The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-01-15
Immoral Escapades Held
Violation of Mann Act;
Oklahoma Case Affected
Diggs, Caminetti and Hays
Must Serve Sentencesi
Plain Terms Of the Law, Not
Intent, Followed,
RELIEF FROM CONGRESS
Justices White, Clark and
McKenna Dissent From the
Majority Opinion.

WASHINGTON. Jan. l5.-lnterpret.
ing the Mann white slave law. the 50.
preme court today decided that prose-
cu,ions under the law for transporting
women in interstate commerce are not
limited TO commercialiled vice and M
olude personal immoral escapades.
Conviction OF F. Drew Caminetti and
M,ury I. Diggs Of Sacramento. was
affirmed.
Hays' Sentence Affirmed.
Following Interpretation Of the Mana
action the court also affirmed convic-
ton OF l.. T. Hays OF Alva. Okla.
The court was divided The majority
opinion was given BY Justice Day.
Chief Justice White and Justices Me-
Kenna and Clark dissented. Justice
McReynolds took no part in considess
alton Of the case. &f
Terms Take Precsdsnes.
The plain terms of the act must tato
precedence over the designation and IT,
report that accompanied il to congress,
said Justice Day. 1T is said il woul1
open the door 10 blackmail. but thok
is to be consjdered BY congress. w
think the power of congrea) to Segu.
late, the transportation Of ssseaeefes
affords ample basis to exercise authegs
ity in the case Of this statute"
Justice MeKenna announced the die.
sent bat did not deliver IN opinion.
uAjssily 0ptsiea.
Justice Days majority opinion said \!
r IN nune d thS cases vas n eAarn10
oF proved that the transportation (ef ~
women involved) wat fos Eain o. foe
the purpose Of furnishing women ioe
the prostitution for hire. q
There is no ambiguity in the terms
OF this act II is elementary that the
meaning Of a statute must in the firse
instance be sought in the language q
the act as framed and IL that 10 plaid,
the sole function OF the courts 10 to en-
force il according to its terms.
Facts In Case. Il.
TO cause 4 woman 10 be transported
for debauchery or for an immoral pm.
pose. for which Diggs and Caminsell
were convicted would seem by the veg
statement Of the facts TO embrace tsanss
portation for purposes denounced b
the act While such immoral purposo
would be eulpable in morals, IL accom-
panied with expectation Of gain such
considerations do not prevent the less(s
offense. against morals from the execu-
ton Of psfposes within the messing q
the law To say to the contrary vouo(
shock the common undesstan6lng e
what constitutes an immoral pufDoeas
Whether the women involved 6ecnaol
technically acomplices, sfgued n u.
haM Of the three defendaNts. was ~
directly decided BY the court Il die-
posed Of that feature - follow:
Tsstinosy ef cisih.
ut was urged as further eround q
reversal Of the judgments below, IL
trial court did not instruct the jusJ
that the testimony Of the two girls VI
that Of accompliees and to be received
with great caution and believed enly \
eorrobWated BY other testimony q.
duced in the case. n
while this is 30, there Is no absoluol
rule ai law preventing convictions q
the testimony Of accomplices jf juriel
believe them" .s
vsraiets Supported.
In conclusion the court said:
Much is said about the character q
the testimony adduced and o. to ees'
tain facts. tending 10 establish the euIl
or innocence Of the accused. This cous'
does not weigh the evidence In Q ~
ceedins Of this character and Il I
enough to say thst there wae subetaM'
tial testimony tsmding 10 suppoet IT,
verdicts rendered In he trial eousts."
Caminetti was sentenced 10 eigheeQ
months imprisoAMsent end fined l.ym
Diggs to two yeass and . 1000 iiae
Hays had On eighteen moaehs psise1
sentence. All hsvs ben q hbssty -
| Verses Dsslsisss. t
| Lower iedssaI ecvsts anl dlfleess
| administrations oi the dspastsnou( 3
justiee have ditissed ovsy ~ loWfs y
,espsetatioa. vsrIous wenenS e.
end other osuanimtloqs have eGllo1
fce On ig>sessslasi1p y eest n ~
ality, wheeAes loo6Isseial u ~
Two sthes inonrtana Queslioas f11o
were, whether wo0sea wseo aeeoG
and, whether Mea might - eqSlo
eclely upoa . wosWsa's uecosseoog0
eonA1ND0oS mas n. IfI' .i'aiI
WXiis Disss M csmisgnl ~
l.sass iss.sss g.