The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-09-30
ASSERT EVIL EXISTS
IN ROOM||VG HOUSES
Women Address Letter to the
Mayor Asking Prosecution
of Owners and LesSeeS.
LISTEN TO SPEECHES
District Attorney Leather
wood Says There IS Ganlb-
ling; Ministers Heard.

ing at the Y. w. c. a. rooms last night,
which was called by the Salt Lake Wo-
mems league AT the time when that or
yaniaation Tuesday afternoon demanded
that the stockade close. One OF
the chief objects OF tho meeting was
10 receive a renort of the committee of
ten having in charge the crusade against
the stockadc. The report was not pre-
sented in open session. but probably was
al an executive session which followed
but from which all newspaper men
preachers and lawyers were requested to
withdraw The chairman WAS authorized
to appoint ten men 10 Join with the com.
mt,ee OF ten women already appointed
10 carry out the work of civic better
ment.
In the course of the evening the draft
OF a i.ttcr addressed 10 the mayor was
read and adopted by the meeting. The
letter calls upon the mayor TO enforce
the law not only against male and fe-
male prostitutes" but also against own
ers and lessees of roonling houses and
hotels who permit their promises 10 be
used for immoral purposes. The letter
Letter to Mayor,
ITO His Honor the Mayor-The policy
OF a restricted district for Vice IN Salt
Lake City has gathered here prostitutes
from the four corners of the country
as We know from personal interviews;
the girls firmly assert that they Will
practice prostitution In the roominG
houses and hotels OF the city. This
corruption which already prevails.
we therefore call upon you immedl-
arelY 10 enforce the law. not only against
the male and female prostitutes. but also
against the lessees and owners of such
roominc houses and hotels as are found
10 he harboring men and women prosu-
tutcs If 'he police department does not
have sufficient data to enable u 10 en-
force the law. we are Dre~ared 10 FUR
nish YOU a list of rooming houses and
hotels which such prostitutes are fire.
owners and controllers OF said places.
I'm view of the Importance OF the sit
uation. we expect an immediate and sat
isfactory reply"
Leatherwood Finds Poker Game.
F.. o. Leaiherwood. district attorney
Evil in Its Relation to the Law Mr.
Leatherwood devoted a minimum of his
remarks 10 the social evil and dwelt
at length upon the gambling evil. which.
he said. existed in Salt Lake, Mr.. Lea;h-
erwood said he was informed that there
was a bucket shop on Main street be-
tween Second South and Third South.
where fifty or hundred men" won and
lost money Afterwards Mr.. Leather
wood amplified his remarks somewhat by
inrimating that the bucket shop he a'e-
ferred to was A poolroom where persons
might Try to pick the winners In horse
races.
Mr.. Leatherwood also said that, when
he was getting some information for
dealer, he went into a cigar store In
State street The place no longer ex-
listed. he said. In. that place he found
young man tending the cigar counter
seeking was In rear room Mr.. Leather
wood went To the rear room where he
found the man dealing stud poker.
With He cns and syer fHsgaT n rnms o hm
said Mr. Leatherwood Also. he said
there were two other gambling games
progress there and the place was crowd
Mr. Leatherwcod said that n murder
case which was about To be brought TO
trial was directly the result Of race track
formation Oliver Harvey's bank robbery
and suicide we're the result Of gambling
in Salt Lake.
All Officers Responsible.
Mr., Leatherwood viewed the gambling
situation with horror. He said he did
not want 10 single out any particular
class Of officials upon whom responsible
ity might rest. He wanted them all hit
II they were dcrelict in their duty-city
county and state
Mr. I>eatherwood told the women that
they had made fine start In the cru
sade for making Salt Lake a cleaner city
and urged them to keep up the good
work He said that there were laws
enough 10 cover all possible phases, and
il remained for the women 10 do their
best TO arouse "A public sentiment for the
enforcement of the laws.
Mr. Lea ther%ood answered a number
Of questions with reference TO penalties
and the character of evidence necessary
to prosecute a case successfully. II ap-
present had encountered some difficulty
in getting the authorities to prosecute
because the latter had told the former
that there was an insuffciency OF evil
dence. This was notably the case in a
proposed prosecution for the exhibition
Of obscene pictures The ladies said they
we're told by the officers that they would
have to 90 into court and infinitely de-
would not do
In Other Cities.
The Rev. Ward Winter Reese pastor
OF ST, Pauls Episcopal church, was Il
speaker He said a young man from
this Young man had ever seen, and Mr.
Reese agreed with him The New Yea
lander had also supplied Mr.. Reese with
evidence that there was betting on horse
races at the place indicated by Mr..
I.eatherwod. Mr. Reese submitted this
evidence and invited the ladies to ex-
consisted OF a copy OF the entries for a
days races, commonly called the over
nights" Mr.. Reese's information was
that several hundred men played the
races until $40 o'clock in the afternoon,
when they emerged. some flushed with
excitement over winning a few dollars
and sonic woefully detected at losing.
but all cursing and giving evidence that
they had been gambling.
Mr.. Reese said that all great reforms
rested upon the social evil. When that
was touched, he said. there was genuine
reform. Mr.. Reese told about conditions
in number OF cities where reform
movements had been successful. but in the
most of them the enthusiasm behind the
reform movement died and the reform
administrations lasted usually only a
short time.
Urges Stamping Out,
The Rev. s. r. Colladay. dean Of st.
Marks Episcopal cathedral. made few
remarks. Dean Colladay said that the
way TO overcome the social evil was TO
stamp IL out and keep Il stamped out
He admitted. as Mr. I,eatherwood had
previously done. that the social evil might
not be entirely eradicated but II the
women would only stand together and
work In harmony they could accomplish
much.
The secretary then read tentative
programme OF subjects which will be
dlscuased az "A mass meeting 20 be held
so.a. The subjects were approved ny