The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1919-02-07
DEATH KNELL OF
RAwDY HOUSES
Injunction Suits Are Filed
Against Keepers
Of Resorts

The death knell of 1.-The Line" as
North Mulberry street in Greensboro
is called, has been sounded. In
few nights the red lights will be ex-
tinguished for all time, the jingle of
the pianos will be stilled and the in
habitants of the residences in that
section will have migrated to other
fields. Not only will the immoral
resorts on North Mulberry street be
closed, but similar action will be TAX
EN- in other sections of Owensboro.
Five keepers of resorts on Mulber-
ry street have been caught firmly
by the teeth of the 1918 statute,
something possible that they did not
realize was in effect.
At the last term of the criminal
court, Mabel Carr, Cora Lavard,
Sarah l.. Thomas, alias Minnie Aid
ridge, Edna Bell and Jessie Wester-
field. entered pleas of guilty to the
charge of maintaining a nuisance by
operating immoral houses. A fine
and costs was assessed against the
women. This was self admitted
fact that they were guilty of the Of
Tense charged in the Indictment, and
now there is no escape from the rigid
provisions of the new law. The
women were beaten at their own
game, and Commonwealth S Attorney
Smith held the Joker" up his sleeve,
without even mentioning the fact to
his closest friends
On Saturday Commonwealth At
torney Claude Smith and County At
torney Herman Birkhead. acting for
the commonwealth of Kentucky, filed
injunction suits in the Daviess circuit
court against the proprietors of the
alleged immoral resorts asking for
an order of abatement. The de-
PENDANTS are Mabel Carr. Minnie AL
bridge, Edna Bell, Dave and Edith
King, owners of the property in which
the resorts are kept, Jessie Wester-
field and Cora LaVarde.
The action was taken under the in
junction and abatement law that was
passed by the last legislature. 1t Is
one of the most drastic laws of the
kind ever enacted in Kentucky. In
the next few days the attorneys for
the commonwealth will ask Judge
Slack for temporary injunction
against the defendants. If this is
granted an early date will be set for
hearing of permanent Injunction.
The new law requires that the
commemorative or county attorney
take action when any one has been
found guilty of conducting an immOr-
al resort. 1t also gives citizen the
right to institute the proceedings.
At the last term of court the above
named defendants entered pleas of
guilty and were fined. There were
other women in other sections of the
city who also entered pleas of guilty
and against whom similar proceed
. In the injunction suits filed Satur-
day the abatement of the nuisances
are asked and the closing of the
property in which the alleged i'm
moral resorts are located. is asked
for one year. II the injunction is
granted, the law requires that all of
the furniture, musical instruments
and fixtures in the house be remOv-
ed and sold by the sheriff. The
house is then TO be closed for one
year. A violation of the injunction
calls for a fine of from $500 to ST.
900 and Imprisonment in Jail for
from three to six months, or both.
The proceeds derived from the sale
of the personal property shall. go to
pay the costs of the action. If any of
the funds are left after the sale of
the property they are to be turned
over to the defendants.
If the defendants desire to secure
the release of the property from the
order of abatement, II will be neces-
sary for them TO execute bond APP
proved by the court. to the effect that
the property win not be used for i'm
moral purposes. All costs of the
actions must be paid by the defend
ants. including the fees for the at
torneys for the plaintiff.
Immunity from prosecution is given
to any witness who testifies in the
proceedings