The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1910-03-21
G O N TIN u F. D
r o
P A @ F. O N F.
MAN DRACS AWAY

Naturally unQcr SuCn system the
little girl of a private citizen is of
considerable less interest to the
police than the man who bothers
big corporation by stopping it's
cars on the wrong side Of the
street, or the hungry man who tries
to steal a loaf Of bread.
But if the women of Spokane
had the franchise today they
would have this sort of a chief of
police fired in day or they would
have the scalp of every official
responsible for the chief sticking
to his job. Sullivan has about the
same amount of efficiency in his
police system as he has mother
love in his heart. but sometimes
mother love is worth considerably
more than political stand-in; GER
tainly it is when brutes who drag
little girls through the streets I'M
molested are not even pursued by
the police after two days.
The testimonial" follows:
AS a testimonial to the prompt
ness, fearlessness and efficiency of
the Spokane Police Force, | wish to
cite the following.
Friday night, shortly after school
my little daughter Pearl, aged nine
and much smaller playmate, were
stolen almost from the grounds of
the Hays Park school, by dis
reputable looking brute in human
form, who dragged them over two
miles, across prairie, and over the
steep, rough, timbered mountain
above Minnehaha park, and far he
yond the end of the Minnehaha car
line. Here they broke loose from
him, and something frightened him
so that he left them, and stumbled
blindly down the mountain. where
a goat could scarcely have kept
its footing, they found shelter in
the house of a kind lady who sent
them to their homes. Such was
the fear. distress and agony of my
little girl, that she lost all sense of
where they were going, and knew
nothing beyond the railroad ditch
this side of the mountain, across
which he dragged them. She could
remember only how her side hurt
as he dragged her along. The small
err girl remembered everything
clearly and by her assistance, |
found the house of the woman who
was kind to them, and there veri-
fled their story.
But listen. Next morning early,
my husband phoned the police de-
partment, who promised to send
out man at once. Called them
up again that night. Seemed to
have no memory of the circum-
stance. but promised to send out a
man promptly Monday morning.
Meanwhile, Have the janitor of the
school hold any suspicious char
acters seen hanging around, and
phone to us"
There is an old cooking recipe
which says, First catch your hare.
First catch your murderer or de-
spoiler of innocence or stealer of
babies. if you live in the suburbs
of Spokane-then send for the pO-
lice, who, with blaze of stars and
a flourish of clubs, will parade him
to the city bastile-if he isn't too
dangerous, or doesn't get away.
But if a hungry man steals a loaf
of bread from you on Front avenue
don't let it worry you. Thirteen
grave police officers, armed to the
teeth and seven detectives in false
side whiskers, will be hot on his
trail inside of eight minutes-and
it is an even chance that blood
hound or two will be put on the
scent. A poor, ignorant /. w. w
hasn't occupied soap box on How,
ard street over three minutes be-
fore he is escorted to Jail under
strong guard, to anguish on bread
and water, but human animal can
steal two helpless babies hunting
flowers, and drag them nearly three
miles over rocks and brush, bitches
and railroads. one of them sense
less with fear and agony, andSthe
police phone the distracted parHnts
that a man will be sent out three
days later.
We know the brute. perhaps a
maniac, was hiding in those w6ods
Friday night. Today-Sundayf in
ocent women and children have
roamed that mountain, UNCONSCIOUS
of the donger lurking at every Mep.
But the police department haA to
stay at home and go to fiay
school instead Of patrolling gthe
premises-and it was a lot stfer,
when you come to think of It'll for
the police!
City government-police PROJECT
ion-Oh, we gods and little fiSbes!
MRS. JACK FEED
E161S Liberty ave.