Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-06-02
GOVERNOR WEST
GETS SPECTACULAR
Orders Out the Militia and At.
torney Ringo and Takes a
Hand Himself.
AN OPERA BoUFFE STAND
Democratic Governor With Negro Pri.
vate Agent Would Make Good
Moving Picture.

A dispatch from The Dalles dated
Sunday, June l, tells a story of the sud.
den activity of Governor West in that
little city, in the way of cleaning up
the red'light district. The governor
went at it in first-class grand stand
shape. He did not say anything to the
sheriff or the other officers but Just
butted in, and took charge of the affair.
much as he did in Portland.
The governor said in an interview
Sunday:
While passing through The Dalles
some time ago on a train l saw women
on the porch Of one of your resorts in
their gaudy clothes and painted faces.
was taunted by friends, who said:
That is the way the la wis enforced. ;
decided to investigate, and sent spe.
cial agents here. They gathered evil
dence, and I ordered them to close the
resorts. Sheriff Chrismman refused to
lock the prisoners up, so I came up hero
today to see that they are confined and
the houses closed. I have no desire to
prosecute the poor girls who have been
in houses or the so-called guests who
were caught. That s up to the district
attorney, and l have no suggestion to
make. All desire is that the houses
be closed and that the landladies and
their hacques De prosecuted. My spe.
cial agents, Prosecutor Ringo and the
militiamen will remain in The Dalles
until the cases are disposed of. +"
The governor sent three special
agents to The Dalles, Tom Kay, James
Il. Williams and George A. Yeaton, one,
Williams, negro, at one time en-
plOyed as a cook in local restaurant
there, to investigate the situation.
These and Truant Officer Remington,
alone knew of the intended raid, which
was made Saturday night, Four local
ministers were sworn in as deputies by
Constable Harper, who was called up.
on to make the raid, and 80 women and
one man were arrested. The sheriff was
called up about midnight, but he re.
fused to lock the prisoners in Jail with
out a commitment, especially as the
prisoners were brought to him by
strangers, and who, so far as he knew,
had no authority to make arrests-and
the whole party was held under guard
all night at the Washington hotel. When
Attorneys Fred W. Yilson and R. r.
Butter tried to see the prisoners they
were refused admission, and the big
negro showed gun at Attorney Butler,
who, by the way, is a state senator, |
and the latter after being roughly
handled, got his back against the wall. |
and threatened to shoot the first one
who touched him.
sunday morning Governor West, |
with II militiamen and Attorney Ringo,
of Portland-or Salem-raided The
Dalles and took charge Of the situation.
Sheriff Chrisman imprisoned those un-
der arrest The governor says he only |
wants the keepers of the resorts and
the man Carol prosecuted, the latter
for living off the earnings of woman.
Just why the governor took the militia
to The Dalles is mystery, and why he
has conceived the idea that Ringo is
the only honest and competent attorney |
in the state, is another. The matter is
up before Judge Bradshaw today and
az "Brad" is not excitable and level |
headed, the matter will probably be set.
tied without calling out any more
troops.