Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-31
investigation. II desired. was tho re.

This means that the great mass OF
information as to tho follics and In
discretions OF young men connected
with many respectable families In
Richmond. whose presence in the segre-
gated district was exposed by the de-
tectives employed by the Vice Com
mission to explore tho houses of Ill
fame. has been suppressed. and that
only tho actions and conduct of officials
and members of tho police force are
subject to inquiry.
When Chairman Barton ii. Grundy
called the special committee to order
few minutes after S o'clock the court
chamber was packed, and two police
men were holding back at the doors n
surging throng, who struggled In vain
for admittance. There were but four
women In the crowded court chamber
nll OF them connected with the "uplift"
movement, two of them with the Vice
Commission.
EACH ACCUSED MAN
REPRESENrI:D ny COUNSEL.
In the center of the room. Within the
bar Enclosure, The Investigators sat A
separate table had been provided for
the three accused commissioners and
their attorneys. and with them sat
Murray NJ. Mcclure. counsel for the
wee Commission. Attorney Hiram NJ
smith appeared for Commissioned
Goode. Robert L. Scott represented
commissioner Mccarthy and Leigh Il.
rage was there 10 look after the in
terests of Commissioner We'll CITY
Attorney Pollard was the Councils
iegal Representatives. John G.. Win
ston. court reporter. took n steno-
graDhic record of the proceedings for
me council and investigating commit
zee. Alfred II. Mcdowell recorded the
meeting as clerk of Council commit
toes and George .. Ruskell attended as
Serg mt lat arms.
At the opening of the PROCEEDINGS
Councilman English asked to have
explained the resolution adopted at the
preceding meeting calling for docu-
inents bearing upon the inquiry made
by the Vice Commission.
MAYOR AINsLIE TELLS
OF APPOINTING COMMISSION
After some discussion. it WIS decided
TO prelude the TAPPING OF testimony bv
calling upon Mayor Ainslit for Il state
fnent showing the origin OF the Vice
Commission. Mayor Ainslie took the
chair He recited the familiar facts
asked by City Attorney Pollard II he
considered that the Vice Commission
appointed by him had any legal status
the Mayor replied in the negative. Re
spending to numerous inuuirics the
Mayor related many inconseuucrtial
circumstances attending tho submission
10 him OF the three reports OF the Vice
commission. No names wore men
toned and no specific charges made
he said. in the first report He called
tor specifications. In the reports that
IoiloWcd names were mentioned and
allegations OF official misconduct made
his interest was heightened But when
he lokoed into the matter nc found that
the Mayor had no inQuisitorial or puni-
~ !,
cited. lie could only refer the matter
to the Council. which he did. lie sent
to the Council nll the documents he
had received from the Vice Commits
sion.
Rcplying TO n question by Attorney
tii'am Smith. the Mayor said that Vice
In the form investigated by the com
mission appointed By MIN had been in
cxh fence in Richmond az long as he
could remember. II was common
knowledge 1t was not discovered By
the commission because 1t was nothing
new.
ASHTON STARKEIS
FIRST WITNESS
Ashton Starke. president of the Vice
Commission. was then called and
sworn. Asked by City Attorney Pol
lard to give the answer of the com
mission to the summonses served, Mr.
StaTke read the address quoted above
Mr.. Starkc delivered his address stand
Ing. Il can speak better standing"
he explained. asking permission.
The City Attorney provoked an out
burst of laughter with the comment
referring to Mr.. Starke's unusual
height Of six feet three inches: Yes
you gain considerably by standing"
Mr.. Starke told the committee that
a Richmond bank holds a negotiable
note which Will show that after spend
ing the $1,000 allowed by the City
Council for expenses OF the invest!ga-
ton into vice conditions the members
OF the commission borrowed money to
meet further expenses.
Mr.. Scaton asked: Has the Vice
Commission presented all OF the direct
evidence before that body?" Mr.
Starke replied in the affirmative He
answered many questions propounded
by Messrs. Workman. Rogers, English
and other members Of the investigat-
ing committee. Before leaving the
witness chair Mr.. Starke promised that
the Vice Commission would furnish the
names OF all the witnesses whose tes-
timony, written or oral, was taken by
that body.
CHIEF WERNER TOLD STARKE
HE HAD BEEN INTERPRETED WITH
Mr.. Starke said that while the in
vestigation was in progress h. Mad sew
era! interviews with CHIEF OF Police
had been intcrfercd with i'm his Of
fetal duty by members OF IN" police
board. He did not ask the chief the
names and the chief did not name any
commissioner. ASK him yourself" Mr.
Starke suggested. II see he Is here
Mr. Pollard: But the chief is under
investigations"
Mr. Starke was surprised. 81 didn't
know he was on trial." he exclaimed
Everybody in the Police Depart
ment is on trial" responded Mr.. Pol
lard.
II did not ask him to name n member
of the board when he told me that
pursued Mr.. Starke. II would not let
him. But l did ask him If he knew
there were houses OF i'll repute in the
city, and IL he did. why he did not
close them up AS we'll as I can re-
member, he answered: 4 am n poor
man. l have only a little patch Of
mountaineering to his little real es-
tate holding--and / have a large fam
lily to support Then I remember, he
added. so help me, | will tell the truth
whatever bcfalls.