The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-10
POLICE BOARD TO
LEAD N MOVEMENT
WILL ASK LEGISLATURES AMEND
Law FOR PROTECTION OF
YOUNG GIRLS.
RAISE AGE CONSENT
JUVENILE PROTECTIVE AssOCIA-
TON, MINISTERIAL UNION
JOIN ASKING TT BE EIGH-
TEEN YEARS.
RAISE AGE CONSENT

fEor6tB MY reused and alarmed
over the extent to which young
girls OF the city are being led astray.
the board OF police commissioners at
its meeting yesterday afternoon adopt
ed a resolution to raise the age Of
consent from fourteen to eighteen
years.
The resolution has the earnese APP
prevail OF the Juvenile Protective as
ISOLATION and of the Ministerial union.
and both viii unite their endeavors
to have the resolution enacted into
law. Or. II. ID. G. Maclachian and
the Rev. Ryland knight conferred
with some OF the members of the
board, and urged that the resolution
be adopted and that plans be imme
diately set afoot to get public SYM
pathy behind the movement,
Most Recent Case.
1t Is shown that in the majority
of instances the young men who are
responsible for the present wave Of
crime against the moral law select
their victims from among those who
have safely passed the legal age of
consent and thus practically insure
themselves against criminal prosecu-
ton. The matter was brought to o.
head by the arrest early Sunday morn
Ing OF J. J. Anthony and Emmett
Mescoe by Detective Sergeant Wiley
and Detective Gordon Smith.
The young men were out Saturday
night 1t Is alleged with Grace b.
Cannon. daughter OF Charles E. Can
non. one of the signal service opera
tors OF the police department They
returned after o'clock in the MORN
Ing, and the enraged father held them
unner cover of pistol until the ar
rival OF Detective Smith. whom he
had summoned by telephone. The
young girl finally admitted, the detec-
tivfs say. that she had been subject
ed 10 indignities by both the young
men in the Kidd pickle factory. Bowe
and Marshall streets. Mescoe is fore
man OF the factory.
The affair was discussed Yesterday
BY people In ali sorts Of life. by minis
ters and church workers, by members
OF the Juvenile Protective association
and by police comm issioners Com
missioner Gordon bestirred himself
early. He declared that fourteen years.
the legal age Of consent" was en-
tiresy too young. and announced his
determinations, to have the htsa "a .,rsss
upon the necessity OF praying the next
legislature to raise the age.
Police Board Acts.
His resolution. as it was adopted
unanimously follows:
whereas. the prevalence of crimes
against young girls has already grown
10 an extent almost incredible and
altogether appalling. and In rapidly
assuming such proportions az 10 war
rant the fear that such crimes Will
soon become the most menacing of
AL the evils that confront the COM
munity;
And. whereas. the present stst,,.es
of the State OF Virginia are made
auate to punish sufficiently so as to
deter those who offend against child
hood al its most dangerous age, which
tf1s experience of the t,eliee- depart
ment of the city OF Richmond has
shown to be the years between four
teen and eighteen. by reason OF the
establishment by said statutes of the
age OF consent" at fourteen years.
Now. therefore. be it resolved by
the board of police commissioner. Of
the city of Richmond, that the general
assembly OF the State OF Virginia be
earnestly petitioned. at its next session,
so TO amend the statutes In such cases
made and provided as to change and
raise the age OF consent on the
part OF females from fourteen to efeh-
teen years.
And. be it further resolved. that the
council of the city Of Richmond and
the law officers OF the city and State
whose duties lie within the city OF
Richmond and the county OF Henrico
',@ requested to Cooperate with said
board OF police commissioners in the
effort to secure the enactment OF such
amendment"
Cases Are Continued
The preliminary hearing OF An
thony and Meseoe waa continued in
$Poltce court yesterday morning to
September 2lst. They were admitted
to bail IN the sum Of $500 each. John
Teefey, former councilman. acting az
surety.
Anthony Is brother Of A, An
thony. now out undar %heavy bail
fort his appearance. bAfoEe tina Hanrse.a
county court on serious charge pre-
Ffcrred by several young girls. In ali
there are now six young men out on
bail Cor alleged ofrense against young
girls. and one. who was unable 10 give
bond, is in jail to await action by the
October grand jury.
Others arrests may follow. az the
detectives hxvc aifneArthed cakex ~
shocking. they say. as to be almost