The Mankato free press., 1916-04-28
Plea Made BY C. w. Arnold
Before kato Audience
TOLD ABOUT HIS WORK
He Referred TO the Number of
Schemes That Lure the
lnn0centS
From Saturdays Daily.

ana snake their hStS at me that
really feel that | must be accomplish
ing something"
This statement was made last even.
ing at the Christian church by c. w
Arnold of Minneapolis, superintend
ent of the Northwestern Society fol
the Suppression of Vice
Mr.. Arnold was introduced by the
pastor of the church, Rev. Clark w
Comstock. who remarked that the
audience was small on account of the
many counter attractions. Nearly
every church in the city was having
some sort OF, meeting.
Mr.. Arnold in his opening remarks
declared that he was never discour-
aged by the fact that an audience was
small. Some of his best work had
sometimes been done with small audi
enees. He remarked that he did not
care about being in the limelight. He
wishes to carry on his work on the
quiet, in order that it might be the
more effective.
The speaker declared that he
was not engaged SO much in a fight
against the institutions of vice them
selves as against the sources that
kept these institutions alive. He
named among the principal agencies
the newspaper advertising, particu-
larly the personal" columns: certain
clairvoyants and other agencies.
Knew of Dens of Vice.
The speaker read quite a number
of want advertisements, which, he
said were mere decoys to bring girls
into vice traps. Here is one that he
read: Wanted, young lady to take
care of baths. Easy employment.
Good wages" The address was Civ
en- and Mr.. Arnold knew that the
place was den of vice. He said
that as soon as he saw the advertise
ment he arranged to do some scout
work. He waited for six hours near
the door of the place. He saw twelve
girls come along, ranging in age fro y
fifteen to twentyfour years of age.
They were going up to apply for the
position, when he accosted them and
told them that they should not go into
that place, as il was a place where
no decent person would go. The girls
turned and hurried away.
Another experience that he told
was with regard to certain place,
that he had caused to be watched by
a young man employed as usher on
the opposite side of the street The
young man was to call up Mr. Arnold
on seeing any girls going into the
place. One day Arnold received a
call at his office and he FASTENED to
the place. He went upstairs and
knocked. There was NO anwser. Then
hn 1ynn L, L.
woman opened the door a little
way. Mr.. Arnold put his foot inside
the door,
Devil Is Great Coward
DO you know that the devil is a
great coward?" said Mr.. Arnold, di-
crossing from his story. "He will in
nine cases out Of ten turn and run if
you put up a bold front. There was
no real danger in what | did"
The woman ordered him to go
away. but he got in and he made her
unlock uoor to an adjoining room.
There he found girl in room
whence there was no escape, crying
as if her heart would break. AS the
door was opened, she darted out and
fed to the street. Mr.. Arnold followed
her and came up with her. He in
duced her to tell where her home was.
1t was in small town in Wiscon-
sin. She had just seventy cents. He
got friend to furnish the money to
take hre back home.
Mr.. Arnold read advertisements
that sought to induce girls to go to
California. He had daughter re-
siding there, and that daughter had
written to him that there were ten
girls for every position in the large
cities. The streets were filed with
girls that were trying to get work.
Men were watching these girls and
seeking to get them in their power
And advertisements were being put
in the newspapers to get yet more
girls to go to California.
Read Some Advertising.
Mr.. Arnold read advertisements to
get girls to apply for positions in
other towns than those where the
advertising was done He declared
that ever legitimate show troupe, on
passing through a town of any size
was beset and worried to death with
applications by girls that wanted such
employment. Yet advertisements were
run in Minneapolis papers to get girls
to go from that city into Wisconsin
TO get such positions. It was just a
fure to decoy girls to their destruc-
tiOn.
One very interesting story told by
Mr.. Arnold was that of a supposed
livery stable, that was really nothing
else but decoy for young girls. He
himself went to that stable and found
that there were but two old horses
there, and several men, drinking and
playing cards. He stole some letters
there and engaged one of the ole
horses. He drove out into the coun-
try and read one letter which was q
plea on the part of young girl to be
released from place whence she
could not escape. He took the mat
ter up with the sheriff in that town
and the supposed livery stable pro-
prietors fled for parts unknown
Mr.. Arnold said it was very hard
to get the police to act, as it was
difficult to collect enough evidence
on which to base a case. There was
one bad place in Minneapolis that he
had been watching for two and hal
years, waiting for chance to gel
something tangible on which some
proceedings could be based.
Sent Some to "Pen."