according
TO the statements of witnesses the chill
dren have for the most part behaved
themselves
Isabel. the little girl. has borne a
good reputation in the seaport town
and recently her father took her from
school because of the insults TO which
she was subjected there by the boys.
The two little boys Of the family are
still going to school, or were going
there until the Humane society officel
took them to the detention home OF
the ground that they were destitute.
Since that time the mother has beer
making violent attempts 10 secure th'
children's release. A dozen witnessed
testified yesterday that the woman