SCANDAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1924, Page 3

SCANDAL.

DEEP AND STAINING. AlO NT REA rAS UOAIAIERCIA USED J.EWDN ESS. t —— (Received this day at 10.25 a.in.) -MONTREAL. Oct. 10. A deep and staining scandal, without parallel in Canadian municipal history. is being revealed here as a result of the investigations into vice arousing inquiries into police activities, following the condemnation of the Italian desperadoes (cabled on July I Ith). Four years ago public spirited citizens organised a vigilance body called the Committee of Sixteen, to suppress commercialised vice and determine the reasons and source of civic and police corruption. Tin- first was partially ilisV closed during tin* Italian trials. ■ The committee employed a group of private investigators, who, in past years, bad aided in stamping out vice, in the United States cities. These investigators are now testifying before a Court of bringing with them hundreds of witnesses who are consuming days in giving full details of tlie organised and wholesale trafficking in women, tile wide open gambling dens, and unheard of debaiidierv and violation of the liquor regulations. Cab drivers are agents lor numerous dives run by French, Greeks and other foreigners. All are protected by the police, wiio are receiving a considerable share of the profits. The investigators, whose lives are threatened and whose testimony is lining taken secretly, elicited tlie information from one of the eondeiniied Italians who was thus acknowledged king of the Alonlreal red light districts. The Italians will he hanged on the 2Hh. October and a special petition is being granted to lake evidence Imm tin-ill in gaol. The chief investigator declared: “.Montreal is the rottenest city T have ever saw.; where wretched commercialised lowliness is interiningh.’d with the drug traffic.” One investigator visited 5113 disorderly houses. The police, noon insistent demands, would make occasional raids, 101 l the principals always escaped. The participants were negligibly lined, ami the resorts were immediately re-npnn-eii. ft is intimated that the culpability will be found to permeate higher than just, tlie nolice, while the system itself is so widely ramified. The investigators frankly admit that it will probably take years of persistent effort by the new regime to give Alontreal even the semblance of cleanliness.