Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-28
RESORTS At HOPEWELL
RA|DED BY AUTHORITIES
Forty-Six Men and Women Arrested
by Federal Agents and
Military.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY LEADS
Mann Heads Sixty Officers, Whose
Work Is Successfully Carried Out
and Gunpowder City Rid Of Evil
Houses.

Headed by District Attorney Richard
II. Mann and Major c. McHenry Ebe,
proyost-marshal of Camp Lee, seven
special agents of the Department of
Justice, other Federal officers and sixty
members of the military police at Camp
Lee swooped down upon Hopcwell be-
fore sunrise yesterday morning and
cleaned the city of its disorderly houses
long before the sleeping population re-
allied what was taking place.
With one sharp, clean-cut action
Hopewell was rid OF pest that had
been eating out the marrow of the
city's reputation. Forty-six men and
women, the most notorious characters
that have beset the city, were arrested
and committed TO the Petersburg JAIL
awaiting trial by the Federal authori-
ties. In truth, one official said that
the worst of Hopewcll had been trans
ported to Petersburg; however not
for n stay, but merely for a temporary
sojourn in the county jail.
Thorough. clocklike regularity and
the consummation Of Il finished plan Of
attack marked the success of the raid.
In the long experience OF the agents
of the Department OF Justice none OF
them could recall raid that was so
The raid was not hit or miss scheme
1t was a plan of attack that had been
long thought out and then put into
execution without a hitch.
INMATES IN EACH HOUSE
ARE TAKEN By SURPRISE
In fact, so successful was the raid
and so secret had the line Of attack
been kept that in every house the in
mates were taken by surprise.
There was no determined or violent
resistance on the part OF the people
placed under arrest.
The d!sorderly houses had long been
marked by tho agents OF the Depart
ment of Justice, and so there was no
trouble nor delay in getting to work
and surrounding them.
At o'clock the actual raid began.
At o'clock the work was done. and
the crowds that had begun to collect
had their curiosity rewarded only in
seeing the long file of prisoners.
The authority for this raid was OK
ercised under the law recently passed
in conjunction with the problem that
now interests and confronts the COM
mlttee on training camp activities.
According to the law all owners Of
disorderly houses within fve miles OF
the Federal training camps have vio-
lated the Federal law. and thereby
render themselves liable to arrest and
punishment by the government.
Not only was the spirit Of the raid
actively entered into by the Federal
authorities and the provost guard at
Camp Leo. but many public
citizens gave Il their hearty support.
For Instance. the Petersburg and An
pomattax Railway Company gave the
government the use OF two OF their
street cars for service, so long as they
were needed by the raiding party.
OFFICERS QUIETLY MEET
TWO MILES FROM CITY
At o'clock the special agents OF
the Department OF Justice left In auto
mobiles from different places. to meet
at $3.50 at previously designated place
about two miles from Iiopewell At
this meeting place came the street cars
loaded with members OF the provost
guard under the charge OF Major Ebe.
The cars had approached the designated
place In utter darkness.
Erom this place the entire marty SGT
out for the street car station at Hope
well. Then, without loss OF time.
squads OF soldiers. each in charge OF n
special agent. left to surround the diff
fcrcnt houses. In n short time each OF
those resorts were surrounded by four
Continued ON Twelfth Page.)
Local Sleeping Car TO DnnvIIic.
Lv. Richmond ll:ls p NJ. daily. and may
BE-, BE- ,sf, ossnuplsd At panyille until 5:ao A. IL.