The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-27
Rev. Mr.. Fitz Said He Didn't
Know Character OF Renters.
YOUNGSTERS GATHERED I'M
Frightened Boys Didn't Realize
Risk They Were Running.
Residence in Heart of West
Side Respectable District.

Two nineteen-ye girls wh1
were given municipal treatment for a
loathsome disease a the police station
last summer, We're arrested in a raid
made by the police last night in "a
residence they had rented furnished
I. from a minister. They are charged
with maintaining a disorderly house.
Three youngsters were gathered in the
raid but they were released as harm
less. The two girls, Bessie Roberts
and Mabel Clark, were held and plead
ed mot guilty before Judge Robert
Yates this morning.
The raid was made on the residence
at 1913 Clay street. lust south of Cen
trail park, in one of the most respect
able districts of the city. Officers
Woodward. Holman. McCfovern. Alba,
Cook. Porter and Goff took part in
the raid. The boys arrested are not
yet twenty years of age. The girls
have been giving police officers trou-
bic for over year and only recently
We're run out of a residence only a
few blocks from the state house.
Display of Hosiery.
The girls have been attracting con-
siderable attention on Kansas avenue
recently by their displays of brilliant
ly colored hosiery. Apparently they
have also attracted attention in the
neighborhood to which they moved. 1t
4
who knew nothing but suspected
much that the raid was made
Last summer the girls We're arrested /
on charges of the same chara cter and /
after they were in the city Jail it was |
discovered that they were afflicted
with a loathsome disease. 1t was at
that time the city went into the busf- Z
ness of attempting a cure in such
cases The Roberts girl was given a I
long course of treatment and while ~
was never claimed by the physician
that cure had been effected in either :
case they were finally discharged.
1t was stated at police headquarters ;
today that both girls are in bad phy-
sical condition The three boys were !
until Chief Harvey Par
sons took them into his confidence /
and explained the situation.
Boys Are Warned.
I felt" said Parsons, that it was
due the boys that they be told of the
risk they had run. l told them and if
there were ever three boys frightened
they were the boys. L told them to /
pass the word on to all their bov
friends who they knew had taken sim
liar chances
The boys were back at the police
station this morning to get more in
formation. The girls will be tried to-
morrow afternoon and Judge Yates in
dicated today that he had no leniencv
in his system for such cases.
The two girls rented the house from
Albert L Fftz. an evangelist, March
l6. The Rev. Mr.. F'itz was at the DO
lice station this morning to tell the
officers what he knew
had no idea the girls were of
that chara cter when | rented the
house TO the Roberts girl" he said
She appeared decent enough when
she talked to me. She agreed to nav
s22-5O a month for the house. fur
nished.
Found Empty Bottles.
They took the house Immediately
and had no suspicious for some time
Then neigh bor told me he didn't like .
he looks of things; that there were
90 many people going in and out of
he house. 1 took plumber down
mere to do some work and while we
were there l found an empty whisky
bottle and an empty beer bottle.
Ihen and there 1 ordered the girls
o Vacate the place. L told them if
hat was the kind of life they were
eading they would soon land at the
police station But even then I did
lot know they had the reputation
nave slncN learned about"
Chief Parsons says it was about
March 16 thai the girls were run out
u the downtown residence =
The boys implicated are badly !
scared and the police are inclined to
4xcuse and protect them, but Judge
ates stated this morning that it
would be necessary for them to an
oear in police court tomorrow to tes-
ify in the case ;