Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-26
ATTORNEY IS
HOT IN HIS
DENUNCIA7|ON
RepudiateSStatement
of Minister
Joseph Scott Awakens Echoes at the
Westminster When He Replies
to Allegations Of Wiley
j. Phillips

the Hotel Westminster's dining room
to answer verbal charges made last |
Saturday by Rev. Wiley ]. Phillips be-
fore the same club that Mr.. Scott and
the Catholic church owned property
which was used for immoral purposes.
After a fierce denunciation of Rev.
Mr. Phillips in which President Scott
read letters of retraction the club, at
the motion of Meyer Lissner, passed
resolutions denouncing the remarks of
last Saturday.
Secretary Willard of the Municipal
league replied to the charges in so far
as they referred to Bishop Conaty, ex-
planning that the property Rev. Mr..
Phillips referred to was held jointly
and through inheritance; that the
church ordered a stone wall built in
the center of the premises and made
a stipulation in all leases that no
woman-not even the wife of the
lessee-could enter its half of the build
ing. 1t is now used as a Japanese
lodging house.
Adopt Report
These replies growing out of Rev.
Mr.. Phillips address on the social evil
last Saturday followed the reading of
report of the board of governors of
the City club in which the policy of
the club was reiterated as one formed
for discussion, not for action on civic
topics.
The governors stated that the mem
bership was recruited along the lines
of club organized for discussion of
Civic topics solely; action thereon be-
Ing left to larger, older and more
strongly equipped organizations, of
which Los Angeles has several.
The report was unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Scott was given the floor to
make a statement shortly after
luncheon.
Il have taken these charges made
before this club with the calmness of
philosophy which a man of my temper
ament may be expected to assume"
said Mr.. Scott. II come of Catholic
ancestry, and come of stern stuff.
When took the hand Of my little wife
at the altar it was no idle promise 1
made to her. Now this man says I
visited these dens of infamy and had
three houses devoted to this sinister
purpose.
There are only two Joseph SCOTS
paying taxes here-one of them an
honest negro on Monte Vista and
Western avenue. I have caused AS
SCISSOR Mallard to give me g. deputy
and we looked UP the records showing
that 1 pay taxes on my house on
Eighth and Hoover streets.
This Rev.-God save the mark
Phillips knows I am the president of
the board of education by the suffrage
of the people. AS such am presumed
to be at least partial exemplar of
commercial and moral honesty.
"This abhorrent attack saying was
renting houses for tenderloin purposes
is so villainously abhorrent that I
hardly know how to meet 1t. I don't
care to honor him with the title of
reverend. He isn't the type Of man Of
my Brother Dana Bartlett, who sits
here
"Now I will read the correspondence
that passed between us as soon as I
heard of the charges. Watch the
worm crawl"
Here Mr.. Scott read the letters. Re-
suming, he said:
"In his next issue of the California
Voice he reiterates his charges by say
ing that the man evho owned these
places was we'll known in the commu-
nifty. This was last Tuesday. The next
time 1 deal with this fellow it will be
q ride in the patrol wagon for him.
81 want to leave legacy Of a good
name to my six children in this COM
munity where I have lived for four
teen years.
f"His statements are as barefaced as
they are villainous.
"it isn't for me to say what this
club shall do. l am entirely willing
to acquit the governors from knowing
what to expect of this speaker when he
was asked to come before you. All 1
ask is that the record of his remarks
be expunged from the minutes of the
club"
Secretary Wizards Statement
Secretary Willards statement con-,
cerning the connection of the church
with the property in the questionable
district was as follows:
"Hearing the name of Bishop Conaty
mentioned as one of the owners of
property in this district I took the
matter up and made an investigation,
partly out of feeling of friendship for
all religious institutions and partly for
the man. This property, of course,
came into the possession of the Catho-
lie church. which does not hold it as
such, but holds 1t in the name of its
prelates.
six years ago, when it became ap-
parent that such a state of things ex-
listed there. Bishop Montgomery issued
an order to divide the building, sep
arating the fifty feet owned by the
church.
"a solid brick wall was built, new
leases were drawn up and strict pro-
visions were incorporated that the
place must be put to no immoral uses.
Early this morning and on previous
occasions I entered IT,. place unawares
and found it just what it purported to
be-a lodging house for Japanese men
exclusively"
Speaks of Mr.. Phillips
Fred F. Wheeler, owner of Wheeler
place, then spoke on behalf Of Rev.
Mr.. Phillips. He said:
"Mr. Phillips is not here, so 1 will
speak for him. Mr.. Phillips was in
vited by o. T. Johnson to speak on the
social evil. Anticipating the unwisdom
Of what might be said suggested
when he began his speech not to men
ton the names of property owners.
"Mr. Willard said we desire to know
the names of the property owners
and Mr.. Phillips read twenty-five or
more names. Some were foreign; some
we recognized.
"a, asked whether it was really true
that a Mr.. Scott's name was on the
book and was told that man whom
Mr.. Phillips had sent to the county
court house had gone by the records
there, as he thought, but used a tape
measure in finding how far the proper
ty ascribed to Mr.. Scott was from
the corner. He made a mistake and
hA