Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-09
Chief Executive of City Gives Scani
Heed to Protest Against Resorts
Where Murders and Other.
Crimes Are Frequent

dignified protest and refuse 10 an
swer one of the mayors questions. The
ouestion asked by the mayor was;
Have you ever been arrested IN LOS
Angeles?"
question or that | should answer it,"
responded de Lara in MS olgnineo
manner. 49,
Eyes, I must insist on asking the
question. You can answer IT or not,
Just as you please" said the mayor
aggressively.
Then de Lara explained that he had
been arrested on behalf Of the Mexican
charge. but as there was no evidence
against him the authorities had peen
forced to release him.
Insuited by Harper
"who paid you to get up this petit
tion?" was another insulting question
the mayor asked. j..
on his own responsibility. He ex"
nlained he had been trying for more
than a. wear to better the condition OF
his countrymen in Sonoratown, ana TO
have the vile places that are conducted
in that district only as cover for
illicit liquor selling, gambling dens and
worse closed.
testing against the dens of which he
complained. the mayor turned to CHIEF
Broadhead and asked:
..What do you know about this,
chief?"
Broadhead replied that he knew moth
ing of 1t, as he had not seen the pro-
test before. He complained no partic-
ular places were specified in the petit
ton. When this objection was pre-
scented to de Lara, he easily remedied
the difficulty by naming several OF the
most Objectionable resorts. and called
on some Mexican friends who were
with him to supplement the list: he
spoke particularly of the International
restaurant, $40 San Fernando street.
where a Mexican was fatally stabbed
Sunday.
"What do you know about this
placer" the mayor asked the CHIEF.
Not Known to Chief
Nothing by name" answered
Broadhead, but the number reported
to me was 619 North Main"
1T move the license be revoked" In
terjected Commissioner Woodill
Judge H. C. Dillon, the new police
commissioner who took his seat yes
terday. objected to this because the
name of the proprietor was not stipu-
lated.
The chief did not '-~cw the name of
the man who conducted the place, and
Secretary McKeag had to delve into
the records to find ~'-' He announced
that Joe Mazzetti was the proprietor.
Woodill changed his motion to one
that the place be closed until the next
regular meeting and asked that MAJ
zetti be cited to anpear before the
board and show cause why his license
should not be revoked.
xI1nt
the petition presented here, but be-
cause Mazzetti refused to- give the Of
ficers any assistance in getting infor-
nation on this cutting scrape," Wood
Ill added.
'.I'll second 4N-t notion" said Mr..
Dillon. "It will give us an opportunity
to investigate the matter"
Petition Filed
But IL this license is revoked it will
be the only good to come OF the petit
ton signed by eighty-five Of the most
prominent Mexicans in the city. The
petition was ordered filed. And the
International was only one OF a score
of such places to which the petition
objected.
The usual course of procedure for
such petitions is to refer them to the
chief with Instructions to report at
some particular meeting. But this was
not the case with the Mexicans' petit
ton, and it was not the case with
petition presented about month ago
by number of Slavonians. The Slav-
onians' petition was similar to that
presented yesterday by the Mexicans.
and contained complaints against a
number of blind pigs. But the Slavon-
ians' petition went even further than
did that of the Mexicans. 1t gave
names and addresses, in order that the
police could have no excuse for not
finding the places. This petition is
rotting in the files. and 1t will prob
ably stay there unless the next admin
istration digs it up and acts.
Mexicans Ask Protection
All the Mexicans asked was that they
be protected from these law-breaking
dives. Their petition was as follows:
I'VE, the undersigned residents of Los
Angeles living in the Second, Third and
Eighth wards, hereby respectfully but
emphatically protest against the exist
ence of certain low, vicious grog shops,
or blind pigs, run under the guise of
restaurants, located at various points
along San Fernando, Buena. Vista,
Main and other streets in the district
adjacent to the Plaza.
Our reasons for so protesting are
that many of our Mexican brothers are
constantly being debauched at these
places, where they are served with vile
liquor and encouraged to spend their
scant earnings. These unfortunates are
frequently robbed of their money and
encouraged to drink to such an excess
as to cause their arrest and impris-
onment.
''As a result of the existence of these
places of debauchery, scores of worthy
families, including many needy chill
dren. are deprived of the financial sup
mort 1uhich thew should. and would. re.