Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-18
MORALITY SQUAD HARD
At WORK, SAYS WERNER
Chief Details Plain Clothes Force t,
Keep Watch on Residence
Districts.
COMPLAINTS STILL POUR IN
Headquarters Receives Reports That
Inmates of Former Segregated Dis
trict Are Invading Residential Sec
tiOnS-Clief Makes Statement.

The police continue to receive reports
that Former inmates OF the abolished
segregated district are invading the
residential sections OF the city. and
that his morality" squad had begun
actual work In fact. Chief Werner
said. he had had men in plain clothes
working on the problem for several
months. ana that many Of the dozen or
more houses raidcd on charges of this
character during tho last year had been
discovered by men specially assigned to
the work.
Several picked men began work as
soon as Mayor Ainsles order became
effective. II was said yesterday. and
they already know where many OF the
women. who once lived i'm Richmond's
undcrw world are now residing. They
fully for evidence OF law violations. but
up to the present time have not been
able to secure sufficient evidence to
warrant bringing them into court.
Many Of the inquiries put to the po-
lice are made by those who suspect
women who have recently moved into
their ncighborhoods. OF having lived on
Mayo street, In commenting on this
fact yesterday Major Werner said:
CANNOT ARREST WOMEN
UNTIL. THEY VIOLATE LAW
we cannot arrest these women In
their new locations unless they are
actually caught violating the law II
they are caught violating the law. they
VIII he arrested ana prosecuted 10 the
fullest extent of the statute that covers
their onenSc But we can't arrest them
simply because they have rented apart
mentS In reputable observation-disclosures nor
can We force them to move TO any other
section of the city. we must have con
elusive evidence against each on" be
iore w" can take any steps whatever
The hrst civil suit resulting from the
closing Of the segregated district has
been instituted in the civil Justice.
Court by Attorney Edgar English, rep
fcscnting II woman who rented :, house.
which was closed by the Mayor several
days after she had paid her February
rent in advance. The woman paid "a
monthly rent OF SIS. ii is claimed. and
was forced to deposit $50 as a guar
antce that the rem; would be paid when
she took out her lease She claims 10
have closed her house according to the
terms of the Mayors order and then re-
qucsted that her deposit and a part OF
the sIa advance rent be- returned to
her This was refused. and the suit re-
suited
RENTAL CONTRACTS MAY
GIVE RISE To SUITS
The question of the validity OF a
rental contract for property in the seq
regated district. which was under po-
lice supervision. is an important mat
ter which will enter into all suits OF
this kind II is held by lawyers that no
lessee of house in the segregated dis
trict can be held TO the terms of tho
contract because of the fact that at the
time the contract was signed each
party knew that the lessee expected
TO conduct a house in violation OF the
law.
Mrs. Georgia May Jobson. president
OF the Social Service Fcdcration YES
terday corrected the statement that
only eighteen women had been aided.
She said that nfty-six white and negro
women had been supplied with cloth
ing and food. and that In a number of
cases they had been given sufficient
money to take them to different parts
or the country. She said Si30 had been
spent for this purpose. The offer OF
tickets home and clothing. she said. was
still open. ana those who needed help
can secure it by applying to her 1T lis
North Fifth Street.
Due to the inability of several mem
bers Of the Board OF Police Commits
SionerS to attend the meeting of the
board scheduled for last night. il was
decided to postpone the meeting until
tonight. The hoard will meet in Po-
lice Headquarters ut S o'clock.