South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-15
TRAFFIC
IN SOUTH BEND
IS REVEALED
Two Taken in Custody Tell
How They Were Lured In
to Downtown Resorts
With Big Promises.

Another chapter in the story Of
South Bends underworld under the
Carson administration, in which
traffic in young girls for immoral
purposes plays an important part,
was unfolded when two wayward
girls held at the county jail told
their story TO a member Of the board
of public safety last Friday after
noon, and to The News Times late
Monday afternoon.
How they were induced TO sell
themselves to men for immoral
purposes. and how fattering and
Turing offers of opportunities 10
make large sums OF money by be-
coming inmates Of houses OF ill
fame located in South Bends down
town district were told by the girls
themselves.
Taken by Police.
The girlg are Thelma Slater. 10
years old, and Frances Lee, Is years
old. They were taken in charge by
the police last Tuesday on complaint
of DR.. Emil G.. Freyermuth. secre-
tary Of the city board Of health, on
complaint that they were afflicted
with venereal disease. They were
confined at the county Jail pending
Ian investigation OF their physical
condition.
As is usual with cases Of this
kind. the girls were visited by Mrs.
Minnie Evans, policewoman, and
later Mrs. Evans and member OF
the board OF public safety visited
them at the county Jail and at that
time the girls told their story 10 the
safety commissioner They repeated
their story to The News-Times Mon
day afternoon.
In Debt for Room.
They said that they were room
ing at a hotel on y. Michigan St.
and ran into debt for their room
rent. They said that this hotel
would not allow anything of a ques-
tionabIe nature TO take place there.
They said they owed the hotel IS.
Not having money with which to
paw the hotel bill. the girls declare
they visited the Avenue hotel on
Lincoln way f., and explained their
predicament TO George Hosler, the
proprietor of the hotel.
we told Mr.. Hosler at the Avenue
hotel that We had no money. and
that we owed another hotel a bill
for room rent runs the story told
by the girls 70 the member OF the
board of safety and later 20 The
NewsITimes
Mr. Hosler induced US 10 stay at
the Avenue that night, and the next
morning he and his night clerk,
whom they call Jimmy, gave us 50
each. We then went 20 the other
hotel where we owed for room rent
and paid our bill.
we then went back 10 the
Avenue hotel and stayed again that
night Mr.. Hosler gave Us two
rooms. and he sent men up TO see
us. We stayed there four days.
Promises Big Money.
"One night Jimmy came 70 US and
told us that his wife is running the
Shamrock hotel on s Michigan ST.
and that If we would go over there
she would show us how We could
make at least s75 a night When
questioned by the member Of the
board OF safety as to whether she
did not mean So a month or
week. they replied that the woman
meant So a night.
The girls said that they had com
pleted the ARRANGEMENTS to 60 10
the Shamrock hotel when they were
taken in charge by the police and
were taken 20 the county jail.
Frances Lee. the girl who is only
IS years old, was released Monday
afternoon and was allowed TO go
with an elder sister. The Slater girl
is still being held.
Kline Gets story.
The story of the girls was brought
by the member OF the safety board
10 the attention Of Chief Of Police
Kline last Friday night. but no ac-
ton has as yet been taken by the
police authorities against either the
Avenue or Shamrock proprietOrs.
Il has been known for some time
that both the Shamrock and Avenue
hotels have been questionable places
Two raids on the Shamrock were
made BY the police recently The
inmates pleaded guilty and were
fined.
The member OF the board declares
that he in no way countenances
places OF this character, and fully