The laws of early Sarasota

At one point in its history, the building that now houses the Gator Club was said to be a brothel. In early Sarasota, running a "bawdy house" was punishable by a fine of $10 to $100 and jail time.

Published: Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, November 23, 2012 at 9:23 p.m.

SARASOTA - According to local historians, the first person to quit a job with the government of Sarasota was Town Marshal T.F. Blair. And who could blame him? In February of 1903 Blair grossed only $14 — $10 in salary and a dollar each for the four arrests he made during the month. He was due more: $3 a month for caring for the street lamps, but they had not been installed, and also 2 1/2 percent for license fees, but the amounts had not been established.

Even in 1903, $14 a month did not stretch very far.

Concurrent with his duties as Marshal, Blair doubled as the sanitation inspector; an unenviable job title at the beginning of the last century. If an animal carcass was found on the street and the owner could not be located, it was left to Blair to remove it — no easy feat with a dead mule or horse that had to be dragged away and disposed of. Probably worse, the Marshal was also assigned privy duty, inspecting same to insure that they were regularly emptied and kept “strictly clean and deodorized.”

And there was more. He was also responsible for examining the condition of stovepipes, chimneys, flumes and kerosene lamps which might lead to a fire, and insuring that weeds and overgrown foliage in the township were kept in check. And there was the paper work to present to the city council and warrants to serve.

Fed up with this daunting and often distasteful workload, Blair asked for a raise. It was declined and he dutifully turned in his badge and hung up his holster and six-shooter.

This was all back in the long-ago day when Sarasota was a primitive community of a few hundred hard working souls, striving to fulfill the hopeful town motto, “May Sarasota Prosper,” and capitalize on its beauty, climate and waterfront location to draw newcomers.

Sarasota was just a minor part of Manatee County. In 1902 about 50 citizens, seeing their future was at hand, voted to incorporate as a town.

A God-fearing town

When this was validated by the state legislature in 1903, the ordinances for the town were formulated to maintain law and order, a necessary ingredient for a successful community. Sarasota had been stigmatized by the Sara Sota Vigilance Committee, which had killed Postmaster Charles Abbe in 1884 and had been dubbed by the New York Times the “notorious Sarasota Assassination Society.”

Mayor John Hamilton Gillespie, with the consent of the town council, appointed Blair the Marshal. He was given the power as the need arose to add policemen who were, “to remain on the streets, and to keep constantly moving upon their beats, never remaining longer in one place than 15 minutes. Nor enter any house or bar-room unless required to do in the discharge of their duty.” Nor were they allowed to leave town without the written consent of the mayor.

For the most part, this was a staunchly God-fearing community (the first convention was a gathering of Baptists who railed about the demonizing effects of whiskey). Gillespie, who took the lead in formulating the ordinances, was a founder of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer here. Much import was attached to the moral fiber of the town, with 17 sections of the ordinance addressing “Chastity, Public Decency, Morality.”

Anyone who kept a “bawdy house” could be fined not less than $10 nor more than $100 and given from 10 to 30 days in the calaboose to contemplate the evil of their ways. Furthermore, the Marshal could “abate such nuisance by demolishing, tearing down or closing up such a house.”

Any woman with a bad reputation regarding chastity and virtue, “who shall be found on the streets plying her vocation or soliciting men, drinking, sitting on the streets, or in front of stores, or lounging in saloons, or conducting herself in a forward and improper manner” was looking at a fine of $50 and 30 days in jail.

Tough laws

A person seen to be nude in the little town, “or in a dress not belonging to his or her sex,” faced a $100 fine and hard labor. If a person was caught bathing nude or swimming nude in any of the bays or bayous during daylight hours, they also faced punishment of up to $50 or 30 days in the slammer.

Gambling was forbidden and carried a punishment of from $20 to $50 and 30 days of hard labor.

And while cursing may have been tolerated — it too was forbidden within earshot of a religious service. “Making any noise or by rude and indecent behavior or profane discourse within in a place of worship or near to the same as to disturb the order and solemnity of the meeting,” would incur up to a $100 fine and 30 days confinement.

Fire was an ever present threat to the fledgling community; the town almost went up in flame several times, so it was against the law to go into a stable or barn or anyplace where there might be combustible material with an uncovered light. The penalty for that indiscretion was $50 or 20 days for that indiscretion.

Vagrants were dealt with harshly: A $25 fine and hard labor for up to 30 days.

Bicycle riders faced a $10 fine for riding on the sidewalk. And a person drove their vehicle over a bridge faster than a walk they could get a $100 fine and 30 days jail time. Even standing still could cost you. If someone could not pass you by on the sidewalk where you were taking up space, the penalty was $5 or five days in jail.

The speed limit was set at 6 miles per hour and applied to locomotives passing through town. Except for railway personnel, jumping off of a train was illegal, as was tying a horse to a shade or ornamental tree. The penalty for that was $20 or 20 days in jail.

Unless of “absolute necessity” merchants had to close their businesses on Sunday, but barbers could stay open until 10 Sunday morning.

Marshal Blair's life story has been lost to local history, and it was left to his successors to enforce the local ordinances to insure Sarasota became lawful enough to grow and prosper.


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