The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-07-13

In the foregoing words Major
Alfred Hampton, immigration in
spector stationed in Helena, Mont,
describes the tenacious pursuit, ar
rest and Imprisonment of Pete and
AdOlph GOuyet, the notorious
Frenchmen who for years defied
the municipal governments of Spo-
kane and other western cities, by
boldly importing and enslaving
white women from France, csm'
polling them to live immoral lives
and give their masters the money.
The latter lived high and came to
be known as the kings of the para.
SITES" .........
Credit for the final capture Of
the notorious slavers, and the col
lection of the evidence necessary
to convict them is accredited to
The Press and Detective Fred
Pearson of the local police force.
The Frenchmen and two women
they imported are now in Jail in
Helena under heavy bonds. The
federal grand jury Is about ready
to return true bills against all four.
They will then be tried before the
federal court of Helena and afte'
they have served their sentences
of Imprisonment the government
will deport them.
The attention of Sec. Strauss,
head of the immigration bureau,
was first called to the white slave
industry by the publication in The
Press last fall, of series of ar
ticles divulging secrets of the para
site gang, who for years detied the
government. The articles told OF
a mysterious ranch on the st. Joe
river which the French women
feared worse than death for when
once sent to it, they never returned
and their friends heard no more OF
them. This was one of the penal
ties meted out by their masters
whenever they gave away secrets
to the police, or endeavored to es-
cap bondage.
The Press also told of how the
women feared to accompany their
masters to Occur d'Alene lake for
there were instances when some OF
them failed to return. 1t was said
that they went back to France but
their relatives back there never
heard of them.
Prominent leaders of this band
of Frenchmen We're the Gouyet
brothers. They were known as the
kings" of the band. Their word
was law and they were feared as
much by the others as any Turkish
despot. They didn't appear to fear
arrest. When necessary they
would leave the county or state II
the chase after them became too
hot. For hundreds of miles around
Spokane their spies met every
train to seek out fleeing slaves and
compel them to go into bondage
again.
The series Of articles reached
the u. S. department at Washing
ton and secret agents came here.
But to all appearances they were
up against the same thing as local
police officers. 1t seemed impossi'
BILE to obtain sufficient evidence to
convict the men of any crime be-
sides vagrancy. For this they
were arrested many times, cheer.
fully paid their fines, and continued
to do business at the old stands,
Nightly they held revels and big
wine debauches. Finally things
got so hot for them they moved
out to Minnehaha park. In a drunk
en- revel one night several of them
auctioned their women, traded
them for money and concessions.
A wild debauch followed the sale.
The park was supposed to be UNI
der supervision of the sheriff's Of
flee.
But the news leaked out and this
was another score against the
Frenchmen. Still, although the po-
lice tried their best to secue aCcur-
ate information and evidence
enough to secure convictions, 1t
was impossible. The women dared
not do otherwise than swear to
lies. They were willing to go to
Jail for perjury rather than run the
risk of divulging information. Fol
lowing The Press articles city Of
ficials abolished the dives along
Front av. At the close of the
racing season the prosecuting at
torney's Office finally cleaned out
Minnehaha.
There was then no longer any
revenue for the Frenchmen here
so they went to coast cities.
Last October the Gouyet broth
ers drew all their money which 1t
is estimated amounted to close to
100000 out OF local and coast
banks. Then they started for
France with their favorite women.
Pete's favorite was Benot Duvon,
known here as "Minion." Adolph
took Emma Vigno, known as Err
ma" When they left for New
York secret agents of the govern
ment followed them and saw them
and saw them embark for the old
country on the steamship LaSavoy.
The French government was then
communicated with and 1t sent it's
secret agents to meet the Gouyet
I