The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-06
TREAT ALL alike.
Rev. Robert Gordon Calls Attention
to Laws Not Enforced.

The Rev. Robert Gordon in speak
ing at the First Baptist church Sun
day evening commended the vigilance
of the police department in enforcing
the Jay driving ordinance which re-
suited in his arrest and fine last week
for cutting corners. Almost in the
same breath he asserted that neglect
of duty in the enforcement of law in
Topeka is gross; that betting on cleo
tons and races, gam bling in the strict
sense of the word, cigarette smoking,
the social evil and other vices are
winked at by the police. He was
speaking on Law Enforcement in
Topeka before a large congregation.
Il sent letters of congratulation to
the mayor and chief of police. after
my arrest last week. said the speak
err Il think the ordinance is a fine
thing. I hope that DIR. sheldon will
be given attention. He says that autos
go by at the rate of 40 miles an hour.
Why, autos and motor cycles do that
down town under the eyes of the po-
lice.
II don't doubt that some mothers
go home sick through the experience
of crossing Kansas avenue with
baby. There is no excuse for this
condition to exist in Topeka"
Then the speaker touched upon the
character of some of the men VINO
are employed on the local police force
in no complimentary terms. He said:
II am told that one of our plain
the most notorious dens He. sold
liquor and harbored prostitutes. An
other plain clothes man was dis
charged from the police force under a
former administration because he
tipped off gambling house and was
indicted recently by a jury in Kansas
City, L am told, for giving his niece
mercurial tablets. She made dying
statement to that effect and regarding
his intimacy with her. The sheriff
of Wabaunsee county run out of his
county one of the most notorious
jointists He came to Topeka and
was made a member of our police
force and is serving as such at pres
ent. L wouldn't feel safe on a dark
street with such characters armed
with a billy. L certainly wouldn't like
to have my sister left at their mercy.
"A while ago a gang of thugs or
was coming here to church. His face
was disfigured. Blood flowed. We
called physician. One of our men
called the police station asking for
an officer; The 'toughs, We're still Just
around the corner from the church.
This man was told that an officer
could not be sent until they saw the
sergeant. No officer ever came; no
inquiry was made by the police Next
day we learned that at that hour the
sergeant was so drunk he was not able |
to attend to duty.
Last summer little girl was lost. |
Several times the police were called |
up. Each man who responded dis |
played his ignorance of the case. To- |
ward night she was found in store
at the outskirts of town. The store |
keeper reported he had called the po- |
lice, asking if they knew of any lost
child. They told him they did not. |
That sort of neglect of duty ought to |
make you all mad.
Young girls, Is and Is years of
age, are being lost through the negli- |
gence of the police. 1 am placing the |
burden on you. There should be more
GERS elected. A man in Office has no |
right to fail to enforce the law be-
cause by so doing he will please GER
tain element of his constituents.
81 am only doing what is my duty |
when 1 tell you these things tonight. |
of the law unless you give active ex-
preston to your feelings in regard to |
these conditions.
Gambling is going on in this town.
Go to a cigar counter, and see the men |
throwing dice for cigars. Every shake |
hotel there is a woman who is paid |
to shake dice with the men-it is no /
place for a woman. There are other l
places in the city where similar con-
ditions exist Bets are posted here
openly on the elections and races.
cigarettes are sold to minors. At |
least we see them smoking them on
the streets. 1t is reported they are
easily secured What sort of citizen |
is the boy likely to make who buys /
in violation of law, know
ing nobody runs any risk thereby"
st is said women are protected by !
the police in their practice of the So
cial evil I am told there is one of
these dens of iniquity within block
Of this church Let the newspaper