Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-26
MAKES SECOND CALL
FOR VICE REPORT.
Mayor Ainslie Asks Commission
for Police Department
Evidence.
DENIES REPORT OF FRICTION
No Discord Between Himself
and Body Named to Investigate
Underworld Conditions.

Mayor Ainslic yesterday addressed n
letter to Chairman Ashton Starkc. Of
the Vice Commit sson. asking that the
commission furnish him with such evil
dence II hns in its possession as relates
specifically 10 police administration OF
the city with regard 10 coInmercialized
vice
Advocates or an Immediate invcsu
CATION OF the Police Board who have
either by accident or design permitted
the Impression to get abroad that the
Mayor has proceeded too leisurciy In
obtaining the cvid"uce upon which to
base such an investigation regarded
tho newest call upon tho Vice Cornmis-
sion a conncndablc response to
their proddiag
HEpHESENTS SECOND
CALL. FOR REPORT
fcstcrday's letter Is significant, chief
ly because II represents tho second call
for tho Vice Commissions evidence.
On February - the Mayor requested
the Vice Commission to Ale with him
at its earliest convenience it's com
pietc and final report. together with
all the evidence before it" Ten DAYS
have elapsed without the commissions
finding IT convenient 20 hold "A meet
ing In order to act upon the Mayors
request
Tire delay caused impatient advocates
Of an immediate" investigation TO specu-
late upon causes and an impression
gained currency that there was "A lack
OF sympathy between the Mayor and
the commission which he crcatcd-so
marked lack Of sympathy. indeed.
that TN" commission purposclv delayed
ac"cdinE to his request That any
such feeling existed between the com
mission and himself was denied ycster-
day by IN" Mayor in the following Of
nclal statement:
No GROUND ron
REPORT OF DISCORD
There is not the slightest ground
tor IN" notion that thcro Is discord
or friction or controversy OF any char
act'r whatsoever between myself and
tho Vice Commission. ON the 18th of
this month addressed {: letter To Ash
ton Starkc. chairman. respectfully re-
uncsting that the commission lille its
further report. which IL had Indicated
IL would do IN its first report. together
"I'l IN. evidence in !ts possession upon
which tn" reports were based
ON account Of absence from the city
OF several of tho members, and for
other reasons apparently satisfactory
TO the members. the commission has
not Yet held Il meeting TO act upon my
request Two days after writing tn.
letter. talked with the chairman Of
the commission, and we agreed that tho
only evidence that should appropriately
hc sent 10 me was such as might relate
directly 10 police administration in
This city.
DISCUSSED MOTIF:
WITH OTHER MEMBERS
Il repeated the same opinion TO him
later on as did also TO other mem
ocrs OF the commission. and tried to
make that point clear So that with
my letter OF the 18th and my subse-
gucnt conversations with members OF
the commission. did no; consider il
necessary for me TO prod the commits
sion; and I did not dream that there
was room for the notion that there
were such differences between INC and
the commission as were DELAYING the
work in hand as it had not met TO con-
slider my request.
FROM representations that such no.
tion had gained currency Oh account
of recent newspaper publications.
concluded TO address the letter that I
sent to-day to the chairman, in which
put In writing what considered az
already understood"
MAYORS LETTER no
CHAIRMAN STARKE
The Mayors letter to the chairman OF
the Vice Commission follows:
February 25. 1915
Mr. Ashton Starke. l422 East Main
Street. city:
Dear Sir.--Conflrming my conversa-
tion had with YOU at your office on Feb
ruary II, and our understanding ar
rived at then. which have since re-
peated to other members OF the Vice
commission. / will he obliged IL the
commission will furnish me with any
evidence In Its possession which spe-
cifcally affects police administration in
TINS city with regard to commercialized
vice. Very truly yours.
ts:GneD GEORGE AINSLIE."
Mayor"
1t is significant that in his latest cali
upon the commission. the Mayor asks
only for such evidence as affects spe-
cifically the police administration OF
the city His first request asked the
commission to file it's complete and final
report. together with all the evidence
before il.
MUCH OF EVIDENCE
WOULD he IRRELEVANT
Much of the evidence collected by the
Investigators for the Vice Commission
involves individuals and events that
have no direct relation with the dereiic-
tion laid at the door of certain portions
of the police machinery. An airing OF
this evidence. 1T is generally admitted,
would serve no useful purpose. Mr..
Starke has publicly expressed the homo
that good deal OF this evidence will
soon find its way TO the flames.
Cnofclal assurances have been given
that the Vice Commission will early
next week hold a meeting to take ac-
,ion on the Mayors request 1t was
found impracticable to hold n meeting
Of the body this week. The prediction
is freely made that the commission will
promptly file with the Mayor such evil
dence as II has In It's possession that
has bearing upon the police admins
tratlon, the conduct of whose directing
body. tho Board OF Police Commission
crs. has by Implication been called into
question by the Vice Commissions re-
port No. !.