The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-07
Five Negroes File Habeas Cor
pus Petitions Today.
Claim City Has No Right To
"Send Them Up"
ATTACK STRONG ARM METHOD
If They Win Houses Morality
Crusade Will Be Blocked.
One Woman Attacked Officer
When Being Taken Away.

City administration "strong arm
methods as applied thru Judge Paul
Heinz in police court in sending al
legged immoral and diseased women to
the state detention farm at Lansing
for the duration of the war are con-
tested in habeas corpus petitions filed
this afternoon in the supreme court.
The petitions are filed on behalf of
Mary Shepard. Matte Peterson. Mrs
May Colfax, Pearl Lee and Maggie
Porter, five negro women who were
this morning taken to Lansing by
Frank s. Harbaugh, chief of police.
Police Officer Ward and Police Ma
tron McGrath.
Briefly, the petitions recite that the
five women are in custody of J. X
Codding, warden at the penitentiary.
and Mrs Perry, matron- 1t is claimed
that the municipal court in sentence
ing the women to the farm exceeded
its authority, as the law creating the
farm provides that it shall be used for
the detention of women convicted of a
crime. The petitions filed this after
noon claim that the women were not
given a fair trial and allege that they
We're taken to Lansing under a secret
agreement between city officials here
and officials of the farm Ind peni-
tentiary.
women Not Diseased?
1t is also claimed that the women
sent up" this morning are not dis
eased and it is intimated that they
were not given a fair medical exanli-
nation, and were not allowed to choose
their physicians. 1t is pointed out
that only state courts have the right
to sentence women to the farm the
police court possessing authority only
In fines and city Jail sentences
The suits today bring a climax in
the city's anti-vice crusade aimed at
immoral women that the city may
be made safe for the physical and
moral welfare of visiting soldiers
City and police officials, the press
and pulpit have been taking a hand
Previous to the women being sent to
Lansing Mayor House advocated a
local detention home.
Woman Attacks Officer.
There was a rather spectacular
| scene at police headquarters this
morning when the women were load
ed in the "Black Maria to be taken
to the depot. Several of the prison.
ers hurled bitter curses at their
guards One of the women passed
Officer Pinkston cup of coffee
minus the cup. The liquid struck the
officer in the face and was smeared
| over his; clothes. The demonstration,
| however. served only to hasten the
work of taking the women to the
SlallOn Dy Ine GUARDS.
When confronted with the proposed
| legal action today Mayor House ex-
hibited little concern over the habeas
corpus petitions. IF the supreme
| court of Kansas wishes to throw dis
eased women upon this community IL
is their privilege and will meet no OBJ
stacles in the form of trouble from the
| city of Topeka" he said in explaining
his views. II have ordered this move
on the part of immoral women under
the state board of health regulations.
which provide that a diseased person
of this character may be sent to the
| detention home. 1t is not matter OF
! the statutes. The statutes have not
been brought into play to legalize this
| action on our part"