Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-06
CHIEF SAYS
LAW BALKS
HIS WAR
ON VICE
Resort in Spring Street Flour
ishes While Injunction Pre-
vents Police Interference.

1t became known Friday that Chief
of Police James L. Beavers made the
startling charge before the vice in
vestigating Grand Jury that the.
courts Of the State of Georgia made
it impossible for MIN to close the
most notorious resort that had ever.
operated in Atlanta.
:. c. Glass, a member of the Grand
Jury, who was not present at the
session Thursday when it was an
nounced the vice probe had been con-
cuded said Friday that he. too, knew
of the existence Of the place and
would demand at the next session
that the tribunal 90 deeper into vice
conditions and take some decisive
action.
Mr.. Glass made the emphatic state
ment that conditions were worse
than they were before the restricted
district wis closed and that it was
up to the jury 10 do something to-
relieve the situation. He said the
Philadelphia ministers had not far
exaggerated the street evil; that the
respectable community was being en-
croached upon by houses of i'll fame
and that women of questionable char
acter walked the streets of Atlanta
daily brushing elbows with the wife
and school girl
Resort Is in Spring Street.
The house in question is in Spring
Street. The place was raided several
months ago. Recorder Broyles or
dered the woman held for the City
Court and asked Chief Beavers to
have her moved from that locality.
The woman's lawyers applied for and
secured an injunction from the Fulton
Superior Court restraining the police
from moving her. The restraining or
der stin is in effect.
The case Of Mrs. y. p. Powell, of 80
Spring Street. was on trial before
Iudge Andrew Calhoun, in the City
Court Friday. Chief Beavers. who
appeared against her. stated that the
house was still being operated in vio-
lation of the law, but that he was
poVerless to act. He said the woman,
if found guilty, would pay a fine and
90 back and he could do nothing but
make a new case which, he said,
would be several weeks in getting 20
court.
Despite what Chief Beavers said
was overwhelming evidence, and the
statement of Grand Juryman Glass.
the woman told a eobbing story OF
ignorance of any law having been
violated and declared her innocence
of the charges.
Mr. Glass commented az some
length on the vice probe
Chief Says He Is Powerless.
Time and again he said, Il have
seen men and women go into the
Spring street house. have on sew
eral occasions called the attention Of
Chief Beavers to the situation. He
explains that he is pogerless to act
because of an injunction from the SUI
perior Court.
This house is not the only one. I
know of some few others, and I will
ask the Grand jury to look into it
thoroughly. do not think this thing
should end. IS all such Investigations
do. by formal presentnent delivered
IN a Judge and having it pigeonholed
for future action. It was not 80 very
long ago that a certain hotel was
raided by the police. Somebody high
or Up stopped the proceedings and
nothing ever came of il.
As 10 the street evil. anyone can
see il. 1 do not mean that every man
who goes on the street viii be accost-
81 only an Adonis would be accOst-
al 81 times on one afternoon. but l do
say that women of this character
walk the streets of Atlanta every day.
They live in the apartment houses
hotels and even in the best commun.-
ties. some Of them live now just
about like they did before they were
r-,n out of the restricted district.
III is large undertaking for q
r,5zu5 jury. but the time is ripe for
i, and ii should not be done At an IN
less IT is going Co be thorough
.-N-arsver evidence has been laid
before tine Grand jury am confident
that vie, conditions in Atlanta were
Continued On Page 2. Column 3.