The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-05-18
COUNCIL OF WOMEN
WORRIED BY REPORT
Naughty Doings Rehashed
! AT Their Meeting
THOSE DARK SPOTS
Chief of Police Makes State.
ment Regar ding An
Investigation y,

That the. city council should in
STALL lights in some of the dark
places in and near Mankato which
are a rendezvous for alleged i'm
moralities and indecencies, was
discussed by the Mankato Council
of Women at its regular meeting
yesterday afternoon. Reports had
reached members of the club that
the conditions existing on the hill
near the water tank, where there
are no lights, are almost unbeliev
able. and that at the beginning Of
dusk, cars begin to gather there and
continue to park there throughout
the night. Not only are these cars
filed with young boys and girls, but
with married people as well-where-
in the eternal triangle is staged
and that visitors are evading this
drive because the following day can
be seen innumerable articles on the
lawn left there by the thoughtless.
To see whether these conditions
were true as reported, three ladies'
from the Council of Women took it
upon themselves to investigate on
one evening they found conditions
not only as stated, but far worse, so
they claim. They also talked with
parents, who had children living in
that vicinity, and these reports were
verified by the parents. 1t was also
reported that boys climbed in the
treetops in the park at dusk to
watch the maneuverings Of the
"spooners."
1t was also suggested at the meet
ing yesterday that lights should be
hung in various dark spots in the
city. One woman stated that while
driving through one of the parks at
night with her family, the searchlight
on the car was accidentally thrown
upon several couples and that condi-
tions were most mbarraSsing, not
only for her. but her children.
Not Asking For Sunday School Town
Mrs. Adolph Mueller, president Of
the Council of Women, said that the
organization was not advocating a
Sunday school town or blue law
city or trying to tell anyone what to
do or trying to cause reformation
of any of the citizens, but it was
trying to bring the facts Of the de-
moraliZing conditions to the atten-,
ton of the mothers and fathers Of
this city, so as to make it safe
place for the many young folks who
are sent here from other towns to
attend the educational institutions,
and to remove If possible the condi-
tons which made it so easy for
boys and girls to indulge in these
dangerous pastimes.
After different women had told Of
what they had seen and knew about
the unlighted spots, motion was
made and seconded that commit
90 hn int dxl hA 1nxx nj
enforcement committee to call on
Mayor w. A. Beach and city council
and demand that suitable lights be
provided for these "spooning"
grounds and other places where au-
tos are compelled to 90.
Case of Two Little Girls
Mrs. A. c. ThornstrOm, 1923 North
Broad street, the mother of the two
little girls upon whom an alleged
outrage was committed few
weeks ago by an old man over
eighty years of age, so it was re-
ported told the story to the women,
the condition at the present time of
her children and repeated the state
ment of four doctors of the city as
to the girls critical condition, es-
pecially the older one. Other wo-
men told how the authorities had
been notified time and again Of the
things which this old man had done
have been going on for many years
in this city, but never has any action
been taken in regard to him. Mrs.
Thornstrom stated her case, saying
that she felt the officials are disin-
terested and did not realize the
terrible act which had been COM
mitted and tried to shirk the re-.
sponsibility from one to the other.
That she and her husband had gone
from home to home where they
might find any clue to the old mans
alleged evil doings that would ben
eft them in making out a case.
When those clues were reported the
officials took it in a nonchalant
manner. After hearing this. pitiable
story from the mother, the women
willingness Of the city officials to
push the case One women suggested
that they would take up the case for
the safety of the children of this
city. Mrs Thornstrom said in re-
lating her story that q remark had
reached her that she should keep
her children at home! "My children
were only a short distance from the
house playing while / was at my
work. Any mothers children may
stray little way from the house,
but in case they do there should be
no such existing conditions that
they would be harmed in case they
might" The case will come up in
June, and Mrs. Thornstrom stated
that if the officials here did not do
anything with the man, they would
hire criminal lawyer and with
these four doctors statements she
felt something would be done. The
women of the council promised to
stand back Of her and see that she
got Justice.
Smoking Of Cigarets.
NJ. A. Nichols Of the Teachers col
lege gave an interesting talk on Gig
aret smoking. He said that the
home was Sinking the responsible
ity and placing it on the church and
school and that they should all CO.
operate together and then good
could be accomplished. He also
spoke of girls smoking, and said
there was nothing in the cigaret
laws which prohibited them from
the habit if they wished, but he felt
it produced a worse effect upon them
because of their highly, nervous
temperament, as they were more
highly attuned than boys and the
effect could not help but be more
injurious to them. He said that
many boys and girls smoked in Sc
cret and emphasized the fact that
training begins in the home and
there should ever be a watchfulness
- ovar fhas, ,h;Ilron olnno