The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1908-10-26
NO EFFORT MADE TO
CLEAN UP NORTH
DISTRICT.
Women Are Unmolested
and Overrun Pike St.
District.

Evidently ipmune from tho az.
I tenuon Of the police, women who
we're driven from the TeBderloin
AZ a result OF the changes inaug-
I ursted BY Mayor Miller, have flock
ed 20 the Pike st. district. where
they have been centering their OPP
( eraiiOng for weeks past.
A portion OF this class. whom the
authorities designate as "unde-
/ sirablea." brazenly advertise IN the
newspapers as masseurs and
Z chiropodists. and where the address
~ not given telephone number ia
printed. Others, less discreet. are
Z 10 be found during the evenings in
the cafes and saloon boxes. where
they select such victims as chance
may throw their way.
Some Resorts Immune.
The police on the beat know
about these women. are acquainted
with many OF them by sight or
name. and II In rarely that they
offer 20 modest them at their Tile
gal occupation. Into some places
which are notorious hangouts for
such characters the men in uniform
never venture. while other resorts,
far more orderly and law abiding,
suffer from police espionage that
amounts 70 nothing less than per-
secution.
Mayor Miller attempted 10 rem
edy conditions in the King 81. dis
trict by closing up the bawdy
houses. What actually occurred
was a sudden removal Of the ma
lority OF these women TO the up
town section, where many OF them
engaged apartments and advertised
as maBseurs They are rarely mo-
Tested Chief OF Police Ward dis
patched one officer In plain clothes
TO make an investigation several
weeks ago. The officer entered
two such places and secured evi-
dence that the women were con-
tinuing their former vacations ia a
respectable section OF the city.
Here the investigation ended.
Two arrests were made. and a half.
hearted attempt followed at prose-
eution. Dozens Of similar places,
which had figuratively arisen over
night. we're not even visited.
Open Vice Rampant.
Vice, which makes but a feeble
attempt 10 ciothe it's real identity.
is rampant In the very heart OF the
retail business district II flour
ishes in houses which are said 70
be protected. Just what form this
protection takes can only be sur
missed. but the fact is readily dis
covered that many third-ciass ho-
tells. whose chief patronage comes
from class placed under the ban
the men on the beat The pro-
prietors OF at least two places
make no secret Of the fact that
the police viii never bother their
patrons.
Police Appear LudIcrous.
On the other hand. the attempts
Of the police 20 make some show
Ing towards keeping the district
clean Of such characters is Judi
crous. Only last week a young man
with rosy cheeks and new rubber
heels testified In police court that
be was hired by the officers TO en-
gage women In conversation In
cafes. and walk with them ont 20
the street. where they were 20 be
placed under arrest. The outcome
OF this scheme was that the youth
ful booster" followed two or three
women to the street who were
placed under arrest, but who after
wards proved that they we're lead
ing respectable lives, greatly 10 the
discontinue OF the very yigilant
police and their stool pigeon"
The police In the Pike 81. dis
trict are not doing their duty. Men
In uniform have been seen openly
drinking In saloons. They arrest
people who should not be arrested.
and fail 10 arrest those who are BY
custom permitted TO operate only
In the district set aside for licensed
vice.
Some OF the lodging houses and
cheaper hotels are harboring peo-
pie whom the police should know
have no right TO stay in a respect
able part OF the city. A number
Of the saloons are patronized by
crooks and sure-thing artists. who
apparently do not fear the pres
ence OF the officers. Gambling Is
carried ON with little pretense at
secrecy.
There never was a time when
vice was SO rampant I'm the district
and when the police appeared so