The Semi-weekly leader., 1919-09-03
THIS HAPPENED IN MEMPHIS
WHAT rs GOING ON IN BROOK
HAVEN AND ELSEwHEREG

tomobile with three young men in
Memphis the other day in the after
noon. The boys, for the average age
OF the company was perhaps 20
years, promised to bring the girls
back home by $3.50 in the evening.
fWelI, when they did get back, their
experiences could not be expressed
In print, They had faced the black
ness of life worse than hell.
One of the men escaped. The 9TH.
er two are in Jail, as the offense is
not bailable. All three are charged
with criminal assault in the bills Of
Indictment drawn by the attorney
generals office and which await the
action OF the grand jury.
When the grandjury convenes bills
of indictment against Allan J. Me-
Namara, John S. Frey and Fuller
Longley will be drawn up and ready
to be presented. The office of the at
torney general has done all that can
be done in the matter prior to the
meeting of the grand jury.
There is no danger that any mate
rial witnesses will be reached. nor is
there any danger that the testimony
of the three girls will be discredited
by aspersions cast upon their char
acter. For the signed statement Of
the physician by whom all three were
examined puts an end to any at
tempt to say that the girls were not
all that they should be, and w. T.
McLain, assistant attorney-general
has in his possession a stenographic
report of the statements OF the three
girls and of Sheriff OliveE H. Perry.
The CommsrsiaI-Appeal said also
| further:
Realizing the grim penalty which
stares them in sthe~face, two Of the
accused men ere said to- have made
proposition through relatives and
friends Monday to marry the young
women whom IL is alleged they SO
brutally beat and abused.
The statement made by one Of the
girls to the effect that she reminded
McNamara that he promised to re-
turn her to her home by $3.50 o'clock
on the same afternoon on which the
party left the city is upheld by a.
witness. A woman, whose name is
in the hands of the attorney general,
declares that she heard the girl plead
against McNamara's delay in return
ing to the city. ''You know you pro-
missed to get us back by half past
six, Allan; you know you did," she
was heard to say between the blows
which Allan dealt her, according to
the allegation.
THE same thing which happened
on that road last Saturday morning
occurs practically every night on the
highways in the country, ! UNDER
stand" stated Sheriff Perry yester-
day. have gathered information
which leads me to believe that the
dilemma presented to these young
women is merely repetition Of what
takes place in the lonely spots thru
out the country"
How many young girls have been
put out Of automobiles and forced to
make their way back to their homes
as best they could will never be
reckoned. How many others have
yielded to the demands made upon
them and have later remained silent
to avoid possible disgrace is doubt
less greater.
| A night watchman In. railroad
terminal yard just past the city linz
its tells Of girl who ran to shed
on the terminal property and asked
for protection from the hands Of a
young man. who had demanded her
exit from his automobile because she
refused to yield to him. Other such
reports have been nled with Sheriff
Perry.
Editorially the Commercial-Appeal
said further;- "The grand jury
should be convened at once to-day
or tomorrow.
The cases against the assailants
Yof the three young girls should be
taken up. The indictments should
be returned.
Then the defendants should be put
on trial at once-no later than early
next week-better this week.
Now word further. The clean
ing out OF joy riders and the clean
ing up Of the taxicab business should
begin. Every taxicab driver should
be licensed and compelled to give
bond. A certificate of good charac-
ter should be prerequisite to the IL.
cense. II he breaks the law his Ii
cense should be cancelled and he
should be refused permission to
drive. m
Then the mothers and the employ
ers or the friends OF young girls
should warn them Of the danger in
this indiscriminate riding around In
automobiles.
! Again. the young loafers and
toughs loafing around town should
be run in or run out Of town.
Clean out the human pests who are
disgracing the fair name Of Mem
phis.
It is well enough to say that crime
is rampant in all American Cities.
That Is true, but let's begin fight
to stop It here and establish a record
for being the frst large American
city to lead Off in general clean
up."
The jail ct Memphis where two Of
the young nends are imprisoned has
an extra guard around 1t.
THE MAGEE HOSPITAL