The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-11
Pretty Miss GOOdlUil
Police to Trap These
Pests of the
Fashionable Westlake
District, Makes Some
Curious
Discoveries

THE masher. or male fiirt, has at last
been analysed, classified, cate
goried and card-indexed. Hither-
to the masher has been just masher, a
man who walked along the street and, at
the risk of singing, humiliating rebuff,
slap in the face, or even arrest, accosted
an attractive lady, object companionship.
Such has been the popular conception of
the pest.
But now comes along a pretty girl in
Los Angeles, who points out that there
are different types of Washers, that each
type has different system, carefully
thought-out method of approach, calcu-
lated to break down the lady's reserve.
For some time they had been having a
lot of trouble with Washers in the West
lake District of Los Angeles, which is a
select and fashionable section of the city.
So many complaints were made about
these social nuisances that the police be-
came desperate. They resorted to every
trick and device known to them to catch
the offenders, but could seem to make no
appreciable Roadway. Detectives set all
kinds Of traps and yet the complaints
poured in. Two women in the police de-
partment were detailed to stroll about the
district as bait for the Washers, but they
didn't seem to be just the sort of bait that
these particular fish would rise to.
1t was suggested to Chief of Police
Louis d. Oaks that he try and get really
pretty girl outside of the police profess
sion, whose general air of naivete would
serve to attract the Washers and at the
same time not arouse their suspicion. The
chief pointed out the difficulties of secur-
ing such desirable attraction. but fate
soon played right into his hands. A young
girl was approached one evening on the
street. A youth somewhat the worse for
liquor tried to drag her into his car. She
was.a timid girl and the experience COM
pletely unnerved her. Furiously indig-
nant, her mother telephoned to the police.
The police went to the house, heard the
story. told of their unsuccessful efforts to
stop the annoyance, and said, what can
we dot"
"Get Gloria Goodwin to help YOU" the
mother said. ''She is beautiful enough to
attract the men, dresses chafmingly and
has poise"
"But will she do it," asked the police,
eagerly.
81 am certain she will when she hears
of what has just happened to my daugh-
ter, Helen. She and, Gloria are the closest
of friends"
And so it came about that Miss Gloria
agreed to act rs decoy for Washers. Her
instructions were:
"Act naturally. Do not do anything
which a man might construe as an invi-
tation. Do not slow up your pace when
a man speaks to you. If he accosts you
from car you may look at him, as that
is only the usual thing to do, but when
you find he is masher, turn your eyes
straight ahead and proceed on your way.
II he follows and speaks to you the sec
ond time we will nab him."
And it worked splendidly. The first
night she went out nine Washers we're
Melted. A detective in citizens clothes
followed her at a discreet distance, and
as soon as a masher became insistent, the
officer took him into custody.
1t was while she was thus engaged as a
decoy for irrepressible firts that Miss
ferent types of Washers, that they. had
various styles of approach and greeting
and she set about to study and classify
them. The results of her observations
are extremely interesting. ~
She points out first that there is the
"coughing" masher. He walks alongside
his prey and rather nergously enaits a
slight "ahem." If the girl looks around
and responds with bit of smirk, one
"ahem" is enough. If not, the masher
assumes that his "ahem" didn't get across
and he 'ahems" again. If this fails he
clears his throat quite audibly or coughs
out loud. AS rule, the coughing"
masher goes no further if his approach
fails him, although sometimes he steps
out of his class and speaks right out to
the lady.
Next comes the "shop-window" masher.
This type makes a speciality of observing
women looking at "pretties'' on display
in the store windows. AS soon as he sees
likely prospect looking over some bits
of lingerie or some hats, or gowns, he
parks himself alongside and pretends to
observe the contents of the window. Incl
dentally closely observing the girl from
the corner of his eye.
If she meets with his approval he will!
say:
(Which one do you like best?" Or, "if
anything suits you say the word and it's
yours"
This, asserts Miss Goodwin, if spoken in
the tone of sincerity, is very apt to work.
Not always, by any means, but if woman
is ever to listen to the voice of the temp
ter it's in just such a situation as that.
OF course, the masher does not always