Ione Shuts Its Red-Light District—and Issues Warrants for the Men Who Frequented It
In a Pend Oreille County mill town, the mayor and council ordered the resorts closed, charging three women and preparing John Doe warrants for their clients.
Ione now has no more red-light district. His honor, the mayor, and the council have issued orders for the closing of the red-light district of Ione. Warrants have been issued from the police magistrate's office for the arrest of Gladys Bien, Rose Smith and Mabel Archer, and about twenty John Doe warrants have been placed in the hands of Town Marshal Miller for the arrest of any men frequenting the resorts. The marshal has been instructed to swear in sufficient deputies to make any and all arrests. —Record.
“The marshal has been instructed to swear in sufficient deputies to make any and all arrests.”
In 1910, Ione's mayor and council used police power to close a red-light district and issue John Doe warrants for male customers; today, debates over sex work, trafficking, and who bears criminal responsibility still divide rural Washington. Then as now, the women were named and charged while the men were pursued anonymously.
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