Saturday, 12th July 1913 Dragnet for ‘Slavers’ Is Set

The Atlanta Georgian

Saturday, July 12, 1913

Arrest of Additional Men Named by Girl Victim of the "Ring" Due Soon.

With rapid-fire developments featuring the day's investigation of the "vice ring" said to exist in Atlanta, Chief of Police Beavers announced at noon that he is accumulating new evidence through which he hopes to be able soon to break up the gang. The new evidence, he intimtaed [sic], is startling, and is expected to result in arrests of several men and women within 24 hours.

The principal developments of the day, through which Chief Beavers is […] obtaining his new evidence are as follows:

Dora Rothstein has made a new statement, implicating three more men in her downfall, and naming half a dozen girls as victims of the ring.

The detective department, following a severe grilling given them by Chief Beavers Friday night, is seeking evidence against the vice ring with renewed vigor.

Two prominent business men, interested in the welfare of the little Rothstein girl, have entered the case and are aiding Chief Beavers in securing evidence.

Information has come to Chief Beavers of a house where young girls are taken by men and ruined, and then taken to hotels or immoral resorts.

The dragnet has been thrown out for the son of one of Atlanta's most prominent business men, named by Hattie Smith in her story of immorality at the Cumberland Hotel.

Four persons—Hattie Smith, Mrs. Lola White, Paul Estes and Hoyt Monroe—were held for the Grand Jury Saturday morning on new charges, following the Smith girl's story of a "joy ride." Estes has said that he will make a confession, in which he will involve men hitherto unsuspected.

Chief Warns Detectives.

In his conference with the detective department late Friday afternoon, which was held in Chief Lanfod's [sic] office behind closed doors, Chief Beavers took the detectives severely to task for their laxity in reporting vice cases. He intimated strongly that the detectives were not doing their duty and not getting results.

Makes Suspension Threat.

"It is as much your duty as it is the duty of any other man on the force," Chief Beavers is said to have told them, "to report the existence of vice. In the future all knowledge gained by detectives as to the existence of immoral resorts must be reported at once to headquarters. If you personally are engaged on some other case and have not the time to work the vice case, report it so some one else can investigate and make the case."

Chief Beavers urged the detectives to greater activity in the war against vice, and declared that they would fare the same as uniformed men if it was shown that they know of immoral houses and do not report them. They will be promptly suspended, the chief said.

May Involve Hotels.

The story of the Wilson girl is fraught with possibilities, Chief Beavers declares. She will give a detailed account of her adventures after she met Dora Rothstein at the White City on July 1, and it is understood that she will make revelations of her life before she was married several months ago, by which she will involve several downtown hotels. She has promised Chief Beavers that she will make public the name of every man who has been with her and the Rothstein girl during the past two weeks.

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The Atlanta Georgian, July 12th 1913, "Dragnet for ‘Slavers' Is Set," Leo Frank case newspaper article series