OCR Text |
Show MURDER, TOT AND GAMBLING RUN RAMPANT Thugs Stand Guard Heavily: Armed to Protect Vice Resorts POLICE ARE HELPLESS Questionable Women Flaunt : Law in Plying Nefarious Business AUSTIN, Tex . Jan. 12 Martial law at Mexia, Tex . wn proclaimed today I by Governor Pat M. Neff. Martial law became effective at lamatlon which specifies' justice pre- cincts number four in Limestone county coun-ty and five in Freestone. ! Brigadier-General Jacob F. Woltersi of Houston, will assume command at Uesia an.l has power to call on such Texas national guard forces as may be, necessary to enforce the law. Texas Rangers hao been on duty ln he Mexia oil fields since Saturday 1 whon In rc-operation with other 1 forces they Inaugurated a "clean up" campaign against alleged saloons and gambling resorts. CANT ENFORCE LAW. Local ofilcers at Mexia. the gover-J nor said "are either unable or unwill-, ing to maintain and enforc the law."1 and there Is ' imminent danger of Insurrection, In-surrection, tumult, riot and breach of the peace." No troops had been ordered from hero earlv today, it was said here. "Open and flagrant violation of the law." highway robbery and open gambling gam-bling and selling of liquor were sonic I of the reason.' given by the governor In his proclamation. Mexia Is an oil town about 100 miles I south of Dallas GOVERNOR GIVES REASONS. Governor Neff net forth his reasons for declaring martial law in the prologue pro-logue of his proclamation which fol- lows: "An intolerable situation exists in and hear the town of M m fexas, to-; wit the open a 'id flagrant violation, of the law in this, that highway rob-, bery i9 of frequent occurrence accompanied accom-panied In some cases b the murder of peaceful and lav. -abiding citizens:! gambling houses are In full operation1 day and night piotected by armed men; Intoxicating lluuor is being open-K open-K sold over tho bar at so much per drink, as well as in bottles and other containers, u multitude of questionable question-able women ph their nefarious !usl-ness !usl-ness in hou-jes of ill-fame, and the lo-i cal officers are cither unable or un- willing to maintain and enforce th law; und, "whereas this condition has heretofore caused acts of violence on cltlzons of the state and there is now Imminent danger of insurrection, tumult, tu-mult, riot and breach of the peace, and nerlous personal danger to tho inhabitants inhabi-tants and property ol citlsem in thej terrltorv hereinafter described, and. Whereas. etlon ten of article four; of the constitution of Texas mukes it .u.. .!.... rr ii,. minrnni of this state tO 'cause the laws to be faithfulU BX-eOuted,1 BX-eOuted,1 and, ""When 1 the section of article four lof the constitution of Texas makes the (governor of this state the commander-in-chief of the military forces of this state and gives him the power to all forthwith mllltarj to execute the laws of the state." Governor Nell sold that Gen 1 hWolters and Adjutant-General Barton would confer ;,t Mexia this morning and troop needed to maintain order will he ordered out. 00 |