The Hattiesburg news., 1915-03-05
REGRETS
HER ARREST IN DIVE.
WOMAN DECLARES SHE WAS
MERELY SEEKING DATA FOR
HER BOOK. @


find out for myself certain things
about life that had been obscure |
neglected to protect myself in ad-
vance. That is where erred. But,
just the same, | found out what /
wanted to know"
In these words, Mrs. w. T. Webster,
suffragist- and wife of the general
freight agent of the Monon railroad
summed up the story of her spectacu-
lar visit to the red light district in
Louisville, KY, on Tuesday night and
her arrest on a charge of disorderly
conduct.
Mrs. Webster insisted that she was
only the victim of her own earnest
ness; that she was not in any way
culpable morally and that her situa-
tion would be understood perfectly by
her friends, who know she is engaged
In sociological work.
"A short time ago." said Mrs. Web
ster, certain friends of mine who are
publishers, knowing my views on the
single standard of morality, asked me
to write about it. | felt that, while
my views were sufficiently definite. 4
should like to have first hand mate
rial for illustrating them.
Sought Resort AS Student.
Now, here in Chicago, did not feel
able to risk publicity in such ven
ture. | wanted to find out why men
find fascination in the ways of sin.
wanted to find out for myself-not
by second hand information.
That is why l went to Louisville,
where | was arrested l do not even
know the name of the street | was in.
submitted myself to the tender mer-
cies of a hackman. / told him l
wanted to go the limit don't
know what that means exactly, but
I've heard men say II
Anyway, I was taken to place
where there were types of humanity
the lowest conceivable. I saw wom-
en- there, but l paid no attention to
them.
What | wanted was to reverse the
situation and try to discover the
thrill, if any there might be. Instead
Of man buying drinks for women,
here was l, woman, buying drinks
Tor men, listening to their conversa
ton.
Il listened to the talk of these men.
They were most likely the greatest
scopndrels in Kentucky. But | was
only in trying to find some
fascination about them--something in
between them and me.
But there was nothing. They were
horrible. There wasn't single clever
hing said, thought I piled them with
irtnk in the hope that they might re-
'pond to what I supposed was their
native element.
Affair Became Tiresome.
why, one man drank the liquor of
ais neighbor with wink at me as
hough some great triumph had been
gained
Instead of being interesting the af
air be, anne tiresome. The fellows
we're unintelligent. They could not
wen talk Interestingly, even in their
1Wn vile language. 1t was a risk all
or nothing. | became desperate and
determined to question them frankly,
because | hadn't been able to, get any
hing from them by strategy.
That was where | made my. mis-.
AXE. The males of the underworld
ire ignorant, according to certain
but they are WHY and
like ferrets or foxes They
'ecame suspicious of my mission. ! !
fought more drinks for ten of them |
nd they all sat around taking vast
interest in me, but l realized that / |
ad betrayed myself To restore their |
in me had to take drink.
But my desperate efforts were in.
Elective. They called for the police.
was arrested for disorderly conduct.
"The police treated me as an old
fender or criminal with a record. I
light have been fined. if my attorney
ad not insisted on my rights.
"Mr. Webster is fully aware of my
lterest in this subject and Of my re-
aarch. Naturally he objects to nay
xploring the underworld single-hand-