The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-01-03
FRED Blues
women COPS
AI'N.0||RKI HERE :.
May Not Even Exist But
Stories About Them
are Plentiful.
60. OFFICERS RETIGENT
Some Tales Have Been Told
in Other Parts Of the
State.

imThe policewomen will get you II
YOU don't look out. Keep yer eye peel
Cd fer til, wimeni cops il yer have
load OF unlabelled liquor"
Such Is the warning being whisper
ca up and down the streets Of Fair
mont. among the loafers IN the victn'
ity OF the Baltimore and ONO ran'
road station and elsewhere IN tne
The sperststent report that women
employed as special officers by state
Commissioner Fred 0. Blue 70 pto
cureSe evidence against yiolators OF inc
Yost prohibition law are quietly op'
serating in Marion county Is connrm'
ed to a Certain extent by the num-
Der of arrests made during the last
few days. When questioned regard
4 ing the presence OF women otncers "
the county the sheriff, the prosecuting
attorney and other officers charged
Regularly with the enforcement OF the
law only shake their heads and say
they edo. not know" They intimate
that time is the revealer Oh many
tfingsp and that II policewomen are
Operating in Marion county the Iact
With disclosed Sin time"
THAT the employment OF women as
special detectives to procure evidence
against "bo otleggers" and other Vlo.
lators OF the Yost law is Q part OF
GJommfssioner Blues plans IS Wen
known to those who are in close touch
With the Il commissioners Office ut
charleston. That the special women
detectives are sent quietly from counr
tySto county with instructions to pro-
cure evidence without disclosing thelr
identity, the evidence to be placed
a the hands of the regular male oil
feetSi ofsthe county to be used In con-
diStihg5 prosecutions is the plan ADOPT
ca BY Commissioner Blue.
That Commissioners Blues lady oil.
ficers" have been operating In Mar
ion county for, several days Is the De'
lief OF thirsty ones here and US re.
suit 4mashers" returning from Point
Marion and other points" where
sgmoistureD not originating IN tho
clouds may be obtained regard all wo-
men with suspicion.
Many stories are in circulation re-
garding the appearance OF the ponce.
women. The most persistent Is that
twoystylishly.dressed blends with hur'
~ hair, sparkling blue eyes and COM
4plexions5 like peaches and cream, ride
theFtrafnsI between Fdirmont and the
Point. These "chickens" 1t Is said
areWyeryJ approachable and welcome
invitations to accompany "mashers'
foStiotelsJ or lodging houses-provtded
the amashers" appear TO have the
wherewfthaI5to quench thirst When
the little party has gathered In some
nice quiet room and tho bottle has
gone. around a time or two the charm
inEfblonds plead illness OF make some
other excuse to- get away. At tho
snyschological moment regular Marion
county Officers burst into the room
and arrests follow. Usually the girls
are mot suspected to! have anything
to- do with the appearance OF the Of
hcers.
Another story is to the effect that
$theSpoiicewomen are of more mature
wears, ARE shabbily dressed and even
staggerS about the streets and trains
AZ Eif drunk. They purchase liquor
without much trouble from bootleg
Sers,,s and report to the regular county
officers, who watch the man who
Eolfi the liquor to the women until he
sells to some other person when the
arrest is made The policewomen DO
snot appear at the trial, the only EVIL
dence + used being that obtained as
ilie result of sales to persons otner
than the women officers.
These stories have been circulating
An other counties for weeks, particu-
larlySin5 Ohio county and the TACT that
none Of the women has yet been de,
sfectedy at work does not discourage
theS local purveyors OF rumors ABOUT
Fred Blues operations