Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-20
WANTS DISORDERLY
HOUSES TO CLOSE
WILEY ]. PHILLIPS SWEARS
OUT WARRANTS
Mahogany Hall" and Morton Club Un-
der SurveiIIance-Reformer Goes
After the Property
Owners

mahogany hail." known to the police
as one of the toughest houses in the
city and commonly called Suicide half
by the members of the force, will be
raided by the officers, and the inmates
taken to the central station If the pro-
prietors do not close their doors.
Rev. Wiley j. Phillips has for several
weeks been seeking evidence against
this place, and yesterday offered to the
prosecuting attorney proof Of the class
of house it is and demanded warrants
for the arrest of the ones running IT,,
as we'll as for the owner of the property.
"It is my intention to strike at the
root of this evil and compel property
owners to cease renting places for the
traffic." said Mr.. Phillips, and it is
probable if he keeps his word some of
the well-to-do men in the city will be
compelled to line up before the bar In
the police court.
Known as "Suicide HaIP
Mahogany halr' is looked upon by
the police as one of the worst places In
the city More than twenty-five ne
crosses and mulattoes live in it, each one
sharing her apartments with some
moral leper, who does not hesitate to
take her earnings and devote them to
his uses. Many of these human Vul-
lures are white, and despite the ract
that they are frequently arrested by
the police continue to live at the place
and compel the women to act as their
slaves.
Several murders and a number of sui
cides have gained for the house its
name of Suicide hail." and even the
inmates of the house call it place OF
living death.
'I swallowed poison in order to get
away from Mahogany hall, said one
of them recently at the receiving nos
pital after being taken there from the
place after swallowing a quantity OF
poison" I want to live right, but when
person has once been an inmate OF
that house she can never get away
White men see us there, and when next
they see us on the street they point TO
us with the finger of scorn, and we
cannot obtain other employment"
The girls life was saved by the ply
sicians at the receiving hospital-but
she is again an inmate Of Mahogany
hall"
Morton Club Closed
Warrants were sworn out yesterday
for the arrest OF John Murietta and his
wife, property owners and proprletors
of the house run Dy Fearl morton anu
known as the Morton club. According
TO Mr.. Phillips, this building can be put
to other uses from which good rent
can be obtained, yet for the sake of a
few dollars more each month the
Muriettas devote the building to the
purposes of the Morton club The
building is on New High street, short
distance from the court house, and was
at one time used as quarters by the
superior court.
1t is asserted by Mr.. Phillips that
when once girl is an inmate of the
Morton club she can never get away
from that place. Pearl Morton man
ages to always keep them in her debt
TO such an extent that they cannot
move away and take their clothing, and
consequently the girls are prisoners.
Early yesterday morning Pearl Nor
ton announced that the house would be
closed in the future and that she would
not occupy it again. According to the