Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-29
VICE PROBE OVERsHADOWs
OTHER COUNCIL ACTIVITY
Interest Centcrs About Document
tary Evidence Demanded by
Probe Committee.
OPENING SESSION TOMORROW
Investigating Body Will Sit in Cir
cult COurtroom-Wnl Probably
Meet Twice n Week Until Inquiry
Is Completed.

Although no less than four major and
minor Council meetings are scheduled
Tor this week. all are overshadowcd In
general interest by the hrst investi-
eating session of the special joint com
mittee appointed by tho City Council
10 sift the charges made against tho
Poi!ce Department "a regards its en-
.orcement or nonenforcemcnt OF tho
laws again connnarcialized vice.
mo committee underwent permanent
organization last week. ami laid down
the general rules that will govern Its
sessions. Among the most important OF
.hesn Is the one thar the hearings shall
De In public. The introduction OF evil
fence anu tho examination OF witnesses
VIII be conducted in much the same
were n regular court of law instead Of
committee OF civilians
CONDUCT HEARINGS
IN CIRCUIT COURT
The committee Will SIT for It's first
investigating session of the City Circuit
court chamber on the second floor of the
lily Hall Mt o'clock tomorrow nign.
rms room has seating accommodations
for between 100 and $50 people, and 1t
Is expected that every available scat
VIII be taken when the proceedings
get under way.
Immediate interest turns about the
circumstance that the Vice Commits
sion. through formal summons served
upon Its members Saturday by Ser
Eeant- at-Arms Ruskell, has been or.
dered. Individually and collectively. to
produce at the first hearing NIL docu-
mentary evidence In its possession
which bears upon vice conditions I'm tho
city OF Richmond. Obeyed literally,
this order would force the commission
to lay before tho Investigating com
mtttee not only the evidence upon which
" based its accusations against Police
commissioners Well. Mccarthy and
Goode, but the whole mass Of testimony
on various phases of the vice problem
that 1t has gathered In an investtea-
ton extending over many months
1t is stated that the evidence in the
vice commissions possession flls a
Eoiume OF 500 pages. which is now safe
ly under lock and key Presumably II
embraces evidence In which many per-
sons having no official afflliation with
the city government. arc implicated
The proposal to release this whole mass
Of evidence for review by the commit
tee nnds sharp opposition In many
quarters where II is felt that such a
procedure would bring useless en-
barrass;nent to many persons who are
IN no wise guilty OF official wrong
doing.
RELIEVE ALL EVIDENCE
WILL. DE SUBMITTED
Upon the promulEa ton OF the COM
lnit'ee's order for the production OF the
documentary evidence in the Vice Com
;nission's possession. conflicting reports
gained circulation as to the probability
or literal compliance 1t Is general
~ believed, however, that the commits
SION VIII make no attempt to evade
= literal compliance. and that before
me investigation Is over the commit
zee VIII have In It's possession every
scrip OF written or oral evidence that
Is In the Vice Commissions possession.
The committees initial session as an
investigating body is expected to make
more clear. than Is now the case the
depth to which tho Police Department
VIII be prohed. Originally planned as
an Inquiry into the charges made
against certain members of the Board
OF Police Commissioners the investi-
eating movement. as finally set down in
the Councils resolution. broadened It's
scope to include an examination of the
:ity's entire police machinery. and 1T
Is the general belief now that the talk
Ing OF evidence Will proceed through
Il period of several weeks
1t Is assumed that the committee
vii. sit at least twice week The
fact that Wednesday night Is nm open
date on the Council calendar with no
scheduled committee meetings, will
probably mean the selection OF that
evening for frequent sittings It Is
expected that tho committee will hold
another session this weck-.probably on
Thursday or Friday night.