Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-03-27
PRIVATE RECORD OF POLICE
JUDGE FURNISHES EVIDENCE
THAT PRESENT EXECUTIVE
LICENSED DIsoRDERLIEs.
HPAY EACH MONTH;
I'LL PROTECT YOU"
ATTORNEY c. w. WHlTMoRE IN
scATHlNG ADDRESS TURNS
LIGHT ON ADMINISTRATION =
BIG SOUTH oTTUMWA MEETING

From the hand writing OF the
present police judge, Thomas Z.
Kirby, the administration, headed
by Mayor T. j. Phillips was last
night declared by c. w. Whit
more, to be guilty Of licensing
crime; allowing gambling to run
wide open for the fee of fifty
five dollars per month; houses OF
prostitution for lesser license
and the offense of being an in
mate of disorderly house for
fine of SIS monthly, all in open and
fragrant violation of the state laws
and city ordinances.
The Democratic wall that taxes
would be Increased unless Thomas
j. Phillips was returned to the
office of mayor was not only de-
MED but shown as not an issue
in the present campaign, but
condition that will come to OF
tunnwa if the saloon revocation
petition is found sufficient under
any mayor, be he Republican or
Democrat.
The fact was shown that Mayor
T. j. Phillips ten years ago, fol-
lowing his denomination, under
sworn oath, acknowledged that he
had made errors, and promised to
co better.
In violation of all laws of the stat
and city, the Democratic city admin
headed by Mayor T. J. Phi
lips, Police Judge Thomas E. Kirby
and Chief of Police Peter Gallagel
was last night charged by Mr.. Whit
more on evidence furnished by MI
kirby's own writing to be parties t
q series of crimes commit
ted in this city during the past tw
years, when they should, In carryin
out the intent of the ordinances. hav
wiped out the entire lot of offenders
Chester w. Whitmore in the openin
address at the rousing meeting Il
Fry's hall gave vivid portrayal of tn
chief figures In the present administra
ton and he openly accused theT
of being guilty of f1agrantly violatin
the laws by licensing instead of driy
Ing out of the boundaries of the cit
all gamblers, keepers of houses Q
prostitution and the inmates of sue
unlawful institutions.
The history of the disorderly hous
ordinance for the year 1907 and 1905
was given by Mr.. Whitmore, who show
ed a verbatim copy of the privat
Journal of fines collected by Polio
Judge T. E. Kirby, written on a shee
of large paper five feet in length i
tabulated form, showing just hoy
city in each month during the reig
of the present mayor. The licensin
of crime was shown to have begun in
mediately after Mr.. Phillips was sea-
ed in 1907, and it continued until th
state of Iowa, through the Wapell
county grand jury stepped in in De
.ember, 1908 and put a stop to it.
The disorderly house ordinance an
the bawdy house ordinance, both pass
ed by Republican councils ninetee
years ago for the express purpose c
driving cut the unlawful practices, an
not to gain revenue thereby, wer
shown to be utterly disregarded by tn
officials, whom they clothed in su
hclent power to forcibly eject ther
from the corporation of Ottumwa. Ii
stead, the ordinances We're construe
In such way as to reap a revenue t
the city, the crimes We're licensed an
the crime doers were protected. Fort,
five keepers of disorderly houses i
1907 paid their monthly license t
PoIice Judge Kirby and tifty-fve il
mates of disorderly houses, fifty-thre
of whom were women, and only tw
men, We're permitted to pay fines rang
Ing from 800 to SIS monthly and thu
be allowed to continue their unlawfr
practices. Mr.. Whitmore had an a,
ray of undisputable facts, and the
were received by the large audienc
of laboring men voters with an enthus
(Conlinued on page 5l