South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-02-03
Councilmen Assail Vice
Investigators Methods;
Say They Disgrace City

I
| but asked him TO investigate houses
Of prostitution and places where lille
, gal sale Of liquor might be going on
lie was given no other specific direc-
. uons. Many OF my personal friends
were brought into this thing but
am Withholding judgment until all the
evidence is in. IL is matter for the
courts to decide"
Prest Augustine was then asked if
the regular police department was I'M
able To cope with the vice situation
and if il were really necessary to
/ bring a special detective to South
Bend TO catch the law viOlatOrs.
Must Not Use Megaphone
You can't catch law violators Of
| this nature with a megaphone," he
declared. These law violatOrs make
it a business OF getting acquainted
with the regular police officers and
know their whereabouts at all times.
You councilmen would probably ap-
preciate the difficulties encountered in
securing evidence if you knew that
push buttons are put in sidewalks to
be used as warnings against approach
ing officers. This is but one example,
Gentlemen just wait until this is
over before you make more critf-
I cism' he asked.
Patience" was the watchword
Z -
/ three members of the board who ap-
( peared to believe that when the re-
suits of the investigation were to-
tailed the value of the recent activ-
tiles would be more fully appreciated
Although some of the members OF
| the council objected to increasing the
/ salary of the clerk of the board Of
safety from 200 to $1,000 per an
mum a motion favorable TO the ordi-
nance was passed by the committee.
| Members of the board of safety testi-
fed that they believed the duties Of
the clerk and the efficiency with
, which he did his duties warranted
| the increase. The question of why
I the salary had been reduced at the
| beginning of the Keller administra-
ton could not be answered by the
members of the board.
Force Was Decreased.
Councilman GOebel conducted the
| quiz of Supt Toyne, who Nwas asked
| particularly about several embar-
RAISING mistakes which occurred in
| the past few weeks in the water
works department. Councilman
Hagertv and Seifert also assisted in
/ the probe. Supt. TOyne explained the
saving in the department during the
/ past year, the decrease in the number
/ of employees in all offices and eX-
/ planned why mistakes had been made.
The errors referred to were those
brought to the attention of council
men in which patrons of the water
/ works department had been threat
ened with having their supply of wa
ter cut off after they had paid their
| bills.
I'VE make as few mistakes in the
department as humanity will per-
nit" asserted Supt. TOyne in reply
| He explained that il is not mandatory
Il a. INF or
that water bills are unpaid and that
| they are often mailed just preceding
| a payment.
When asked if he thought the eff
/ fciency of the department might be
| increased. through the addition OF
clerical help Mr.. Toyne replied that
| he did not know what he would do
with more aid. He said that his
| three Office clerks were kept busy
and that no more were needed. The
question of why SO deposits on meters
were required was then asked Mr.
| Tovne. He explained that it was to
protect the city against loss either
through carelessness Of the patrons
l or through their failure 10 pay bills.
MANY other phases of the water
works department We're discussed by
| the oouncilmen and Mr. Toyne dur
| ing the time he was on the floor.
Works Board Present.
: Members of the board of works
also appeared before the councilmen
| and were criticized for their FAILURE
| to report back resolutions 10 the
council particularly in regard TO sew
eral petitions for electric lights which
! have been made.
| Pres,f Morris explained that it has
been the custom to make reports on
| these matters to the councilman from
which the complaint came primarily.
A /. Rice, member of the board,
/ stated mat the board had not meant
| to be discourteous in these matters
and was seconded by Mr.. Morris. The
board members agreed TO appear pe-
/ fore the committee OF the Whole or
/ the council at any time either bouy
might ask their presence.
/ After explanations were made on
all sides il appeared that the dit
fculty was satisfactorily settled. B0th
/ Mr.. Rice and Mr.. Morris urged tbae
/ II was for the welfare of the COM
munity as a whole that the councll
and the board always act in harmony
and that Ii was the aim of the & 'ard
| to do this.
! In passing the ordinance providing
/ for the appropriation of the S3,OOO
= if was stated that this money Will be
4 taken from the general FUND Snd
/ will be under the control of the
/ board OF public works. The superln-
| tendent of streets will be empowered
to employ heads OF families who are
without work and in need of money.
! Work can be done in the parks, on
| boulevards and other public places.
| The men are TO be paid at the end
| of each day, according to the ordi-
nance but not more than 5000 must
be drawn from the fund at any one
| time The council expects this APP
| propriatiOn TO relieve many of the