The Pulaskian., 1915-07-16

1hcers who are daily and nightly on the streets. We have returned many indictments which may call public attention to the system, but will in no way prevent 1t without constant and diligent ef- fort on the part of officers. We have a very drastic statute di- rected against the owner of the property where gambling is per mitted and against officers know ingly permitting the violation of the law. We feel that the action of this grand jury should be suf- hcient warning to such property owners as have permitted gam bling on their premises in the past, and earnestly hope that the succeeding grand jury may evoke that law in event that gambling Is resumed and return indictments against property owners.
 Your grand jury has put in much time and labor in investi- gating the moral conditions both in Little Rock and Argenta. We discovered that system of city fines has been practiced in Ar genta, which was only abandoned a few weeks ago or perhaps after the grand jury commenced inves- tigation. Street walkers, both white and negro, were counte- nanced and were required to pay a fine of SIPS per week. These fines were collected by police of fcers and accounted for in bulk once or twice a month. No cases having been docketed, receipts given or any record of names taken. It was simply matter of honor with the collecting of ficer, and 1t IS very questionable indeed if all of the money ever reached the city treasury We are assured, however, that the CT TOT of the system Is appreciated and that 1t will not be practiced in the future. Quite large num- Der of these unfortunate women are now on the county farm, and while many of them think they were sent up because they failed to pay the SIPS, yet they insist that they will take up a new loca- tion when they are released and thus Argenta will be relieved of a number of undesirables, and freed from system, the practice of which is disgrace to a civil ized community.
 'The question of the regulation or the suppression of the vice re- ferred to IS grave one, but we believe that the imposition of a county farm sentence instead of fine, on each conviction, will have a very salutary effect, as these women seriously object to work, while they absolutely dis regard a fine as they can usually find some men willing to pay it.
 Finally, we leave no one in | jail whose case has not been in vestigated, nor have we found 1t necessary to refer any case to the next grand jury.
 "The grand jury desires to thank the court for many courte- sies extended during our long session. We also testify to the uniform good treatment received from all officers with whom we came in contact. But especially do we wish to call attention to the fact that Sheriff Hutton has at all times been in hearty accord with the efforts made by the grand jury in it's investigations of gambling, immortality, etc, both in Little Rock and Argenta and but for this assistance we would have been greatly handi- capped in securing much evidence resulting in many indictments, and we are firmly of the opinion that the maintenance of this vigi- lance and the cooperation in the future of the grand jury, sheriff and prosecuting attorney will re- suit in the elimination of these evils. Having performed our du- ties as we understand the law re-