The San Francisco call., 1907-02-28
CREsWELL W0RsTED IN
SORTIE AGAINST DIVES
Leahy and Hagerty Indicate
How They Would Vote
on Resolution
BURKE MAKES REPLY
Opines That Commission
Has No Right to Throw
Out Women

Commissioner H. T. Creswen made
a desperate but futile attempt yester
day at the meeting Of the Police Com
nissioners to abolish the women
haunted saloons which now infest the
residential section of this city. He
failed signally to carry his point The
wishes of Commissioners Hagerty and
Ieahy had him completely blocked.
The question came up as the result
of letter from City Attorney William
G. Burke which was in reply to one
from the commission asking for an
opinion as TO the scope of the power
which the Police Commission wields in
the regulation of the saloon business.
Burke's reply might have been writ
ten by Attorney Frank ]. Murphy, who
represents the cafe men in their
fight to keep Golden Gate avenue
trail of red so satisfactory to the re-
sort keepers was the city officials mes
sage. Burke declared that the legis-
lative power is vested In the Board of
Supervisors The Police Commissioners
merely see to 1t that such laws as are
passed by the Supervisors are enforced
Il am of the opinion, said the letter,
that the police have no legal right
to prevent females from visiting sa-
looms and that the Board of Police
Commissioners has no legal right to df-
rect the police to prevent females from
so entering saloons unless empowered
by the Board of Supervisors.
Commissioners Leahy and Hagerty
developed at once, a fine sense of cour-
tesy They stated feelingly, that they
could not find it in their hearts to ques-
tion the decision handed down by the
CITY Attorney. Besiues it was pointed
out that many thousands of dollars
were invested in these resorts, and 1t
t1ot t,of a0-
count they should be protected.
II did not know replied Commits
sioner Creswell that the saloons of
San Francisco were founded upon the
basis of women's patronage. If that
be true, then they should all be abol-
ished in the interests of decency the
coming generation and good morals.
Besides I do not let the City Attorney
| dictate to me on matter of morals.
we differ as to the law in the case.
The commission of which / am a MEM
J her has the power and right to close
these places up If it wants to. l ask
that a vote be taken on the resolution.
! CresweI then read his resolution,
which follows:
"Resolved That this board will not
grant renewal licenses to any licensees
! of this board who sell spiritous, vinous
or malt liquors to females, or who al
low females to enter into or frequent
| their saloons.
supporting his contention for the
| abolishment of these resorts, Creswell
maintained that they were assignation
houses and as such should be sup
nressed Hagerty retorted that of his
! own knowledge all of them were not
assipnation houses and defied Creswell
| to prove his statement. CresweH an
swered quietly that Hagerty would win,
| for. he asked, where will you find a
| man that will testify to the fact and
how will you secure his female COM
panion TO corroborate the testimony
So, with the defeat of his resolution
| staring him in the face Commissioners
/ Creswell was forced to acquiesce in
/ the suggestion that il be laid over.
! Commissioner Umbsen was not present
! and there were two votes in sight
| against his one. The saloon men had
! Creswell's resolution beat at the
/ post
Hagerty complained to Creswell that
! he should not spring such measures in
| open public session, maintaining that
| there should be g. little quiet meeting
among ourselves first"
After the meeting Captain Mooney
| stated that so far as he was concerned
he would continue to keep the ques-
! tionabIe places closed as tightly as
possible. He would instruct his men to
| arrest no women unless there was a
| good case against them.
1--WE will make no arrests merely be-
| cause q woman is in a saloon" he said,
! but we will continue our campaign on
yagrants. We can arrest vagrants
anywhere. These tenderloin resorts are
| the places they frequent. If we con-
tinue an active campaign against the
! vagrant women along Golden Gate ave-