The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-04-11

As | understand Il. there
| are nine shares OF $1,000 each In the
company; Barnett owns four. David
Oppenheim three and Jake Open
helm two. I may be mistaken. but
that's about the way IL runs. n Bar
nett sells out, IL doesn't necessarily
mean that there will be any change
Ia the way the cafe is run. II will
still bcsthe Black Hole.
'If Barnett wants to make per-
scnal issue OF this fight. cant help
~. I don't intend TO do anything in
that direction myself. Let him take
his case to the governor. II he wants
10. I've got plent yof afiidavifs. dis.
mally rejecting on Barnett. but |
don't intend to use them In this mat
ter It's not personal issue with
me-. have evidence against the cafe.
ard mean to present that. and moth
ing more; and IL my evidence Is un-
true. III apologize. I'll make no
harange against Barnett. I'll simply
attack condition OF affairs that the
decent people OF Detroit ought not TO
tolerate for "a hours.
Those interested In defending the
Dresden cafe are trying to sidetrack
the issue by this talk OF having the
whole council hear the case. That Is
the usual play, In case of this sor1
don't believe the people of Detroit
ought to allow extraneous matters to
distract their attention from the main
issue--the continuance of the Black
Hole"
The prosecutor has not written 10
the Palms estate. owners of the build.
ing in which the Dresden cafe is sit
uared, but he says he intends TO-. He
has, however. written TO many civic
organizations, asking their co-opere-
tons. A typical letter Is the follow.
ing:
Miss Hattie Carstens, President.
Twentieth Century club. No. go
Woodward-ave., Detroit, Mich:
Dear Madam:
desire to call your attention
10 a situation In the city Of De-
troit which raises the moral issue
perhaps more completely than
any other one thing that has &C.
Cured In this city in many years.
mean the question Of whether or
not the decent citizens OF Detroit
are to countenance the continu.
ance Of the operation of the Ores
den cafe. corner Monroe and LII
brary-aves, in this city, COM
monty known as the BLACK
Hole" have had the place thor
oughly investigated during the
past few weeks. and the investi-
CATION has laid bare conditions
under which this place IL run.
which are nothing less than as
founding. have laid the results
OF this Investigation before the
liquor committee OF the common
council. and have requested that
committee refuse q liquor license
to any person for the year be-
ginning May 1, 1914. being con-
WINGED OF the fact that q refusal
of the hqu0r license for the place
means its extinction.
You perhaps have read In the
newspapers OF recent issue. &C.
counts showing the results Of my
investigation. These accounts
have only partially shown the
real situation, ~ many Of the
things that take place In the
Black Hole are unprintable.
There IL no other one agency. or
10 agencies, in the city Of De-
tr0it. which can compare with the
BLACK Hole" In the matter OF
degradation of our little girls.
The things that are done In the
Black Hole leading to the ruin
OF our little girls. cannot be de-
scribed, AZ the English language
is inadequate. No one can ever
know the full extent Of the ruin
spread by this place. Certainly
every woman in Detroit must
have profound interest In this
! matter.
cite one instance witch may
be taken from q list a. many. A
girl, Is years old, who had al
ways lived a pure life, was taken
to the BLACK Hole" made drunk
to the extent OF unconsciousness,
then taken to an east side room
ing house. Some persons inter
ested in the operation of this
place kept In touch with her.
She was induced TO become
regular" at the BLACK Hole"
dare say that this IL the worst
place In the United States to-
day. Men, on whose word can
/, ICY }mpiiNitAy, anu WIZ n0v0 tt0u
wide observation concerning such
places throughout the country In
the various large cities, and. who
have visited the BLACK Hole"
tell me that IL has no equal for
vulgarity. debauchery and brutal
ity. in any other city In this coun-
try.
| desire to beg Of you, 40 presi-
dent of the Twentieth Century
club. to bring the matter before
your organization. and urge every
member to circulate q petition,
addressed to Charles w. Burton.
chairman, urging that committee
to withhold a liquor license. not
only from Edward Barnett, but
from any other person applying
for the same, covering the build
ing In which the BLACK Hole" is
located. In conceding to this re-
quest, you and every member OF
your organization will be render
Ing q service to the city OF De-
troit, which we can have no way
OF measuring as TO value. The
contest il In the interests of de-
cency, of virtue, Of the home, and
Of every little girl who lives in
Detroit.
Very respectfully,
HUGH SHEPHERD,
ns..aruSl~- Aet~~~n,.