The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-02-15
POLICE and SHERlFF TO AID
Hotel and Saloon Men Are Notified
that the Presence of Women in Wine
Rooms and Hotels Will no Longer Be
Tolerated. Raids May Be Made.

loon men We're called to the carpet
by District Attorney Henry J. Hast
ings on Friday afternoon as result
of the revelations of two women, May
johnson and Martha Hoffman. who
gave their homes as Racine and who
have been living in Kenosha for The
past two weeks. AS result of the
revelations of the women District At
tOrney Hastings issued a stringent or
der against women frequenting saloons
and hotels in the city and an order
was issued to both the sheriff and
the chief of police to see to it that
the order is carried out. The hotel
and saloon men professed utter ignor-
ance OF the real character Of the two
women and declared that they had not
given them any reason to believe that
the places were being used illegally
and for immoral purposes. The women
themselves were talkative and they
gave to the officials list Of some
twenty-five men from Kenosha with
whom they admitted that they had
been intimate in public places Of the
city. These names were turned over
to the sheriff and he has been directed
to warn the men that the charges will
be held over them pending good be-
havior. One young man, who is al
legged to have been connectedywith the
case fed from the city on Friday even
ing believing that warrant charging
"a statutory offense had been issued for
his arrest.
When seen this morning District At
torney Hastings was not inclined to
discussed the matter at great length.
81 think that the hotel men and sa-
loon men understand my stand on this
matter now said the attorney, "and
I am hopeful that there will be no
more trouble over women in the sa-
looms. / gave the men to understand
that the presence of unaccompanied
women would not be tolerated in either
the hotels or saloons. made it clear
| to them that had received complaints
on which both the hotels and the wine
rooms might have been raided but that
I did not like to take that course with
out giving them some warning and
they seemed to take kindly to the sug-
gesti0n. The hotel and saloon men of
course claimed that they had no idea
Of the conditions under which the
women were living and that they had
come to the places as transients and
had been accommodated. There has
been lot said in regard to these con-
ditions in Kenosha and l want it dis
tinctiy understood that it will be the
policy of this Office to see that these
places are conducted properly. AS to
the men who have been mentioned in
these cases nothing would be gained
by revealing their identity and the
cases may never come into court. No
charges were brought against the two
women, but they were given to under
island in no uncertain manner that
their presence in Kenosha would not
be tolerated and after being released
from jail they were ordered to leave
the city at once. J understand that
both of them returned to Racine
The action of the district attorney
came as a sensation in the city and it
lis declared that it is going to go a
long way towards cleaning up the wine
rooms and family hotels. Some Of
these places under the watchful eye of
the police are in the very center Of the
city while others are on the outskirts.
The instructions of the district attor-
ney, to the police and the sheriff are
such that there will be no chance
for more trouble if they are followed,
but it is admitted that they viii prac-
tically demand the closing of the wine
rooms.
1t is declared that number Of the
men connected with the case were well
known business men and these men
were quaking on Friday for fear that
arrests would be ordered by the at
torney.
Members of the Kenosha Chapter of
the Uniform Rank knights of Pythias
are expecting to stand high ID the re-
mort of Lie CHAMBERS in The state fol-