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2 The Remarkable Story of How Atlanta’s Police Head Determined to Wipe Out ‘System ’ Tolerated for Years 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. Fame line a? Chairman Mason. None of them was aware of the chief's plans, and all received the sur prise of their lives when they learned that he had suddenly taken the vice situation In his own official hands and had done what no other chief of police had ever dared to do. In assuming full responsibility for the wiping out of the resorts. Chief Beavers says that he had been carefully study ing over the matter for some time and had become convinced to the satisfac tion of his own mind and conscience that it was his plain duty to follow the Jaw and close all such places in the city. Asßed when he definitely decided on his plan of action, the chief replied: Intended to Quit If He Didn’t Succeed. "The night previous—Monday night. I had weighed all pha-ses of the situa tion with the utmost care, and came to the conclusion there was nothing else 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.” 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 ho intends to vig orously enforce the law as to all forms of vice In Atlanta. Not only does he Intend to exterminate the tenderloin district itself, but he has formally opened war on the cheap hotels of the city that may be conducted In the manner of Illegal houses. Much com plaint has been received by the chief concerning these places, and he asserts that they must maintain “a clean bill of health." In the event evidence is ob tained against any of these places, he said, they will be closed and the pro prietors prosecuted. Not to Tolerate Vice in Hotels. "We will not tolerate vice in the hotels of the city.” said the chief. "We will keep a watchful eye on these places and those we find to be operated as an Illegal house will be given the same treatment as a regular house in the tenderloin." Chief Beavers said some of the cheaper hotels are a peril to young girl«, and that much complaint has been made to him in this respect. "I 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," he said. That Chief Beavers will receive the backing of police court in his 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 today: "There are state and city laws against such houses. Inasmuch as Ctjlef Beavers has undertaken to en force this law. it is the duty of the police commission to back him up. "It is my duty as a sworn official to support him In his efforts to enforce the law.” Mayoralty Candidates Avoid Making Conunent. Candidates for the mayoralty nomi nation shied today when asked for comments on Police Chief Beavers’ or der wiping out the restricted district. "I stand by my announcement plat form." said James G. Woodward. "It was a bad mistake to tear 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 it should be handled with good, common sense and not fanaticism Aldine Chambers said that he would have to officially act on the matter when the vice commission makes its report to council on October . lie said he would do his duty then, but that he did not think it was a matter for him to pass up >n now. Contents of Vice Board's Report Secret. Dr. George Brown said that he was not now connected with the city gov ernment and that he did not care to comment on the matter, for the reason that it would probably Iw settle,! before th< term of mayor for which he 1- run ning began. Joseph A McCmd. chairman of the vice commission created by council at the request of the Men and Religion Forward Movement, said he did m . care t make any statement, as the vice com ink-si<>n would make a formal re port to Mayor Winn on October 7. He sai.l that all the members of th< commission were sworn to secrecy The Atlanta Georgian—Premium Coupon a. □lrt 8 n | C ° UPCn be accepted at ot,r Premium Parlor, 20 East Alabama at.. part. a | payment for any of the beautiful premium g >od. dl.played ther*. ■See Premiun Parlor Announcement on Another Pm < | ( Dramatic Suicide Marks Clean-Up ' "This is the end. They have ordered > me to close my house, and I have no i I where to go. I 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 three-inch blade of an ordinary jack knife into her heart. She died almost Instantly, without outcry. , A negro maid, throwing back the shutters of the drab little dwelling at 11 . o’clock this morning, discovered the body of the woman—a crumpled heap in pink kimono—lying sprawled across i a lounge In a downstairs room. She bad 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 that accomplished her death. She had been dead for hours when the body was discovered. Vivian Stewart, the only other in mate of the place, declares that while the Busbee 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 girl. "She was mad about a man, and I think that worried her, too; but she 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 Busbee 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 Donehoo will hold an inquest at Poole’s undertaking estab lishment at 3:30 o’clock this afternoon. Chief Expresses Sorrow. Chief Reavers, when informed today' of the suicide of the Busby woman, ex pressed sympathy for her. "I am sorry to hear of this woman’s tragic death,” said the chief. "I sympa thize with the 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 ai<llng the women in any way it • can. We are merly enforcing the law, as . it appears on the statute books.” _____ about the contents of the report until It was submitted to the mayor. The act of Chief Beavers was as great a surprise to Marion M. Jackson, liead of the Men and Religion Forward Movement, as 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 the campaign waged by the movement. At 1 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. Ihe news came to Mr. Jackson as a . complete surprise. But he was quick to act upon the new 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, lie considers the closing of the houses i but one skirmish in the war against evil. i "It is but a scratch on the surface,” , he declared. “Wo must cut deeper—to the very center of this cancer. The , crusade against vice will sweep the city clean. It will eradicate the so , called 'hotels,' where men and women . are harbored; it will wipe out the houses of rendezvous ami the disrepu table boarding places. Cheap Theaters To Be Watched Closely. r "The cheap 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 t from harm. i "Fvery possible breeding place of vice in Atlanta will undergo rigid in -1 vestigation by police and our organlza r tton. In their places will be Inaugu- - rated methods of uplift for girls who have wandered from the path and for ■ those in danger. They will be given an incentive to lead useful and Chrlstlon lives.” The full-page advertisement in the Men and Religion Forward campaign against "the houses in our midst” un- - derwent a marked change upon the news of Chief Beavers’ raids. Yester- ■ day afternoon it was an appeal for the a losing of the houses. Today It carried e the sann forceful drawing of the beast - and the white slave, but Its text was ■banged into a paen of thanksgiving > for a police chief like Beavers and an t i invitation to women of the district t< i ic.eyt the aid of the organization and . lead better lives. e "Thank God for a man who dares to - do his duty " said the advertisement. "The credit should be given to Chief i Beavers." y An offer to aid the inmates of the THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. Fritzi Scheff and Her Husband May Separate "MOO KILL ROMANCE Fritzi Scheff, th e Comic Opera Prima Donna, and // Her cwd» | Husband, yuS % John Fox, Jr., From i '>3 ■ Jggjf Whom 2 I 5Ae V 1 \ May Jr Jf \ Separate f W*/ \ z -Jr I Jr \ district followed: To our sisters, God’s children now astray in the houses: We offer you help. We wish to to save, not harm you. If you desire 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. The men behind the movement real ize that even the unfortunate outcasts of the underworld have a right to live; that they 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 followed by an exodus of the women. Macon, Columbus, Jacksonville, Bir mingham will be the objective points of many of these hunted creatures, vic tims of the system. They are used to ’’moving on," from bad to worse. But there may be some who are ready to try once more 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, already it is re ceiving 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, the aged father of Chief Janies L. Beavers and an elder in the Druid Park Pres byterian church, the Atlanta presbytery at the College Park church adopted res olutions last night commending the act of the chief and urging all ministers and members of the denomination to give him support. Dr. Dunbar 11. Og den. pastor of the Central Presbyterian church, offered the resolutions. Quiet on Border. WASHINGTON, Sept. 25.—The war department was notified today that General Orozco with 1,000 troops had retired from the border and that por tion of the line patrolled by United States cavalry is quiet. "I was cured of diarrhoea by one dose of chamberlain's Colic, Cholera ind Diarrhoea Remedy,” writes M. E Gebhardt, oriole, Pa, There is noth ing better For sale by all dealers (Advt.) v Literary and Artistic Tempera ments Retuse 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 years ago have agreed to separate. Mr. Fox has "moods.” When he is feeling right he is a jolly good fellow. When one of his moods comes on Me is something else. Miss Scheff was asked once, when her engagement to Fox was first announced, what she would do wh"n John was attacked by one of those same moods. "Why, I'll smile once,” she replied. “Maybe I'll smile twice. If that doesn’t straighten him out, why—” And she shrugged the shoulders which have helped make her famous. Rumors for weeks have been circu lating that the fascinating Miss Scheff and her 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 a quiet dissolving of their matrimonial partnership. This was two months ago at 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 now opera. "The Love Wager," composed by Charles J. Hambitzer, whom Miss Scheff discovered playing in a hotel orchestra in New Y’ork. 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 or the possibility of an action being instituted by her, the sprightly prima donna denied with some asperity reports that Mr. Fox in tends suing for divorce. "Why should 1 discuss my affairs with the public?" she asked. "It is the usual attempt of some irresponsible person to discredit a reputable woman of the stage. My husband will not sue me for divorce and my intimate friends know this to be true.” 4 P. M. Sunday Fixed As Closing Hour Chief Beavers today fixed 4 o'clock next Sunday afternoon as the official hour when all Illegal houses in the city must close their doors. The chief will detail a squad of plain clothes officers in the-l tenderloin to see that his closing order is carried out to the letter. The first per son who attempts, to defy the order will be arrested and locked up. Just before the hour for closing, the : plain clotl-.es officers will see that all ■ houses are cleared of all persons but the i Inmates These officers will continue t< I do duty In the district and keep the houses | under close surveillance until the occu- I pants move out Chief Beavers said today that he would give all of the occupants ’’reasonable' time to get out. Many women, it is re ported today. have announced their in tention of leaving 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 doyvn his cheeks; his voiec was broken as he cried out: “I’ve got to do it. I'm going to do it. I 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 done 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 right living. His record in 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 through his apprenticeship, when he was a captain. It was there when he 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 w’hich 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 a 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 nignts James Beavers had lain sleepless in his little home in Law ton street. For four days he had paced the tloor of his office in, the station. Carlos Mason, head of the commission, was absent from the city, but it is doubtful whether the chief would have consulted him in any case. Beavers wanted-to know what was right; not merely' xvhat might be expedient. He considered the question in all its phases; remembered the half-pledges of immunity given the women when they were moved into the new district of Manhattan avenue, thought of their X Superfluous Hair Removes It Quickly With Certainty and Absolute Safety. 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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 war of the chief to obliterate vice from Atlanta. It means that Chief Beavers 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 rfull and complete co-operation of police court. Any person brought be fore me for failing to obey the chief's orders need expect no 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 wom 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 be found for the unfortunate women who will express a desire to lead a new’ life. A personal visit to the district will be made by the two campaign workers, and the women interviewed. Those w’ho ex press a willingness to reform and who will accept aid, will be asked what kind of work they prefer. “The women who desire to reform will be dealt with as individuals,” said Mr. Eagan. "A number of Atlanta house- | 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. COLUMBU§, GA., Sept. 25.—J. T. Roberts, aged 38 years, committed sui cide 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 at Hollins, Ala. plight when they were driven from their lairs faced the certainty that many' of them would scatter into the residence streets and must be searched 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 and 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. ays iBW USED OBSCENITY Chambers Declares His Rival’s Charge of City Ring Is ‘■Ab surd on Its Face.” I Some spirit was thrown Into the quiet mayoralty contest today wh-r Candidate Aldine Chambers attack,' Candidate James G. Woodward b,- using obscene language in discussing on the streets the issues of the cam paign. Mr. Chambers was speaking at noon to the employees of the Atlanta Stove Works. In referring to Mr. Woodward he was replying to a speech made yes terday by Mr. Woodward to a large ’ number of railroad men in Inman yards "If I were mayor I would not allow any member of council to remain chair man of an important committee which passes upon contracts when his part ner in business is the attorney for the contractor,” said Mr. Woodward. [ make no charge of improper conduct, but, you will admit, it looks bad." Mr. Woodward renewed his charge that the city was being run by the sart of political ring that would inevitably result in corruption and graft Mr. Chambers declared today that any statement that he had at any time been unduly influenced in his actions as a councilman was absolutely fake He said that Mr. Woodward’s chare that a political ring was running th city’ government was absurd on its fa, ,\ 25 MARINES REPORTED SLAIN IN NICARAGUA PANAMA, Sept. 25.—A report re ceived here today says that 25 Ameri can marines and 40 rebels have be-n killed in a battle in Nicaragua, Tiie report is unconfirmed. Ji abit’s UoicetZJ Every woman’s heart responds to the charm and sweetness of a baby's voice, because nature intended her for motherhood. But even the loving ■ nature of a mother shrinks from tho ■ ordeal because such a time is usually 1 a period of suffering and danger. 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