The San Francisco call., 1910-09-13
FICKERT EXHORTS
POLICE VIGILANCE.
Glimpse of Tenderloin Life at
Night Shocks District
Attorney


derloin district, after numerous COM
plants had been made TO him. has led
District Attorney Charles M. Fickert
TO write a letter TO Chief of Police
Martin. in which he pointed out that
the laws and ordinances were being
violated constantly and made it en-
phatically clear that, as far as his Of
fee was concerned, a continuance of
such tactics would result in strong op-
position.
Il found he said in discussing the
letter, that minors were being sup
piled with liquor and that the cafes
were being run at full blast after /
o'clock. Now, l do not know just
what erroneous impressions may exist
in certain sections of the town regard
ing my stand in these ma atters. but
that there are some such impressions
/ know. I wish to say that any fur
ther repetition of such offenses will
result in the district attorneys Office
contesting the license under which the
cafe is run.
My sole reason for not prosecuting
some of the offenders whom I per-
sonally investigated is that I do not
care to act both as prosecuting witness
and prosecuting officer. An excuse is
made that the cafes were allowed to
run after l o'clock on account of it
being carnival time. and this may be
well enough; but there is not the
slightest shadow of an excuse for sell
ing liquor to minors On this point, at
least the district attorneys Office will
take firm stand.
WARNING TO OFFENDERS
Naturally / look for and expect po-
lice cooperation in the regulating of
such affairs. but if I do not obtain it
I will fight the matter alone. AS l
have said, these people seem to be
travelling under some false impressions
They seem to think that l am tacitly
aiding them, and L have heard that
stories are being told that am receiv-
ing money to remain passive. This
impression, 1 say, might as we'll be
discarded. I give fair warning that
prosecutions will follow
The letter to Chief Martin was as
follows:
September Z. 1910.
John B. Martin ESQ., Chief OF Po-
lice, City and County of San
Dear sr'ssro' Sir: Numerous complaints
have of late been made to this oi
fee against certain proprietors or
the resorts in the tenderloln'
bounded by Mason, OFarrell, Tay-
lor and Turk streets
In order to observe what was go
ing on / personally visited a num-
Der of these places during the pres
ent week. / was very much sur
prised to find that the majority or
those who frequent these resorts
are young persons and from their
appearance large NUMBER are
minors of both sexes.
The admission of minors to such
places is a violation not only OF the
penal code, but of certain ordf-
San francisco. and the proprietors
of resorts who permit minors TO
visit them or sell them liquor are
liable to arrest and prosecution.
CRITICISES CONDUCT
Things are done in some of these
resorts which should not be permit
ted and Would not be permitted If
the police officers of that district
would do their duty. 1t is not my
place TO do police duty, and tne
primarily with the police depart
ment Should, however. your de-
partment fail or neglect to make
the proprietors Of these resorts and
those who habituate that district
observe the. law, ! shall take such
means as have at my command to
see that the ordinances and stat
utes are rigidly enforced.
There is no doubt in my mind
that certain police officers in that
district are not doing their duty,
but are willfully condoning breaches
of the law. | particularly want
the law enforced concerning minors
/
those under you to cooperate with
me TO that end.
STREET BRAWLS CONDEMNED
Street brawls and drunken dis
turbances during the early morn
ing hours have become so frequent
of late that a number of hotelmen
doing business in that vicinity have
complained to enc that their guests
were being annoyed thereby. This
state of affairs should not be toll
S26
il unlawful for any person between
the hours of / o'clock a. m. and
o'clock a m; to @ keep open open nam nam
house or any drinking place where
liquor is sold and music is fur
nished ] was informed today that
word had been sent out that this
ordina nee would be suspended dur
ing the present holidays and that
resorts would be permitted to play
No official has the power to sus-
pend the operation of this statute
and you should therefore instruct
the officers to see that this ordi- -
nance is properly enforced. Yours
truly, & NJ tICkERT,
District Attorney.
In discussing the letter Chief Martin
said yesterday that his instructions
have always been for patrolmen to keep
a sharp lookout to see that no minors
were allowed in the resorts in the ten
lieve that his orders had not been
obeyed.
CHIEF TO INVESTIGATE
II shall make an investigation" said
the chief, Ito see if there is any truth
In the district attorneys assertions, but
am inclined to think he is mistaken.
Many women who have frequented
these resorts for years are now wear
ing short dresses to give them girlish
appearance, and any one could be de-
ceived as to their age who did not
know them.
Regarding dancing and music after
o'clock in the morning, that matter
was laid before the police commission
ers and it was agreed by them TO ex-
tend the same privileges during Native
Sons week as were extended to the
proprietors during the Portola week
last year. / was simply acting under