Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-14

the Socialistic side by strong rein
forcement of popular sympathy
As an example of what is character
lied as un-American belief of the local
authorities that every man is guilty
till he is proven innocent" notwith-
standing that the law holds to the con-
trary, the police are instructed to keep
the Socialists almost 'incommunicado,"
in a sense.
The Herald on Sunday received a
most caustic complaint from the hus-
band of one of the prisoners, who was
denied admission to the Jail. The let
ter follows:
LOS ANGELES, July 10.-[Editor
Herald: This afternoon I took my two
children to the city jail and asked per-
mission for them to see their mother,
Alice Vail Holloway, who is confined
there for speaking on the street with
out a permit from the police board. The
request was absolutely refused. 1t
seems a natural and reasonable thing
that a mother should want to see her
babies. Mrs. Holloway has been con-
victed Of no crime, and yet 1t seems
that she is to be made to suffer for
nearly four months before being tried,
and in addition tortured by not being
allowed to see her children. Why Will
such 'barbarism be tolerated in a civil
lied community? -
1918 North Fremont street"
1t is stated that every other visitor
at the city Jail who asks to see one of
the Socialists is accorded the same
treatment.
Meanwhile the women prisoners at the
Jail are making the best of 1t. They
optimistically declare that their incar-
ceration will be "the means of arous-
ing the public to the injustice of their
Imprisonment and eventually "cause
the revocation of the ordinance they so
detest.'' This is the one object the
women have, it is stated. in violating
the ordinance, as the Socialists with
one accord believe they are fighting for
privilege guaranteed by the constitu-
tion and denied by a city ordinance.
The women have been hard at work
renovating that small portion of the
Jail in which they are confined. They
have succeeded in somewhat improving
it's appearance inside, though the same
nauseating odors, greatly intensified by
the summer heat, of course remain.
For all the persons locked in here, "
| said Mrs. Cloudesley Johns yesterday,
whether there is one or twenty-five,
there is only one bathtub. Women suf-
fering from malignant diseases often
are confined here, so the sanitary con-
| ditions hardly need be described.
1.-THE place is fairly swarming with
sewer rats, some of them a foot long.
The citizens do not seem to realize
the place is a terrible menace to their
health.
"Just yesterday I watched a rat
carrying out a cloth that had been
used by a person afflicted with an in
durable disease. That same rat is
likely to crawl into any one's home
and nibble at the food, scattering the
disease germs wherever it goes.
at will never be possible to make the
old building sanitary. 1t is an incuba-
| tor of disease germs. | think CHIEF
Kern and the police in charge are do
| ing all in their uower to keep the con-
ditions the best possible, but it is not
possible to keep them half good.
1.-THE city council should build new
! Jail. At least we should have more
towels, more and cleaner bedding, more
soap, more water and more of the
necessities of life"
| Mrs. Johns, who is imprisoned with
Mrs. Sarah Daley and Mrs. Alice ".
Halloway on the same charge-that of
speaking on the street without a per-
nit, which permit was denied them
says their health continues compara-
lively good and they expect to endure
the conditions there for the sake of the
end they wish to win until October,
when they will be tried for violating
| the anti-speech ordinance.
| She declares they are making many
converts among the prisoners and that
their propaganda and principles have
"spread throughout the jaiP' since they
We're arrested for speaking on the pub
lie streets.
Dodge's Trial Set
S. L. Dodge, who also was arrested
Saturday night for street speaking at
Seventh and Grand, entered a plea OF
not guilty in the police court yester-
day He asked for a jury trial and 1t
was set for July 30.
ave have opened city jail Social
ist union," said Mrs. Holloway yester-
day, and our time will be passed, with
the aid of all the Socialists who yet
may be arrested, in spreading the prin-
ciples of our doctrine in the various
cells of the big Jail and in driving out
the rats verlnin and disease germs If
possible.
1--WE are going to do all in our power
to ameliorate the sufferings of the poor
devils who have to stay in here, and to
make the sanitary conditions of the
prison as good as a small quantity of
! soap and a little water with lots of
I elbow grease can make them"
DIR. Arthur Houghton, formerly coun-
| Gilman from the Sixth ward and a
prominent Democrat, who was arrested
at the same time as Dodge on Seventh
street and Grand avenue Saturday
night, was arraigned before Police
Justice Frederickson on the charge of
speaking without permit from the
police board.
The peculiar coincidence of DR..
Houghton falling a victim to an ordi-
nance originating in the council of
which he was a conspicuous member
did not appeal to Police Justice Fred
erickson, who placed his bond at 5000.
DR.. Houghton furnished the necessary
money. The difference made in the bail
of the various speakers depends upon
the court in which the prisoner is ar
raigned. Some of the police justices
place 1t at $500, others at $500. notwith-
standing the maximum penalty for the
offense Is but $25.
I Houghton to Be Tried
Houghton will be brought up for
trial Wednesday, when he will enter
his plea of guilty or not guilty.
DIR. Houghton's arrest was a dra-
matte one. In his speech he said:
"I am deeply interested in this fight
for freedom of speech in our city,"
shouted Dr.. Houghton as the crowd
uuieted down to see what the "soap
box orators" had to say. II was a
member of the council when this un-
| fair and unamerican ordinance went
| through. I voted against it because 1
believed it to be not only unconstitu-
tional but iniquitous. l am glad to