Chicago Tribune
LANDIS UPHOLDS WHITE SLAVE
LAW
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Decides Statute Dealing with Alien Women Traffic is Constitutional.
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READY TO HEAR TRIAL
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New "Pandering" Ordinance to Be Tested in the Harrison Street Court.
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Judge Kenesaw M. Landis of the United States District court yesterday upheld the constitutionality of the law under which a campaign against "white slavers" is being waged by the federal government.
His decision came in the form of an over-ruling of a demurrer brought by counsel for some of the traffickers of women in an effort to quash the indictments against his clients.
Attorney Elijah M. Zoline, representing Mr. and Mrs. Alphonse Dufour, set forth various authorities which, he maintained, supported his theory that the clause of the Immigration law under which the indictments were drawn assumes internal police powers, which the constitution gives only to the states, and that it is class legislation, discriminating between alien and native women.
He was answered briefly by Assistant District Attorneys Wilkerson, Parkin and Abbott, who contended that the government had the right to regulate the conduct not only of immigrants but that of the persons controlling them or aiding them in offenses against the government.
Court Forecasts Ruling
Before the conclusion of Attorney Zoline’s argument Judge Landis had intimated his stand on the question before him, and at the close of the government’s presentation he gave his ruling orally.
An application for the reduction of the bonds of the Dufours was entered, but Judge Landis refused to consider making it less than $25,000 under which they are now held.
These two prisoners and six other "dealers" were arraigned in the same court during the afternoon and entered pleas of not guilty. They were allowed until today to determine when they will be ready for trial, Judge Landis giving the information that he was willing to devote the next two weeks to the cases.
The federal grand jury adjourned until July 21, when it probably will convene only to adjourn sine die.
Test White Slave Law
Assistant State’s Attorney Roe is to have an opportunity of testing the new "white slave" law, known as the "pandering" law, in the framing of which he had an important hand, at the Harrison street court this morning.
He will represent the state in the prosecution of George Gill and George Gibbs, who were arrested by the Twenty-second street police while attempting to sell Minnie Peterson, 18 years old, to the Keeper of a resort at 2110 Dearborn street.
They were arrested after the "landlady" at that house notified then that the two men had offered to sell her "a real chicken." They were told to return later, bringing the girl, and when they again went to the house, they walked into the hands of the police.
The girl told Lieut. Enright that she had been working as a domestic for a family on Ashland avenue, and that a week ago the men accosted her while she was standing on a State street corner. They invited her to go to a theater that evening, and later took her to several amusement parks, but she declared she had no idea of the fate they had planned for her.
Heavy Fines for Offenders
Two young men, Louis Fritzel, 21 years old, 79 Kedzie avenue, and Joseph Carman, 24 years old, 178 Halsted street, who attempted a similar game, were fined by Judge Fake at the Desplaines street court.
They were arrested Tuesday night when they were found walking in West Madison street with Ethel Dunbar, 16 years old, 125 Superior street, and Nellie Griffin, 18 years old, 194 Wells street, with whom they had been drinking in several saloons.
The quartet was arrested on the charge of disorderly conduct, and each of them fined $100 and costs. Judge Fake recommended that the girls be sent to the House of the Good Shepherd.
