The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-21

EBlllilB that he anu MS EoOd AiitiidH VI
business associates could have pre-
vented this disgrace on the county or
city had they only acted wisely aud in
concert.
Much Crime Can Be Stopped
1--WE believe from evidence produced
before us that the sheriff with his
numerous deputies and the police de.
partment CeVen with its inadequate
police force) can stop much of the crime
in this county and city If they will
enforce the law Many of the criminal
class can be invited to other fields TO
work their peculiar talents. Dives and
resorts of criminals (some of which
We will hereafter point out can be
broken up, If the sheriff and the police
department have the moral courage TO
do this and are not too greatly en-
meshed with obligations TO perform
their sworn duty.
The sheriff is the chief peace officer
of the county, and being such, should
have a deep sense of the responsibility.
should give every detail of his office
his mature thought and personal SUI
pervision and not place too much de-
pendence upon subordinates, although
many are worthy of confidence. He must
realize that none will give the supreme
care to the countys interests unless he
appear that many of the men who have
filled this office have looked upon 1T
solely as an opening for private gain,
with the citizens interests as sec
ondary consideration. We recommend
to the present sheriff that he permit
this comment to strike deeply, and that
1t is befitting for him to prove to the
people who have honored him with
their confidence that he possesses the
~ rpanhnnJ tn pnnH1iQf fha nffipa for
jefferson county's welfare.
THAT great civic body, the Chamber
of Commerce of Birmingham, which has
done so much to increase the material
wealth of jefferson county and this
city, apparently has become unmindful
of the sordid conditions which have
grown up around u.s. and 1t would seem
that this body with its 1000 members
could be of great service in assisting
to remedy the criminal conditions which
exist; conditions which. If. allowed to
continue, must nullify that body's mag
nificent work. We therefore recon-
mend as eminently fitting that its presi
dent appoint a committee on law en-
forcement. This committee can do great
work in helping the county and city
out of its pitiful situation. Such
should be composed of men
who are absolutely fearless, cannot be
who have no political axes to grind,
and are prepared to unsheath their
knives and fight.
Pool Rooms
"The white ans colored pool rooms of
this city are the main hang-outs for
the petty thief, the porch climber, the
purse snatcher, the pickpockets. and,
between certain hours, for the tout or
tin-horn gambler. Scarcely a game is
played without some wager being made
on it, The youth gets his initiation
into granting in these pool rooms; and
when he becomes broke is led into
crime by the petty thief who is in the
open game with him. Numerous young
boys can daily be found In these
to law In some in
trance to the gambling hall on upper
doors.
COlOred Pressing Clubs
while there are number of legiti
mate colored pressing clubs, however.
a large majority are simply fences
where stolen garments are delivered,
altered, dyed and changed in various
ways so that Identification is almost
impossible, and such clothing then sold
or pawned. The law officers can
break up many of these.
bOpt btno
There are numerous dope dens in this
city, and we'll known to the police and
the sherff's deputies-resorts of both
white and colored men and women Such
dens are a great menace to this COM
munity and should be closed up without
fear or favor. Due diligence is all that
is necessary The dope fiend will commit
any crime from robbery to murder in
order TO obtain the money for his or her
fayorite drug.
Public Dance Halls
public dance halls have ever been tho
bitter sea of misery to hundreds of younS
girls. In many instances they are the
open doors leading to the assignation
houses. A vast number OF the unfortu-
mates in the houses of prostitution be-
come such through the acquaintances
made in the so-ealled halls of pleasure.
The male procurer the white SLAYER, the
seducer, makes these halls his camping
ground. The street walker can be found
there, making her dates. 1t has come
to our knowledge that beer and whisky
is drunk i'm the side or dressing rooms
of these places in Birmingham The po-
lice should visit the halls and arrest the
proprietors when violations of the law
are found to exist.
Questionable Resorts
w ME evidence OF the QUESTIONABLE
character of certain hotels and rooming
houses has been produced II is mighty
difficult matter to get the all-sufficient
evidence. 1t is common knowledge that
many of these places are inhabited by
street walkers, who use their rooms for
illegitimate purposes, and with the full
knowledge and consent of the proprie-
tors They are likewise used by the
white SLAYER and seducer who lure young
girls into them ON various pretexes and
turn them out ruined for life Due no.
tice was given the owners of such places
and where sufficient evidence has ap-
peared, proper measures have been taken
when the owner neglected to heed our
warnings regarding the needed change
of tenants. ~
Lattice Row
This row is inhabited by the cry low
est class of humanity, drunken and crime
hardened prostitutes and the lower type
of young girls; there are probably 150 os
the former and 100 of the latter in the
row. 1t is one of the city's greatest crime
and disease breeders While the filthy
shacks in the row are supposed to be
exclusively for whites, evidence of COL
ored men having visited the white women
has been obtained This row of immoral
dance and prostitution shacks is the
nightly mecca of several hundred boys
and young men, ranging from II and
Is years up. Liquor is readily obtained
from the accommodating neighboring sa-