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2 The Remarkable Story of How Atlanta’s Police Head Determined to Wipe Out ‘System’Tolerated for Yearn CHIEF BEAVERS WEPT AS HE ANNOUNCED WAR TO POLICE BOARD HEAD Mayor Winn Backs Up Chief’s Action, A1 - though Not Consulted. Candidates Silent as Whole City Is Stirred by Crusade-—War Now on Vicious Hotels. Continued From Page One. Mme line as Chairman Mason. ; None of them was aware of the Chief s Cans, and all received the sur- T»r'«r of their lives when they earned that he nad suddenly taken the vice situation in his own official hands and had done what no o'her chief of police < had over dared to do. In assuming full responsibility for the I w iping out of the resorts. Chief Reavers : says that he had been carefully study- I ing over the matter for some time and had become convinced to the satisfac tion of nis own mind and conscience , that it was his plain duty to follow the < law and close all such places in the . city. \sked when he definite,' decided on ■ his plan of action, the chief replied: I Intended to Quit If He Didn't Succeed. ' 'The night previous—Monday night. I had weighed al) phases of the situa tion with the utmost care, and came to the conclusion there- was nothing ' els" for me to do but enforce the law. When I left home yesterday morning ! , my mind was fully made up as to all of the details and I told my wife what I ' was going to do." 1 The chief paused a moment, and then ' said: "Convinced that it was my duty to close these places. I determined to do this duty or quit my job ” The chief declared he intends to vig orously enforce the law as to all forms ' of vice in Atlanta. Not only does he ! intend tn exterminate the tenderloin ' district itself, hut he has formally 1 opened war on the cheap hotels of the city that ma> be conducted in the ' manner of Illegal houses Much com- ! plaint has been received by the chief concerning those places, and be asserts ( that they must maintain "a clean bill of ] health." In the event evidence lx ob tained against any of these places, he , said, they will be closed and the pro- t prletors prosecuted Not to Tolerate Vice in Hotels * I 3 ■We will not tolerate vice in the 1 hotels of the city." said the chief "We 1 will keep a watchful eye on these places and those we find to be operated as an , illegal hous' 1 will be given the same treatment as a regular house in the tenderloin." i Chief Beaters said some of the cheaper hotels are a peril to young girl*, and that much complaint has been made to him in this respect. "1 intend to do all I can to save the young girls of the city We must throw a protecting arm around them and shield them from the lure of vice, lie •e id. That Chief Beavers will receive the hacking of police court in bls crusade there is no question. Just before start ing out yesterday with Captain Poole and Policemen McWilliams and West to close the tenderloin, the chief held a conference with Recorder Broyles in the latter's office in the police station, explaining to him what he was doing. The chief emerged from the conference satisfied as to the attitude of the court. Mayor Winn made this comment on Police Chief Beavers' order todai "There are state and city laws against such houses. Inasmuch as Chief Beavers has undertaken to *n force this law it is the duty of the police commission to back him up •it is mv duty ns a sworn official to support him in his efforts to enforce the law " Mayoralty Candidates Avoid Making Comment. Candidates for the mayoralty nomi nation shied today when asked for comments on Police Chief Beavers' or der wiping out the "estricted district 1 stand by my announcement plat form," said James G Woodward. "It was a bad mistake to lea: up Collins street and scatter those people over the city in respectable neighbor hoods The social evil question is one that needs prompt attention, but ft should be handled with good, common sense and not fanaticism t.dine Chambers -aid that he would have to officially act on the matter when the vice commission makes its; report to council on < 'ctobet 7 li sa .I he would do his duty then bu' that he did not think it wax a matte for him to pass upon now Contents of Vice Board s Report Secret. I? Geoißt Broun >.- •! :iiai hr was) not now onnecbtl u-th me <*;t\ ko\ ♦■’nmeni anti that did not a r to comment on the limit-so- the reasun! that ■ ■ "• th< :enn of mayoi ‘Ol which nr * it.n n-• g in gar. .! ph A M. < '<> I < -ian man of the Vive romm:ion b\ ••• m<-i the equ» st of the Al n and Re Igion Forward Mov» .nerr <■ . ■ < ' r. • , i a e • make an\ *-' a:•- me nt, ns thevh <» commission unu.d make a forma . •• - . port io Ma\» ’ Wmi <»n <»• tube: ’ Hf j sH'd that a l th» members of ih<* <*on’]ii -sinn uer. «w.rn :•» se re.-x The Atlanta Georgian--Premium Coupon Th . eoufx," will be accepted at pur Premium Parlor, X East Alabama «*. as partia payment for any pf the beautiful p-emlum 3 e->d. dlap.ayed there. Prt,m 'un Parlor Announcement on Another Py< Dramatic Suicide Marks Clean-Up “This is the end. They have ordered me to close my house, and I have no where to go. 1 might as well die. Please don’t tell my sister anything* about it “ Thus wrote Nellie Busbee. a woman of the restricted district, who early this morning, after brooding the night over | the sudden closing order of the police.! went to htr room and plunged the s three-inch blade of gn ordinary jack- I knife into her heart. She died almost instantly, without outcry A negro maid, throwing back the shutters of rhe drab little dwelling at 11 o'clock this morning, discovered the body of the woman a crumpled heap In pink kimono—lying sprawled across a lounge in a downstair® room. She had been dead several hours Blames Closing Order. A rambling note, which assigned the police closing order as the motive for the deed, and the picture of a middle aged man were found clasped in one hand. The knife with which she ended her life was still in the single wound tiiat accomplished her death. She had been dead for hours w hen the body was discovered.' Vivian Stewart, rhe only other in mate of the place, declares that w>hile the Rusbee girl had appeared despond ent over the closing order, she gave no intimation of her intention to end her life. "She told me last night that all her troubles came at once." said the Stuart gitl. "She was mad about a man, and I think that worried her too; but site told me she didn't know what to do. now that the houses had been closed." The Stuart girl said that she went, to bed at 3 o'clock this morning, but Nel lie Rusbee had retired an hour or so earlier The Stuart girl said that she heard no outcry during the early hours of the morning although she was about the house at 5 o'clock. Coroner Paul lAonehoo will hold an! inquest at Poole's undertaking eetab- ! Bailment at 3:30 o'clock this afternoon I Chief Expresses Sorrow. Chief Beavers, when informed today of : the suicide of the Busby woman, ex pressed sympathy for het "T am sorry to hear of this woman's tragic death." said the chief "I sympa thize with tlie lot of these fallen women. We are simply striking at an iniquitous system--seeking to stop open and flagrant violations of law. This department is de sirous of aiding the women in any way it can We are merle enforcing the law, as it appears on the statute books " about the contents of the report until It was submitted to the mayor. ihe act of Chief Beavers was as great a surprise to Marion M. Jackson. I head of the Men and Religion Forward Movement, ax to the man on the street. At 10 o'clock yesterday morning. Mr. Jackson told a Georgian reporter there was no indication of early positive re sults from tfie campaign waged by the movement. At I o'clock he was in formed by The Georgian that chief Beavers was on his way to the re stricted district to close the houses The news came to Mr. Jackson as a complete surprise. But he was quick to act upon the netv turn affairs had taken, and at once began steps to care for the women driven out of the re sorts But Mr. Jackson is not satisfied to let matters stop with this one step. He considers the closing of the housds but one skirmish in the war against evil "It is but a scratch on the surface." be declared "We must cut deeper—to the very center of this cancer. The crusade against vice will sweep the city dean It will eradicate the so called hotels.' where men and women are harbored; It will wipe out the houses of rendezvous and the disrepu table boarding places. Cheap Theaters To Be Watched Closely. "The dieap theater, these places; which The Georgian has exposed so thoroughly, will be prevented from re cruiting girls for the dens. They are recognized as part of the game. The theaters and their people will be kept under strict surveillance by the police All forms of amusement for young girls will be censored and the girls guarded from harm. "FN ery possible breeding place of I vice in Atlanta will undergo rigid in i vestigation by police and our organiza- ! tion. In their places will be Inaugi.- , rated methods of uplift for girls who! I have wandered from the path and for those in danger. They will be given an incentive Io lead useful and Christian lives " The full-page advertisement in the Men and Religion Forward campaign against "tlie houses In our midst" un j derwenf a marked change upon the ’ news of t'hief Beavers' raids Tester • iat afternoon it was an appeal for tlie losing of the houses Today It carried 'in- same forceful drawing of the beast ind the white slave, but its text was ■ hanged into a paen of thanksgiving so- a p,en e t diet like Benvt rs ami an nvitatlon to women of tlie district t> | a. cep, the aid of di., organization Hint , !' ad I etter lives Thank God so: a man who dares io Ido his dm.' ' said th> advertisement. Th< < re.lit sitou (I b> given to t'hief I Beavers " V: ..ft.-i io gid the nmate« of the I THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NE\5 T S.WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 25. 1912. Fritzl Scheff and Her Husband May Separate 1 KILL ROMANCE - Fritzi Scheff, the Comic Opera wEsjlOF Prima Donna, anJ ; • 1 Her I Husband, \ John Fox, Jr., JI / 1 F rom - I 'a' Whom i: ■, She f I May dr U' Separate \ aS tBflL \'\ district followed: To our sisters. God's children now astray in the houses: We offer you help. We wish to to save, not barn’, you. If you desln- to leave your pres ent life, go to: .Miss Eckert. the secretary of the Young Women's Christian Asso ciation. Mrs. Roberts, at Wesley Memo rial church. Mrs. F. M. Robinson, 172 For rest avenue. The Associated Charities in the Gould building. or To any minister of the city of Atlanta. Any one or all of these will put you in touch with this committee, who are willing and ready to care for you and help you to your feet. The executive committee. The telephone of the executive committee is Main 4705; its office, the Young Men's Christian Asso ciation building. Exodus of Women To Other Cities On. Tne men behind the movement real ize that even the unfortunate outcasts of the underworld have a right to live; that the? can not abandon the life they lead without some livelihood to take its place The women can not simply be ordered out on the streets and com manded to be good and virtuous and happy They must be helped to keep the path. The closing of the resorts is being I followed by an exodus of the women. 1 Macon. Columbus. Jacksonville, Bir i mingham will be the objective points I of many of these hunted creatures, vic tims of the system. They are used to "moving on.” from bail to worse. But there may be some who are ready to try once mote if they can feel that there is an honest desire upon the part of good people" to extend them sym pathy and aid. It is to these that the organization will offer a helping hand. Religious men and women of Atlanta will be urged to consider this phase of the problem and join in offering oppor ’ tunity to these outcasts to earn hon est livings and lead decent lives. The . Associated Charities will have this , work in charge, and already it is re- i eeiving appeals from the women. , Whether situations where the unfor tunates may earn a living will be of fered; whether employers will keep, these women in their places in the face | of criticism. Is yet to be determined. in the presence of G W Beavers. th< I aged father of Chief James I. Beuvet - j and an eldei in the Druid Batk Pres byterian ehuieh, the Atlanta presbytery , at the college Park church adopted ie olutions last nigitt commending the mi of the chief and urging all ministe: s , and members of the denomination to, give him support. Dr Dunbar H Og den pastor of the Central P'esbyteriar. i church, offered the resolutions Quiet on Border WASHINGTON Sept 25—The wai department was notified today that: j Genera' <• oz.co with I.oob troops had I ; i etired from the border and that por-I I tion of the line patrolled by I'niteiil States cavalrv is quiet "1 i'AS urC'i of diarrhoea by on- ! 'r.se i hunibe: a,r s Com Chole 1 tr-1 Diarrhoea Rented' . ' w -j-.-s M |-' G ?o"a I'm* Pi The"" ■« no' i j ns F> b\ a' > ( Adv t i Literary and Artistic Tempera ments Refuse to Blend—Still Love Each Other. BALTIMORE, Sept. 25.—John Fox, Jr's., literary temperament and Fritzl Scheff's artistic disposition do not blend in a harmonious duet, and their friends were not surprised at rumors that the novelist and the singer he married a few yea's ago have agreed to separate. Mr. Fox b.as “moods." When he is feeling right he is a jolly good fellow. When one of his moods comes on he is something else. Miss Scheff was asked once, when her engagement to Fox was first announced, what she would do when John was attacked by one of those same moods. “Why. I'll smile once," she replied. "May be 111 smile twice. If that doesn't straighten him out. why—" And she shrugged the shoulders which have helped make he: famous. Rumors for weeks have been circu lating that the fascinating Miss Scheff and he l novelist husband had agreed to separate. There was to be no fuss, no florid discussions of sentimental differences which had shattered their love Both agreed, it is said, upon :i quiet dissolving of their matrimonial partnership. Tills was two months ago al the Plaza hotel in New York. Mr. Fox went to his home at Big Stone Gap. Va.. while his young wife -more than fifteen years his junior—took up re hearsals for the season she has just be gun in a ne>« opera. "The Love \V ager,” composed by <'ha'les J. Hambitzer, whom Miss Scheff discovered p'aying in a hotel orchestra in New York. She Regrets the Publicity. At her hotel here Miss Scheff ex pressed regret that any rumors of mat rimonial discord had reached the pub lic. While having nothing to say about the separation o the possibility of an action being instituted by her. the sprightly prima donna denied with | some asperity repo its that Mr. Fox in- I tends suing for divorce. "Wily should I discuss my affair j with the public?" she asked. "It is the 1 usual attempt of some ii 'responsible person to discredit a leputabie woman lof tiie stage. My husband will not sue me for divorce and my intimate friends ! know t h.s to be t: ' 4 P. M. Sunday Fixed As Closing Hour * llief Beavers today fixed 4 o'clock next I Sunday afternoon as the official hour! when all illegal houses in the city must 1 close their doors. The chief will detail ' | a squad of plain clotlies officers in tie, I tenderloin to see that his closing order is | i carried out to tin- letter The first per- | s. n who attempts to def' the order will ' j be arrested and locked up. Just before the hour for closing, the; I plain clothe,- .•fibers will see that all ■ houses are cleared of all persons but the ninates Ti.ene officers will continue to do duty in the district and keep the bouses ' I under close surveillance until the <>eeu- ' ' pants move out Chief Beavers said today that hr would give all of the occupants "reasonable I time io get out Many women it is re -1 pot ed today, have announced ihcir in tention of leavit g the city at once. • Department Head,After a Week of Agony, De cides Action Is His Duty and Proceeds; With Sensational Move, While Official Atlanta Stands Silent. A man in blue uniform stumbled from the private office of Carlos Mason, chairman of the police commission. A diamond-studded badge upon his breast marked him as the chief of the Atlanta police department. Atlantans have known him for years as an officer of Indomitable physical courage. Yet, he was crying like a child; tears streamed down his cheeks; his voiec was broken as he ci led out: “I’ve got to do it. I'm going to do it. 1 can't help it, even if it costs me my place. It's the law ; it's the right." The man was James L. Beavers, chief. He had just reported to his superior, head of the commission, that the orders had gone out for the closing of the ten derloin. He did not ask permission, did not desire advice. He had obeyed man dates higher than the authority of a police commission—the law and his own conscience. Beavers had proved his moral courage as great as his physical bravery. He was ready to take the consequences Chief Through a Week of Agony. Chief Beavers had been through a week of agony. He had lain awake with his conscience. He had seen the light. He had his duty. He knew he would be lauded by many, censured by many more. He could not know whether his act was to be worldly wise. But he knew it was his duty to himself and to his oath of office. For James L. Beavers is not only a policeman, but a man; not only an of ficial, but a good citizen, a churchgoer, a. man who loves friends and family and tight living. His record tn the po lice department has been singularly free from the taint of partisan politics, his personal conduct always beyond reproach. The system had been there when Beavers joined the force. It had ex isted th’ough his apprenticeship, when he was a captain. It was there when ho became chief of his department. It was recognized, tolerated, even com mended as a lesser evil. The city had wrestled with it under the spur of pop ular movements; grave bodies of wise men had debated the problem which is as old. as Babylon and had not agreed. James Beavers' superiors, the men who made him chief and who might unmake him, were, content with conditions as they existed. They called him chief, but it had been an unwritten law of the department that no such step as this might be undertaken without especial authority. No chief in Atlanta’s his tory had taken such « burden upon his shoulders. System Tolerated For Many Years. There was the system, and there was the law. For many months James Beavers had tried to reconcile the two. In the midst of his debate with his con science there began the campaign of the Men and Religion Forward Move ment. the war upon "the houses in our midst.” The committee behind this movement hammered the fearful truths of licensed vice into the minds of At lantans day after day. And no man read and listened with more deep thought than Beavers, chief of police. For four nights James Beavers had lain sleepless in his little home in Haw ton street. For four days he had paced the Hoot of his office itt the station. Carlos Mason, head of the commission, was absent from the city, but it is doubtful whether the chief would have consulted hint in any case, Beavers ! wanted to know what was right; not merely what might be expedient. He considered the question in all its phases; remembered the half-pledges of immunity given the women when they we>e moved into the new district of Manhattan avenue, thought of their -- ■ I ■ , j Superfluous Hair Removes It Quickly With Certainty and Absolute Safety. This perfect method for removing superfluous hair is the cleanliest and most convenient to use It j s decidedly the surest, safest, quickest and most inex pensive depilatory known. Why experiment when von can buy this world-famed preparation at our toilet goods department at OUR SPECIAL PRICES 1.00 bottle 7g c 2.00 bottle ] gg We recommend DeMiracle because it is the onlv depi atory of proven merit. It was the largest selling depilatory ten years ago. and more of it has been sold each year since than the combined sales of the mica, tinnable depilatories. ’ ■ ; Chamberlin-Johnson-Dußose Co. Cornel- Whitehall and Hunter Sts. ati A'LANTA, GA. 11 Chaingang for Violators—Broyles "Any person who defies the orders i of < 'hief Beavers in this fight will be ’ given the limit of the law. No fine will be imposed—it will be 30 days in the stockade straight, and the offender will j also be bound over to the state courts and headed for the chaingang. I in tend to back Chief Beavers to the full limit of my powers. We mean business in this fight. Vice must go—that's all there is to it." This strong statement, made today to The Georgian by Recorder Nash R. Broyles, leaves no doubt as to the stand of that official in the wat of the chief to obliterate vice from Atlanta. It means that Chief Reavers has the sym pathy and unmistakable backing of the recorder, and that offenders will be dealt with severely. "Chief Beavers has displayed grit and courage that will bring to him the ad miration of all of Atlanta." says Judge Broyles. “He has done a brave and manly thing, and the right thing. He is enforcing the law, and will receive the full and complete co-operation of police court. Any person brought be fore me for failing to obey the chief’s orders need expect na leniency.” Judge Broyles holds that illegal houses violate both the city and state laws. The offenders can be given a term in the stockade, and also held for further trial in the state courts. Chief Beavers said today that in every case brought into court, where the evidence proved a violation of law, he would ask that the limit of the law be imposed. "We intend to stop these violations of law by illegal houses, even if we have to put a whole lot of people in the chaingang,” he said. Housewives Offer Women Employment Realizing that merely ordering the en out of the district does not end the evil, John J. Eagan, chairman of the Men and Religion Forward Movement, and Marion M. Jackson, head of the executive committee, today began a canvass of At lanta to see where homes and work could I be found for the unfortunate women who I will express a desire to lead a new life. I A personal visit to the district will be made by the two campaign workers, and the women interviewed. Those who ex press a willingness to reform and who will accept aid, will be asked what kind of I work they prefer. "The women who desire to reform will ; be dealt with as individuals," said Mr. I Eagan. "A number of Atlanta house- I keepers have pledged themselves to re ceive these girls into their homes as serv- j ants if the girls will accept. We had a sufficient number of such homes pledged before our campaign was publicly begun. "We shall not wait for the women to come to us,” he continued “We shall go to them.” ALABAMA SUICIDE. COLUMBUS. GA., Sept. 25.—J. T. Roberts, aged 38 years, committed sui- I tide at his home at Phenix City, Ala., at noon today by drinking two small phials of carbolic acid. He leaves a wife, two children and other relatives. He formerly lived a’t Hollins. Ala. plight when they were driven from their lairs faced the certainty that I many ot them would scatter into the I residence streets and must be searched I out, house by house, and ordered out again. He saw all the dreaded conse quences of the step he contemplated; heard in advance the censure which would come to him from the powers that rule in politics. But on the other side he saw two answers inexorable: The Law and the Right. Then Beavers acted. He told his sec retary to write the orders notifying the women of the restricted district that they must abandon their quarters and give up their careers of vice. He sum moned his officers arid told them to prepare for a round of the district. Then he went to the chairman of the police commission and announced his act. The commissioners had announced that Beavers would be chief in fact as well as in title, and Beavers had ac cepted the challenge. |SMMI fflOßSCtm Chambers Declares His Rival's Charge of City Ring Is -Ab surd on Its Face.'’ Some spirit was thrown Int n quiet mayoralty contest t.. I Candidate Aldine Chamber a - tid , ks ’’ I Candidate James G. W0,,.1 .< a ■; I using obscene language in .li=, uts .,. a I on the streets the issues of , nP I paign. Mr. Chambers was speaking . I to the employees of the Atlant- I Works. In referring to M tv,,,-,;., . ■ he was replying to a speech ma :. I terday by Mr Woodwa d t.> N number of railroad men in Inm„u > f.,‘ "If I were mayor I would n " I any member of council to rema r,. ■ man of an important commiii ’ I passes upon contracts when In- 1M ,.. I net- in business is the atto: ney <■„. ~!, ■ contractor." said Mr. Woodward I make no charge of improper .-endue I but. you will admit, it looks had ' I Mr. Woodward renewed i l!f I that the city was being run h\ ti-.'LL I of political ring that would ; mL-„b\! I result in corruption am] graft ■ Mr. Chambers declared today B any statement that he had ; ,t an-, fl been unduly influenced in as a councilman was absolute I He said that Mr. Wo that a political ring was running ■' I city government was absurd o n :r<, ~ fl 25 MARINES REPORTED SLAIN IN NICARAGUA PANAMA. Sept. 25.—A te;,.,,; I ceived here today says that . fl can marines and 40 rebels have Bren I killed in a battle in Niearagua. Tb a ■ report is unconfirmed. fl Bab 1 VoicbW I Every woman’s heart responds tc Iw the charm and sweetness of a baby's ■ ’ voice, because nature intended for w motherhood. 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