Los Angeles herald., 1910-07-16
RAID INVOLVES
DIXON'S FRIEND
Police Find Employe of DepoSed
Captains Associate in
RedIight District
BLAIR AGENCY Is ACTIVE
Believe Private SIeuth Gathering
Evidence in Attempt to Dis
credit Administration
BLAIR AGENCY is ACTIVE

What is believed to be an attempt by
friends of Charles e. Dixon, former
police captain, to discredit the present
administration was revealed late yes
terday afternoon when a squad of po-
lice under the command of Acting
Lieutenant Sebastian and Acting Ser
geant Ora May raided five houses in
the old redlight district, arresting five
women, and found an employe of pri-
vate detective agency lurking in one of
the place. The young man gave his
name as Lee Stebbins, and said he was
employed by the Blair Detective agency
to collect evidence against certain res
idents of that district and report to his
employer.
The police, cognizant of the activity
of friends Of Dixon during the recent
hearing before the police commission,
do not hesitate in saying that the
agency for which Stebbins claims to
work appears to be behind a movement
to discredit the efficiency of the de-
partment since Dixon was dismissed.
The houses raided yesterday after
noon were 424 Ducommun street, 401
North Alameda street, 512 Ducommun
street, 1S9 North Central avenue and
1856 Also street, and were occupied by
Suzanne Eloy, Lii CIandin, Marcelle
Cardaine, Mascotte Duvall and Dolly
Baden. The houses at 424 and 512 Du-
commun street and 139 North Central
avenue were raided by Chief Galloway
June 13. This raid was kept secret
from Dixon. and he was ignorant of
the matter until the inmates were
booked at the central station.
Although the women who were taken
into custody yesterday recently had
been fined in police court on charges of
Vagrancy, they evidently thought they
would be immune from molestation for
some time, and quietly opened their
places.
The houses were kept under close
surveillance, and when Lieut.. Sebastian
and Sergeant May learned the women
had reopened the places the raid was
planned carefully, and shortly after
noon Patrolmen Murphy, Weiss, Walk
er, Miller, Kierscey, Pautz, Stevens and
Watson quietly entered the places and
arrested the women.
Two officers were detailed to each
place and encountered no resistance
when they demanded admittance. Sc
bastian and May raided the house at
1856 Also street, where, after arresting
the women occupying the place, they
found Stebbins, the private detective,
hiding in a room.
The young man was questioned close
ly as to his business in the place. He
endeavored to n1islead the raiders, and
finding they were informed as to his
identity, admitted that he had been
employed to obtain certain evidence.
Stebbins was taken to the central po-
lice station and later was allowed to
go without any charge being filed
against him.
1t is well known in police circles that
former Captain Dixon and Paul Blair,
head of the private detective agency,
are close friends. The district in which
the arrests were made is embraced in
the private watch system of Sam Solo
mon, close friend of the deposed cap
tain.
Young Stebbins said he was ignorant
of the identity of the tnstigators Of the
private investigation. He said he was
told to learn all he could concerning
the situation in the old tenderloin dis
trict and turn in his report.
The police are unable to account for
this unusual activity by private indi-
viduaIs. The church organizations have
every confidence in the present admin
istration to enforce the laws and keep
the lid on tight, and it Is believed the
investigation is not being made by SIM
liar organizations.