FBI Holds 47 In Ironton, Ohio

FBI Holds 47 In Raids Centering in Ironton Ohio

Portsmouth. Ohio. Nov. 23 – FBI agents swept up 47 prisoners in a sudden smash late last night at what it called far-flung white slavery operations centering at Ironton, Ohio.

A “call house district” at Ironton, the FBI declared, has long been the “focal point of prostitution” for communities in three states.

Arrests were made also in Illinois, Missouri, and California, but the FBI made the vast bulk of its haul in nine houses of the Ironton community “during the active operation of these houses with women soliciting by sign and otherwise from the windows.”

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11 Face White Slave Charges At Washington

J. Edgar Hoover, director, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced the arrests were aimed at “interstate transportation of girl recruits for several houses of prostitution within a two-block area” in Ironton, the district is known as “the Line,” he said.

He said six men and five women are charged with violation of the White Slave Traffic Act, which forbids taking a woman across a state line for immoral purposes. ‘While Slave’

The 36 others are bold as material witnesses, Hoover said. FBI headquarters in Washington said tonight its reports showed 47 persons had been taken into custody, but it was possible a few others may have been seized and not yet reported to headquarters.

The FBI gave this breakdown by cities: Ironton, seven charged with violating the White Slave Traffic Act, 35 held as material witnesses; San Francisco, one held as a material witness; Columbus, Ohio, two charged with violating White Slave Traffic Act; Benld, Ill., one charged with violating White Slave Traffic Act; St. Louis, one charged with violating White Slave Traffic Act.

Sixty-Six Agents Take Part

Sixty-six Federal agents from several points converged on the nearby community of 20,000 persons and then brought their haul to the million-dollar Scioto county jail here. They came in special buses and 25 automobiles. Late home goers said it “looked like a parade.”

In the fourth-floor jail and third-floor offices, the agents spent the rest of the night and Sunday morning questioning their prisoners – two agents to a person.

Women in fur coats, about twice as many as the number of men arrested, proceeded peacefully into the jail, which immediately was barred to outsiders. The Federal men took over telephone lines.

Weapons, Ammunition Seized

E. J. Connelley, assistant FBI director, said in a statement here that arrests in various houses, “operating mostly on north Third street” In Ironton, also turned up: “One Czech automatic, five revolvers, four shotguns, two blackjacks, two daggers, 300 rounds of shotgun ammunition, and 50 rounds of revolver ammunition.”

The FBI statements declared that the Ironton “call house” district caters to workers from nearby industrial towns in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio.

“The Line’ comprising a two-block area is reported to have operated for the past 60 years by a succession of procurers.

“Ironton, the county seat of Lawrence county, is located just across the Ohio river from several Kentucky and West Virginia cities.

“An Active Taxicab Trade”

Since the population of Ironton is approximately only 20,000, ‘the Line’ owes much of its financial success to an active taxicab trade with the larger industrial communities. Taxicabs frequently have been observed bringing passengers to the Line, from Paintsville, Ky., 66 miles away; Grayson, Ky., 35 miles away; Olive Hill, Ky., 50 miles and from Huntington, W.Va., and Morehead, Ky., each about 65 miles away.

“Industrial plants in Ironton and in Ashland, Ky., two miles away, and in Jackson, Ohio, 35 miles away, also have sizable employment rolls.”

Those arrested at Ironton and charged will be arraigned tomorrow at Portsmouth before Laurence M. Kimble, United States commissioner, Hoover said.

He listed those under charges as Arthur Hall, James William Mills, Ollie Nichols, Elby Paul Brown, Jean Elizabeth Foster, Marjorie Gibson, and Emma Nichols, all arrested at Ironton. William H. Veazey and Irene Wilson were arrested at Columbus. Nicholas Dinora, arrested at Benld, Ind. Joyce Dinora was arrested at St. Louis.

The Portsmouth jail, a favorite for Federal officers to bring their prisoners, already had 34 inmates when the Federal haul was made. It was built to house 145, but the staff wasn’t prepared for the big influx, and the larder wasn’t up to it.

But Mrs. Earl C. Brandel, wife of the sheriff, began scurrying for groceries, and early this morning, provisioned were marching to the jail with extra food, and breakfast was a bit late.

Witness Held In San Francisco

San Francisco. Nov. 23 (AP)- The FBI announced today the detention of a woman in connection with the roundup of white-slavery suspects at Ironton, Ohio.

Harry M. Kimball, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of investigation in San Francisco, said he had arrested Patricia Morgan, 19, on telegraphic instructions from Cincinnati.

In Washington an FBI official said Miss Morgan was being held only as a material witness, Kimball said the woman “has been employed as a waitress at a local cafe since October 23, 1947.”