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Show JOAN OF ARC OF . I BIG VICE CRUSADE IE 111 SECRETS mm in Death of Messmakerat West Hammond Resort Causes Government Inquiry. CHICAGO. Sept. 61 Details of the Inner In-ner workings of the alleged vice ring at West Hammond, which is believed to have claimed John Messmakcr, a railroad engineer, as one of several victims who arc said to have been slain by poison, were revealed today before Judge John E. Owens In the county court, when Mrs. Etbel Parker, known as "Frankle Ford,' took the stand and for the first tlmo in court told her story of Messmakor's death. Mrs. Parker told of tho "black bottle'' bot-tle'' which she said Henry Foss, keeper of a resort, always kept back of tho bar,- and declared that in her opinion a drink was given Mcssmakcr out of this decanter the morning of tho day he died. She declared that on one occasion Fohk said he would "fix" Mcssmakcr if he did nol keep away. The woman hinted that perhaps jealousy jeal-ousy might havo had something to do with Messmakor's death. While Mrs. Parker was on the witness stand a dozen deputy Unltod States marshals, mar-shals, acting on Information furnished by Miss Virginia Brooks, a girl reformer, reform-er, raided a number of resorts in West Hammond in search of violators of the white slave law. Six womon were arrested and search Is being made for two men for whom warrants have been Issued. Cornelius Moore, owner of a hotel at West Hammond, and Henry Foss, proprietor pro-prietor of the resort in which John Messmaker died, wore arrested In tho raid made by several officers Miss Virginia Brooks, former Chicago society girl. Is now tho "Joan of Arc of West Hammond, Indiana." During tho last few days, since the council voted to oust the disreputable saloons and dives. Miss Brooks and her followers have la kern Into their own hands to do what the chief of police could not or would not do. She cleaned out these dives and stationed "patrolwomen" every night to bog that the proprietors of these places did not attompt to voopen. Soon after Miss Brooks Inherited ?:0.000 from her father. She received a letter from the assessor of West Hammond assessing her 52000 for some vacant lots, and she scented graft. She immediately closed up her Chicago home, and with her mother moved to a little cottage In West Hammond, Ham-mond, a town of a voting population of 750 and fifty-five saloons. The town was police and graft ridden to tho core. She set about to learn the language of the citizens, and appealing to tho Poles In their native tongue stirred them to such action as surprised and completely routed the crooked politicians. Now the town Is with Virginia Brooks. The women especially. |