Report

OF THE

Moral Survey CoMMitfiE

ON THE

Social EVIL

8YRACU8B, N. Y.

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http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924021846047

THE SOCIAL EVIL
IN SYRACUSE

The Moral Survey Committee must have funds to carry to a
successful conclusion its campaign against commercialized vice
and therefore urges you to fill out the following blank and mail
it to the Treasurer of the Committee.

To THE MORAL SURVEY COMMITTEE

Cor. East Genesee and Grape Streets
HENRY PHILLIPS, Treasurer

Enclosed herewith is my subscription of $ , to aid

the Committee in its efforts to reduce the Social Evil in Syracuse.

Name

Address

Date

solute annihilation the ultimate ideal."

Report of the Chicago Vice Commibsion.

SYRACUSE, N. Y.
1913

A Work of Appreciation

The Moral Survey Committee of Syracuse wishes
to make special mention of the services rendered to the
Committee by Mr. George J. Kneeland, Director of
Investigations of the American Vigilance Association.
Without his faithful and intelligent supervision and co-
operation in all the details of the investigation reported
in this book, our work would have been impossible.

F. W. BETTS, Chairman
P. E. ILLMAN, Secretary

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction 9

Chapteb I. The Segregated District. 1. Houses of Ill-fame.
2. Procurers, etc. 3. The Segregated District
a Menace to Youth. 4. "Higher Up" 19

Chapter II. Hotels and Saloons and the Social Evil 33

Chapter III. .Summer Amusement Eesorts and the ,Social Evil 43

Chapter IV. Tenements, Furnished Eooms and Miscellaneous

Places 47

Chapter V. Street Soliciting and Clandestine Prostitution in

Syracuse 53

Chapter VI. The Social Evil and Disease 59

Chapter VII. Life Histories of Professional and Clandestine

Prostitutes in Syracuse 67

Chapter VIII. The Economic and Social Aspects of Commer-
cialized Vice 81

Chapter IX. Conclusions and Eecommendations 87

Appendices 93

Endorsers op the Publication and the Eecommendations 125

k-zqSizz

THE COMMITTEE OF EIGHTEEN

Feedeeick; W. Betts, Chairman
Paul B. Illman, Secretary
John H. Applebee
Mes. Chaeles J. Baenaed
Henet L. Blsnee
James Bmpeingham
Chaeles S. Estabeook
Albeet C. Fulton

H. J. GOEKE

Thomas H. Halsted
iChaeles W. Haegitt
Feedeeick E. Hazaed
Mes. Feedeeick E. Hazaed
Miss Aeeia S. Huntington
Salem Htde
h. w. joedan

Mes. Bdwaed B. Judson, Je.
Mes. Ieving G. Vann

PREFACE

The responsibility for the publication of this report of the moral
survey of Syracuse is assumed by the Committee of Eighteen. The
judgment of the committee has been fortified and strengthened by that
of more than fifty other men and women who have read the report and
approve its publication.

The work was conducted under the direction of the executive oflBcers
of the American Vigilance Association, and the actual investigation of
conditions was made by its expert investigators, in whose moral character
the Committee has every confidence. They have performed a difficult
and disagreeable task with commendable thoroughness and discretion.
The Committee of Eighteen assures the citizens of Syracuse that every
statement made in the report is borne out by the facts. Indeed, under-
statement has been the constant policy of the Committee.

The purposes of this report are, first, to inform the citizens of Syra-
cuse of the actual conditions relative to vice and prostitution; second, to
awaken the conscience of the city and arouse a public sentiment that
shall compel the present and all future administrations thoroughly and
insistently to enforce the laws relative to prostitution and the liquor
traffic; and third, to suggest means of reducing prostitution that have
been adopted in other cities and states with marked success. In this
way Syracuse may be freed from the horde of men and women who make
a business of commercializing vice, and who resort to every means to lure
the youth of both sexes into their toils.

The light having been thrown upon the social evil by the publication
of this report, the responsibility for its continued permission rests
squarely upon the citizenship of Syracuse. The committee has faith that
the citizens can be relied upon to make Syracuse cleaner, healthier and
more moral.

SYEACU,SE MORAL SURVEY COMMITTEE

"Our own task is absolutely simple and clear. It is that of turning on
the light, and of guiding the present hopeful movement as wisely as we can.
To an enlightened public opinion and a growing conscience this ancient evil
is rapidly becoming 'a moral affront and an utter impossibility.' "

JANE ADDAMS.

INTRODUgXION

Herewith is presented to the citizens of Syracuse the report of a
moral survey of the city undertaken by a committee of citizens. In it
are detailed facts as to the extent of prostitution and its attendant evils
in the city. The committee has every reason to believe that these facts
are authentic, and present an understatement of the actual existing con-
ditions. The report is offered in the hope and expectation that it will
be the first step in an earnest and persistent effort at least materially to
reduce, if not actually abolish the evil of prostitution in the city.

The first step in any reform is to know the actual conditions as they
are. The next is to awaken an indignant public conscience that shall
insist upon the evil being reduced to the lowest possible point. The
third step is to devise and put in practice means to that end. In this
report the first step is taken, and the third is suggested.

Everyone recognizes the direfulness of the evil of prostitution. Of
all the vices that afflict society it is unquestionably the worst. Indeed
it is so abhorrent to every moral sense that for generations the very
mention of it has been tabooed. In the secrecy thus surrounding and
fostering it the evil has grown to an appalliag magnitude in every
municipality of the land.

It is time that this "conspiracy of silence" should end. Prostitu-
tion should be known and understood in all its hideous manifestations
and wisely combated if for no other reason than that it is the direct
cause of the most malignant diseases from which humanity suffers, dis-
eases scattering misery and death broadcast among the guilty and inno-
cent alike, and leaving in their wake sterility, paralysis, infantile blind-
ness, idiocy, insanity and an unspeakable physical degeneration. When
to this is added the moral corruption and the degradation of woman-
hood to gratify the greed and passions of men to which it gives rise, it
becomes the plain duty of all citizens to do their utmost to suppress it.

■The committee believes that the social evil can be suppressed in its
worst phases. It may not be possible to entirely abolish prostitution for
generations. Perhaps only the slow process of moral education can do
that. But it is possible to abolish its flagrant manifestation. An end

9

10 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYKACUSB

can be put to the commercialized aspfict of prostitution, and its associa-
, tion with the sale of Liquor ; and thus prostitution itself, in the absence
of the abnormal encouragement which it now receives, may be materially
reduced. But this can be done only by an awakened public conscience
that is unremitting in its vigilant efforts.

The committee feels that the public conscience of Syracuse needs
only a plain, unvarnished statement of the facts as they are, such as this
report contains, to awaken it to an insistent rebellion against the social
evil in all its phases.

The work of this committee is the logical outcome of certain pre-
ceding events in the recent history of Syracuse. In February, 1911,
The Syracuse Society for the Prevention of Social Diseases issued sta-
tistics of the venereal diseases in Syracuse. The statistics showed the
startling prevalence of these diseases. In the autumn of the same year,
a Social Survey of the city was made, and a "Know Your City Week"
held. It was felt by many at the time that a moral survey of the city
was needed to complete the work. "With this thought in mind, the Min-
isters' Association of the city, on March 35th, 1913, authorized the ap-
pointment of a committee to make such moral survey. This com-
mittee, recognizing the importance of the work it had undertaken, and
that it called for as broad a representation of the best citizenship as it
was possible to secure, added fourteen laymen and women to its member-
ship. In June, 1913, this enlarged committee called in the aid of the
American Vigilance Association, and immediately began the survey.

A word as to the American Vigilance Association : The investigation
of the social evil in Chicago by a commission appointed by the mayor,
and the publication of its report (similar in form to that here presented)
disclosed the fact that the social evil is a huge, loosely organized, but
' [ none the less efiBcient, national business for the encouragement of pros-
titution and the merciless exploiting of men and women for profit. In
other words it is commercialized vice. One result of this discovery was
the formation of the American Vigilance Association. This Association
thus describes its method and purpose: "Accuracy of statement is ne-
cessary as a basis for the study of causes, methods of prevention, and
law enforcement. The American Vigilance Association urges a truthful,
unsensational study and presentation of conditions, and a normal atti-
tude toward the problem as a whole. The purpose of this Association
shall be to suppress and prevent commercialized vice, and to promote the
highest standard of public and private morals. To accomplish this pur-
pose, the Association shall strive for the constant, persistent and ab-
solute repression of prostitution, and the passage and enforcement of

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 11

laws for the rescue and protection of girls and women ; for the promotion
of knowledge of the social evil, its effects and results; and for the cir-
culation of the best literature regarding it." The officers of the Associa-
tion are President, David Starr Jordan ; Vice-Presidents, His Eminence
James Cardinal Gibbons, Very Eeverend Dean Walter T. Sumner, and
Dr. Charles W. Eliot; Treasurer, Charles H. Hutchinson; Executive
Secretary and General Counsel, ClifEord G. Eoe. Jane Addams is a
member of the Executive Board.

The field work of this Syracuse Survey was done by five investi-
gators, men and women, of the American Vigilance Association. These
are men and women of integrity, in whom the committee has full con-
fidence. The affidavits of these investigators (for the committee has in
its possession affidavits covering every statement in this report) were
embodied by the American Vigilance Association in a report to this
committee. This report was, in turn, edited by this committee, and is
herewith published. The edited report has also been submitted to a
group of more than fifty citizens for their approval ; and they have signed
it as witnessing their conviction that its publication would be a public
service, and would constitute a basis for permanent constructive efforts
towards improving the moral condition of Syracuse.

Thus it will be seen that this moral survey of Syracuse is not merely
a local matter, but is part of a great national movement for the repression
of prostitution with its burdensome cost in money and human souls, its
corroding diseases, and its vsdthering demoralization. As a result of
these surveys, the economic efficiency and moral character of our nation
may be raised to a higher plane than has hitherto been attained.

This report is not published for the purpose of criticising any per-
sons or administration. That the appalling conditions herein described
exist in .Syracuse is due in part to the indifference of the citizens, and
their tacit acquiescence in the existence of commercialized vice, as well
as to the laxity of administrations and public officials. When public
sentiment insistently demands that the segregated district where pros-
titution is exploited for gain be abolished it will be abolished, and not
until then.

It is not the purpose of this investigation to attack the personal side
of the business, but the business itself. This committee is merely an
investigating committee, and not a prosecuting committee. The citizens
of Syracuse must themselves deal with the conditions herein revealed.

While no special attempt was made to trace the ramifications of
commercialized vice to the persons or interests who manage the business
and absorb its profits, enough was revealed during the investigation to

12 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

suggest where these ramifications culminate. The investigators collected
data on this phase of the social evil, parts of which are published in this
report, and all of which can be used, if needed, as the starting point for
future investigations along these lines.

It has been said above that the third step in combating an evil is the
formiilating of and putting into practice means for its suppression, and
special attention is called to the chapter on "Conclusions and Eecom-
mendations" where this phase of the subject is treated. The committee
has carefully omitted from the report aU names and addresses. These
are signified by the letter X and a number following, each name and
place being indicated by a specific number. In no case does this number
correspond to the street number of the place.

With this foreword the committee places its report in the hands of
the citizens of Syracuse. No words of ours can add to the sinister sig-
nificance of the facts herein recorded. The committee is convinced
that the evils they reveal can be remedied ; and that the moral integrity of
our citizens may be relied upon to impel them to unite in a determined
attack on commercialized vice until it is permanently driven from the
city. This is a duty we owe not only to the young men and women of
Syracuse, but to the young men and women of the whole of central
New York, who, as the report shows, furnish the steady supply of human
material necessary to maintain this evil business.

What Des Moines Has Done to Reduce Prostitution

"CITY OF DES MOINES
"Department of Public Affairs

"Des Moines, Iowa, Nov. 4, 1912.

"Mr. Louis M. Quitman, Secy.,

"Chicago Protective League for Women,
"108 West Twenty-second Street,
"Chicago, 111.

"Dear Sir:

"I have your Inquiry of Oct. 31 with reference to the result of the aboli-
tion of the segregated vice district in the City of Des Moines. The Infer-
ences in your Inquiry are quite incorrect. Our experience leads us to several
very determined conclusions; first, that segregation is a delusion in that it
was never known to segregate; second, that vice cannot be driven out by
manifesto, but takes an honest, conscientious, vigilant administration of the
law against prostitution; and finally, that by such an administration, condi-
tions can be wonderfully changed.

"Somewhat over a year ago, during, and just before and after, our State
Fair, we put the question of investigating and making a census of moral
conditions with reference to the social evil in the city into the hands of one
of our most trusted officers, one, too, who had been in the service during the
time of the segregated district, and also ever since the abolition of that
district. His report to me was that there were under the old regime about
three hundred professional prostitutes in Des Moines. Of this number,
about one hundred and fifty were in the segregated district and about one
hundred and fifty were scattered all about the city, conducting their busi-
ness under the cloak of one disguise or another. At the time of his report
there were altogether, as nearly as he could estimate, about seventy-five
professional abandoned women in Des Moines. This, too, was at the time
when we have our worst trouble owing to the influx of women along with
the great crowds attending the State Fair.

"At the present time, conditions are much better than at the time of this
report. It will be noted that the results of his investigation show that so
far from our present policy, simply scattering the vice as you suggest, and
as is commonly suggested, by the opponents of our method, that there are
altogether in Des Moines now less than half as many abandoned women as
we formerly had in the segregated district alone, and that we then had twice
as many abandoned women scattered at random throughout the city as we
now have in the entire city. Our policy has not only removed a very large
per cent of the evil, but it has at the same time removed the entire effront-
ery of It.

"Other Important considerations are the fact that it has rid the com-
munity of a class of criminals and hangers-on that are always attendant
upon this vice; that It has removed the temptation always flaunted in the
face of our young men under the old system; and that at least, so far as
Des Moines is concerned, it no longer makes us a party to the annual offer-
ing up of some scores of our young girls upon the altar of lust.

"Finally, and quite to the discomfiture of those theorists who hold that a
system of prostitution is necessary to protect chaste women against rape,
the abolition of the segregated district has not In the least endangered the
virtue of the rest of womankind in our city.

"I shall be glad to give you any further Information that may be of assist-
ance to you in your fight against vice.

"Tours very truly,

"(Signed) JAS. R. HANNA,

"Mayor."

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

This investigation of the social evil was made during June, July and
August, 1913, eleven days in the autumn, including State Fair week,
and three days in November.

The entire city was not covered, the attempt being, rather to make a
thorough investigation of as many places as time permitted. Undoubt-
edly there are other immoral resorts than those covered by this report,
but the places herein described we know were in existence and doing
business at the time of this investigation.

The investigation of the summer dealt with actual conditions; that
of the autumn more particularly with the sources of supply, and the
origin, lives and revenue of the girls practicing prostitution in Syracuse.

The report of the expert investigators affords a minimum basis for
estimating the amoimt of business in vice done regularly and continu-
ously in the city. It affords a minimum basis because during June, July
and August the demand for prostitution is less than other seasons of the
year. For example, commercial travel falls off during these months,
and many residents are away on vacations. As a result many of the girls
are out of town. Thus Madame XI had only one girl in her house
during one of the visits of the investigator. She usually has three.

The totals of the iavestigations are, therefore, not only lower than
the actual figures because no attempt was made to include every place
in the city, but also because the numbers observed in the places investi-
gated were smaller than at other seasons of the year. The report is,
therefore, an under estimate of actual conditions.

Syracuse has a distinct vice district. Much of it is centered ia cer-
tain blocks of houses of prostitution on Washington St., certain hotels
concentrated within a few blocks and furnished rooms within a narrow
radius of the so-called common center of the city.

One highly concentrated district, much of it within a half mile
radius, with the Soldiers' Monument for the center of the circle, is used
for houses of prostitution, disorderly hotels and saloons, furnished rooms
and tenements, and for street walking.

These centrally located streets are used at all hours of the day and
night by numerous women open to the approaches of men, and solici-
tations for prostitution by both men and women are frequent.

This vice section is situated at the very heart of the city, in the midst
of hotel, business, theatre and shopping district. Business men, school

15

16 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

children, young men and women, wives and mothers shopping or mar-
keting are compelled to pass houses, hotels and saloons and apartment
houses devoted to commercialized vice, and to see and be jostled by men
and women living on prostitution.

Nor is this all. In three consecutive blocks on East Washington
St. there are eighteen houses of prostitution. Along this street the New
York Central trains pass slowly. The character of this street is well
known to traveling men. The conditions are visible from the car win-
dows. Thus the street is a lure to the visiting man. He locates the
Red Light District before he alights at the depot. Indeed the train has
carried him, as in a "sight seeing car" through the very heart of the
city's most vicious life. The city flaunts her vice in the face of every
visitor.

Eor convincing testimony of the evils of this condition, see afiBdavit
of one of the investigators who revisited the city during the Convention
of Older Boys held in Syracuse, November 29th-December Ist, 1912,
page 29.

Through whatever of growth, uplift, beautiflcation and betterment
Syracuse has passed, this segregated district of immorality at the civic
heart of the city has remained impregnable. Citizens have come and
gone, families have died out, industries have risen and fallen, but the
madames of Syracuse have endured. Their houses of prostitution — dens
of disease and living death — and the sporting hotels and saloons by
their side are seemingly as steadfast as the Rock of Gibraltar. Shall it
always be so ?

THE AMERICAN VIGILANCE ASSOCIATION

"After six years' experience as a prosecutor of those who buy and sell
women, I have learned that the question is one of supply and demand.
There must be women and girls to fill the supply and there must be men to
create the demand.

"Now, the ctuestion is, how shall we reduce this supply and demand?
This brings us to the question of segregation or dispersion.

"Segregation creates a neglect on the part of the public. It fosters a
'don't care' spirit toward the question, while scattering incites the public
to action, puts the public on its guard.

"This 'don't care' spirit on the part of the public allows the vice interests
to overstimulate the demand and establish ways of recruiting the supply by
most obnoxious methods. This recruiting has given rise to the awful white
slavery of to-day.

"It is argued that repression and closing of segregated districts scatter
the prostitutes into residence sections. This argument assumes that public
officers and private agencies will cease their activities after dispersion of
the prostitutes. The public officers if they do their duty in one case will do
it in the other. And also people in residence districts will be awakened to
their duty by dispersion. Many people live near the segregated districts:
why should these people be singled out as victims of unwholesome neigh-
bors? It is argued that it will be more difficult for the police to locate and
drive out prostitutes in residence districts. Every patrolman on his beat
knows the character of every flat and house in his district, or should know.

"But, if these people are more difficult to find, then the demand is mini-
mized and likewise the supply.

"Why do business houses of the same trade congregate in the same
streets and localities? Because by so doing trade is made easier and all are
benefited. It stimulates trade and increases the business. Just so with a
segregated district with blocks of vice resorts."

CLIFFORD G. ROE.

CHAPTER I

The Segregated District of Syracuse

1. HOUSES OF ILL-FAME

During this investigation twenty-seven parlor houses of prostitution,
commonly known as houses of ill-fame, were found within the segregated
district. Each of these houses is conducted by a "madame." The in-
vestigators visited twenty-three of these houses. They actually saw and
counted one hundred and niaeteen inmates in twenty-two of the houses,
and estimated the total number in the twenty-three houses investigated to
be one hundred and fifty-sis.

The houses are readily recognized. Some of them have red lamps
under their push buttons on the stoop. Others have red lights in the
hall.

The rooms on the groimd floor are used as reception rooms, and in
some houses there is one room used as a dance hall. In each house there
is an automatic piano. Liquor is sold freely. The maids who serve the
drinks are generally colored. The price is $1.00 per bottle for beer, and
as high as $5.00 per bottle for wine. In a few of the houses the madame
herself serves the drinks. The average estimated age of the prostitutes
is 30 years. They receive half of what they make. The other half goes
to the madame. In addition the inmate pays a weekly board to the
madame of $7.00 to $10.00. In many of the houses the inmates wear
kimonas. In a few, they receive in evening dress.

The price of prostitution in houses in Syracuse is set at a low
figure. In over half the houses it is $1.00. The price rises to $3.00 to
"easy" strangers, and to almost all visitors during special seasons, such
as Fair "Week and Convention Week. One house charges $5.00, and one
charges $3.00 and $5.00. Perversion was found in fifteen houses.
This is generally performed by one of the inmates, who is a better money
getter than the other girls.

Boys from ten to fifteen years of age are often employed in the
parlor houses in such work as polishing the railings and banisters, de-
livering newspapers, and doing odd chores. At X3 house of prostitution
one of the investigators saw a twelve year old boy at work polishing

19

20 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

a brass railing, while at the same time a girl partially clad was close at
hand.

Receipts from the Business of Prostitution in the Segregated District

As before stated, twenty-seven parlor houses were found within the
segregated district of Syracuse alone. One hundred and nineteen in-
mates were actually counted in twenty-two of these houses, and the
investigators estimated that in the twenty-three houses visited there
were 156 inmates. Thus there were five to six inmates actually counted
and seven estimated per house. These figures are ultra-conservative.
On the basis of the five to six per house (5^), the twenty-seven houses
would contain approximately 150 inmates counted, and 190 estimated.

What, upon this basis, are the probable receipts from the business of
prostitution in the houses of the segregated district?

In following out this inquiry, the investigators secured an account
book which shows the daily earnings of an inmate of one of the houses
during a period of six months. This is the account book of girl X39, an
inmate of a dollar house of prostitution. (See Appendix No. 1.)

The figures in this book give a very accurate idea of the earnings of
the inmates, and as the madames receive half of these earnings as their
share, it is possible to arrive at the probable yearly receipts in these
twenty-seven houses during a period of one year.

It must be remembered that these figures represent only the amounts
received by the madames from the sale of the inmates' bodies, and give
no idea as to how much extra money the madames take in from the sale
of liquor, beer and champagne. It would be safe to say that the profits
from the sale of liquor at exorbitant prices are probably as great as from
the sale of the bodies of the unfortunate women. Nor is there included
in this estimate the madames' profits from board, the sale of clothing,
jewelry, cosmetics — in fact on everything the inmates buy.

This accoTint book shows the gross earnings of girl X39, an inmate
of a dollar house of prostitution, to have been $1,962.50 for six months.
At this rate her yearly earnings woiild be $3,935.00. Incidentally, this
means that X39 "served" men over 3,900 times during the year. It may
be claimed, and perhaps justly, that X39 is an exceptional girl, and this
must be taken into account. On the other hand it is to be noted that
this is a dollar house, while in many houses the charge is from two to
five dollars, and even higher, especially for perversion, which is common
in the parlor houses.

Taking girl X39's gross yearly earnings ($3,935.00) as the basis, the
150 inmates actually counted gives a total of $5&8,750 as the yearly

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE 21

earnings of the inmates of the twenty-seven parlor houses of prostitution
in the segregated district, or a yearly business for each house of
$31,805.55. Of this total amount, one half, or $294,375, goes to the
twenty-seven madames — a return of $10,903.77 per annum for each
madame from the sale of the inmates' bodies alone. The madames'
profits, however, are greatly increased through the sale of liquor, com-
mission on articles sold to inmates at exorbitant prices, inmates' board,
and overcharge for medical attendance.

Applying these figures of yearly earnings to the estimated number of
inmates (190), gives a total of $745,750 as the annual receipts from the
sale of the bodies of the inmates of the parlor houses of prostitution in
the segregated district of Syracuse alone.

This estimate, showing an annual gross income of approximately
three-quarters of a million dollars, reveals the appalling magnitude of the
business of prostitution in the parlor houses of Syracuse.

Illustrative Cases*

June 39, 9 :30 p. m., Aug. 6, 10 p. m., X4 House, Madame X5
The price of prostitution is $5.00 and for perversion $10.00. Beer
sells at $8.00 and wine at $5.00. Six inmates were counted, and eight to
ten estimated. They wear evening dress, and receive half the amount
paid by the man. They pay $10.00 a week board.

Aug. 1, 3 p. m., X6 House, Madame XI
The inmates wear kimonas. The price is $2.00 for prostitution and
$5.00 for perversion. The madame offers to sell out the business and
house, of which she is the owner, for $30,000.

*In an address before a committee of nine of the Chicago City Council
appointed to consider Segregation and Commercialized Vice, Miss Kate
Adams, at that time Secretary to the Police Commissioner, thus describes
her visit to a segregated district of vice in Chicago:

"I determined to study conditions at first hand, and in December, 1909, I
paid my first visit to the South Side vice district. The horrors of that after-
noon are burned into my memory, and can never be effaced. I shudder
when I think of God looking down on these sights, knowing that we as a
city are responsible for them. There were the very young girls brazening
their way through the situation; the prematurely old, faded ones nearing
the span of seven years allotted them in this life, their presence tolerated,
but they barely able to earn their bread and butter; the dope fiends list-
lessly lying back on plush-covered couches, seeking a moment's oblivion
from their surroundings. The hearts of many of these girls were aching
because of what they had lost, as I afterwards discovered when talking with
them individually."

23 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

This house is a way-station for girls coming and going. Madame
XI apparently does a traffic in girls.

July 36, 11 p. m., XT' House, Madame X8.

Pour inmates counted and six estimated. The price of a girl is $1.00,
of which she receives half. The dress is a kimona.

The following are reports of certain of the houses, given in the in-
vestigator's own words :

"Visited Madame X9's parlor house, XIO. Met there a girl I know.
She introduced me to the madame as 'one of the boys.' I stated my errand
to Syracuse — to open a house, if possible, as New York is now so
'tight.' She discouraged me by informing me that 'they' will not stand
for Jews,* that the minute a Jew opens up they get to Citizen Xll, who
gets to Official X13 and has them driven from the town. I explained to
her that my 'woman' is a Gentile and that I wouldn't mix in.

"She then said, 'You can't mix in, "they" wouldn't let men mix in
nohow.'

"She told me to try and 'get to' Official X13 and talk to him about
it. She freely discussed her business and said she read in the papers that
New York protection was $600 a month. It hardly costs her that much
a whole year she said. Neither she, nor anyone else in Syracuse could
pay that much because 'the money isn't here.' Her girls average $30
a week for 'themselves.' The girls buy all of their 'house stuff of her.
One girl had on a velvet-like wrapper for which she paid the madame $36.
I don't think the wrapper cost more than $13. The house physician
visits once a week and gets $1 from each girl he examines. His attend-
ance is compulsory. The madame sells drinks, to the patrons a very
thin wine glass of beer, and to the inmates a small glass of soda, for
which she charges $1. The house is well-furnished and clean. She has
a player piano, which she 'shuts up' at 13 p. m.

"At House X14, Madame X15 was sitting in her doorway in a semi-
nude condition and solicited me.

"On September 6th, I visited Madame Xl6's, a $3 and $5 house
(X17) (creole). After buying a round of drinks and a pack of Pall
Malls for an inmate, I succeeded in getting some information from her.
She is 18 years old, and comes from Eochester. She claims to have been
ruined at the age of 14 years by a 'big man' in Eochester. Her earnings
are about $35 a week, none of the girls earning more.f She has no

*This Investigator was Jewish.

fThis $25.00 Is the inmate's share of her total earnings. The madame
receives the same amount in addition to board, making the inmate's total
earnings approximately $60.00. This Is true in every case where the girl
speaks of what she makes or earns.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 23

lover. Asked what she does with the money she earns, she said she put
it on her back. The madame buys all her clothes and some of the other
girls'. While talking to her she freely snuffed cocaine. The madame then
urged me to go upstairs and told me '$3 "straight" and $5 "French"
(perversion).' I told her I came from New York. She then began to
talk of the Eosenthal affair, the raids in the parlor houses, etc. She hates
New York because 'you've got to submit to the police there.'

" 'In Syracuse if s different,' she said, 'if it wasn't for Official X13,
Syracuse wouldn't be on the map.' I told her that I had heard that the
New York housekeepers made fortunes in the last one and one-half years ;
she said she is satisfied with what she makes ; that she need not be afraid
of anybody and doesn't have to worry about any raids. She has the
'best' people in town for patrons and wouldn't cater to the 'riff-raff.'

"I next visited Madame X18's, House X19. An inmate was willing

to talk. I spoke to her in Yiddish. She said she came from , is

19 years old, and has been two years in 'the business.' She said business
was bad, that she used to make in Albany twice as much, and that she
expected to stay only over the fair. She has been here seven weeks and
never earned over $20, and at that she 'done well,' as some of the other
girls earn only $10 and $15 per week. She said there was too much
competition for a small town. She has been in two other houses since
she came here and didn't 'make out' any better than she does here.

"September 7th, I visited House X19, Madame X20's, a $1 house.
(Price raised to $3 for the Pair.) Met there a young girl, formerly an
inmate of House X37, New York City. She came here two weeks ago
when the houses in New York closed. She introduced me to Madame
X20. I told the madame I was looking for an opportunity to open a
house, and she promptly informed me that I was 'wasting time,' that
New York people are not wanted and I should just try it. She then
asked me if I had seen Official X13 about it or intended to. I pretended
not to know and asked her to 'put me wise.' She then told me to try and
connect with Official X13. 'But it's no use,' she said, she couldn't think
of introducing me to him. The doctor's exhibit, attached to house card
belongs to the girl from a New York house. This girl informed me that
in the two weeks she has been in this house she earned $43, less than
she earned in Big X38's house in New York in a week. The best money
maker in the house, a perverter, makes only $35 at the most. Other
girls make as low as $10 and $12 a week. They don't care, however, as
most of them have no cadets, according to this girl.

"September 9th, I visited Madame X21, House X22. The madame
sold two chemises to two girls for $8.50 apiece. The chemises can be

24 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

bought in any store for $3. I foimd here two New York girls who
came to Syracuse two weeks ago. They would not have come if New
York was 'open.' Business is 'rotten' here they said. Girl X68 'made
only $18 over my board' during the week.

" 'Why, the highest number Saturday night was fourteen checks,'
she said. 'X185 made $31 over her board last week, which was supposed
to have been a good week with the convention crowd here.'

"September 10th, a cadet brought me to Madame X36's, House
X27, to see if she couldn't 'fix me up.' Madame X36 was in a very
receptive mood and laid bare secrets of the Syracuse tenderloin. She
informed me that I woidd have to get to Citizen X38 for he is the only
man to see now, if that is possible for a new comer.

"The madame, discussing New York, said, 'I bet I got as much left
out of my 400 men a week as any New York house.' I prompted that
remark by telling her how good the houses were working in New York
before 'we' were closed. She claims she has the 'best working house' on
the block.

"Her receipts are about $400, but during this, the Pair Week, she,
like every other madame, raised the price to $3, but only to strangers.
She can clear her $300 a week, she said. She is not 'hoggish' and treats
the girls well, feeds them well, and does not overcharge for wearing
apparel. 'I was a "boarder" myself and know what it means,' she said.

"On September 11th I visited Madame X36's house again. I asked
her whether she would consider a partner. She 'might' but not for the
next few weeks to come, or until after the Democratic Convention. She
told me to 'go eas/ as I shouldn't get burned. 'This is not New York,
you know, where any fool can open a joint as long as he's got the money.'

"September 8th, I visited Madame X8's parlor house X7. Two of
the inmates came up from New York a couple of weeks ago. They will
leave for the West, however, after the Fair, as there is no money here.
The best they can make here is $30 a week, and the madame is trying to
'bleed' them into the bargain.

"I visited Madame X33's, House X33. Pound there a Sixth Ave.
girl, who promptly introduced me to the madame (who had just come
in from her doorway in a semi-nude condition) as 'one of the boys' from
New York. Of course the New York scandal was the topic. Madame
X33 couldn't think of running a house in New York with such big rents,
protection, etc. 'Here in Syracuse it's a lot different. You don't do the
business that you do in New York, that's true, but you've got as much
left. If I have 300 men a week and sell a few drinks, I've got my $135

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 25

to $150 a week. I get it nice and quiet and don't have to be afraid of
anybody.' "

Analysis of the Account Book of Girl XS9, Inmate of a Dollar House of

Prostitution, Showing how the Inmates are Kept in Debt to the

Madames, their Earnings, Expenditures, etc.*

The account book of Girl X39 (See Appendix No. 1), an inmate of
a dollar house of prostitution, shows that she began the year 1912 $96
in debt to the Madame X26. These accounts show how this debt was in-
creased to $109.50 on January 2d by the purchase of a ring through the
madame. The daily earnings of the inmate — ^half of the total daily earn-
ings made by her, with the exception of Simday, when board is deducted
— are applied to reduce this debt each day, while expenses incurred and
articles purchased through the madame increase it. On January 13th,
this inmate owed the Madame $135.18 (the greatest amount owed dur-
ing the six months). This debt she gradually reduced, through applying
her total share of the earnings, to $78.01 on January 28th, when she
bought a ring from the madame for $25. The debt was again reduced
gradually to $1.16 on February 24th, when another $25 ring was sold to
this inmate by the madame. On March 18th, business beiag excep-
tionally good this month, the inmate had not only entirely reduced the
debt but carried a balance due her from the madame of $25.74. This
figure, the highwater mark of her credit during these sir months, was
unendurable, for on the next day a $37.50 suit and later other articles
for the new spring outfit, probably suggested by the madame, put the
inmate well in debt again. On March 25th her debt stood at $33.89.

Further study of the figures shows that the madame sold the inmate
clothes on April 11th, putting her $65.89 in debt. This was reduced to
$41.64 on April 22, when the madame sold the girl a ring for $30 and a
coat for $15, bringing the debt to $86.64. A new dress on the 24th
raised the debt to $92.64. On May 9th the girl owed $107.99, which was

*"Once enticed into a house their street clothes are taken from them,
and they are supplied instead with short dresses or flimsy finery in which
they cannot appear on the streets. These garments, and the jewelry with
which they are provided, are charged to them at exorbitant rates, and they
are told — and believe — that they cannot leave the house until these things
are paid for. When, however, the money is raised to pay for these clothes
and jewelry, the victim finds that by some means or another a heavier debt
has been charged to her. . . . Intimidated by threats and ill treatment, con-
scious of her degradation, she in time accepts the conditions and continues
a life of vice."

DR. O. EDWARD JANNBY.

»6 THE SOCIAL EVIL IF SYEACUSB

gradually reduced until June 5th. On June 33d, the inmate had $1.51
due her from the madame. Heavy purchases followed and the month
and period ended June 30th with the girl $31.49 in debt to the madame.

This account book of X39's states that she came to Madame X36's
house of prostitution on August 18th, 1911. During the remainder of
August her total earnings as given were $137, during September $333,
October $357, November $300, December $330. These figures substan-
tiate the statement that prostitution as a business, especially in parlor
houses, flourishes best through the winter, and that earnings fall off
during the hot weather of the summer months.

The classification of expenses of this inmate shows that almost one-
third of her share of earnings goes for various articles of dress, and about
one-fourth for jewelry. Doctor bills constitute a regularly occurring
item of importance. It appears that money and various articles are
often sent "home." During four out of the six months, the girl's ex-
penses (incurred through the madame) exceeded her earnings.

The total earnings of X39 from January 1st to June 30th, 1913,
were $1,963.50. The madame received half of this, or $981.35 and the
iamate $908.75, according to her figures after deducting the board.
During these six months the girl worked 165 days and laid off seventeen
days. Her average total earnings for a working day were $11.90, or at
the rate or $83.30 per week. For a year at this rate her total earnings
for herself and the madame would amount to $4,331.60. As this was a
$1 house of prostitution, this inmate is shown to have served approxi-
mately twelve men each day. Dividing the total receipts between the
madame and herself, each would receive $3,165.80. The madame would
make this amount clear, while board is deducted from the inmate's
earnings before she is credited with her share. Besides her profits from
the sale of the inmate's body, the madame also receives substantial com-
missions on the majority of the inmate's purchases, at exorbitant prices,
of clothes, jewelry, doctor's expenses, etc. Pjom this it appears that the
inmate's real purchasing power received from her earnings, dwindles
to a third or nearly a quarter of her gross receipts, while the madame
is enriched accordingly.

2. PROCURERS, ETC.*

The report of the Chicago Vice Commission thus describes the
"cadet" :t "He is the lowest specimen of humanity, and whenever appre-
hended should be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. The 'cadef
is usually a young man, averaging from eighteen to twenty-five years,
who has secured a girl or staff of girls, and lives upon their earnings.
His occupation is professional seduction. He is the agent through
whom business is directed towards his own woman or the house for which
she works. In many eases he is the lover or 'sweetheart' of the girl, and
by some power so attaches her to himself that she will never betray him,
no matter if he has beaten and abused her. This strange paradox often
prevents justice being meted out to this outcast from society, for in
many cases he can only be convicted on her testimony."

Facts secured during the investigation suggest that procurers and
cadets in Syracuse do not make as much money from their women as do
those in some other cities. In the first place, the amount of money made
by the inmates of houses of prostitution is smaller than in larger com-
munities. Besides this, the money the girls make is largely taken away
from them in board, rentals, and excessive prices for dress goods, jewelry,
miUinery and toilet articles, etc. Therefore, there is not much surplus
left for the cadet and they are a starved lot for the most part.

The following are illustrative cases of cadets reported by the investi-
gators :

"Cadet X40 lives off and with a woman named X186 on Grape
St. I told him my girl was coming on, and he said that he would let us

*"The traffic in girls simply means the procuring of girls for immoral
lives. That life of open shame, of public prostitution, is so naturally abhor-
rent to nearly every girl that none go into it except in one of two ways;
either they gravitate into it, or they are tricked or trapped into it. Very few
young, unmarried girls walk into a house of shame and say, 'Here I am; I
want to be a prostitute.' Therefore the number of girls going voluntarily into
this life is far too small to meet the demand; hence the necessity of tricking
into the life large numbers of girls who would not come willingly. A resort
owner in the vice district of Chicago admitted under oath to United States
District Attorney Sims that it had cost the 'houses' of the vicinity thirty
thousand dollars in one year to hire procurers to get girls."

CLIFFORD G. ROE.

fThe term "cadet" is now generally used in place of male "procurer" or
"pimp."

37

as THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

have a room with him but the 'cops' would Mck. I understand that he
has lived here for five years, and has never worked."

Cadet X42, a waiter in the X43 Cafe, told the investigator that he
brought his girl, X187, from BufEalo, but that she is diseased and had
infected him. Therefore he left her. "She could hardly walk," he said,
"so what was the use of living with her, when she could not bring in any
dough."

Cadet X44 is 19 years of age. His father had him arrested and pro-
posed to send him away. He promised to be good, however, and his
father relented and got him a position. He ran away that same night,
came back the next day, and married a prostitute from house X45. She
has consumption.

The following reports of two investigators detail their experience
with Cadet X25. This is a typical case :

"September 9th, while with Miss (an investigator) I met

the cadet, X25. He had asked me the other day to get my girl (repre-
sented by Miss ) to educate his girl. He told Miss that

his girl went to work at X46 store and that he cannot get her to do
^business.' He also told me that he is the first fellow she has done 'busi-
ness' with."

Of this conversation with X2^5, Miss reports, "Cadet X35

approached us. He said, 'My girl is getting too lazy. I educated her
up to the point of making money, but she ain't got the nerve. You see,
she was raised in a convent in X47, N". J. (her birthplace), for seven
years.' Cadet X25 'picked her up' six months ago. 'I know what a girl
can make,' he said, 'I have four, but this is a dead one. I brought her
here and then she wanted to go home. I put up forty dollars, sent her
here, and she has not made it. That's what has me broke. When she's
fixed up, nothing on Sixth Ave. or Broadway has anything on her. I
told her she must make her expenses, so she went to work at X46's store
(next door to where he is employed) . 'Can you imagine anyone wanting
to work like that?'"

September 13th. "I gave X35 five dollars through Miss . I

requested her to give him this to get better acquainted with him. Later
in the evening I met him with his girl. She looked no older than
eighteen at the most. X25 introduced me to a man named X48 from
New York. X48 is here for the Democratic Convention. He promised
to make proper connections for me through X25 if I was safe, which
X25 guaranteed. But to come back to X35's 'kid' — ^there he stood, the
poor little girl alongside of him, trying to persuade her to go into a house.
I am sure that he will convince her that it will be the only way to 'get a
front and a little change.' "

3. THE SEGREGATED DISTRICT A MENACE TO YOUTH*

Below is the copy of the affidavit of an investigator who visited the
city at the time of the conference of Older Boys, November 29th, 1913.

, living at , New York, N. Y., being duly sworn,

deposes and says, to wit :

"While going to Syracuse on the 8 :30 a. m. Empire State Express,
about 300 boys were also on their way to attend some sort of conference.
As the train entered Syracuse, and went through B. Washington St.,
where the disorderly houses are located on both sides of the street, these
boys were running from one side of the car to the other, pointing out to
one another the disorderly houses, and passing remarks which prompted
the conductor to order them to be quiet. They rah-rahed the conductor
out of the car.

About 10:30 p. m. I saw seventeen boys with arm bands initialed

stand in a cluster round the City Hall. They were singing some

college song, and creating quite a disturbance. They then separated in
groups of three and four, and entered the district. Each one of these
groups entered different houses. I followed one particularly noisy group
into Madame XSO's house, on E. Washington St. I had known Madame
X30, having made her acquaintance on a prior visit to Syracuse. I

*"While a hardened prostitute, perhaps, cannot be reformed, still when
you had your segregated district where everybody knew where it was, it
took your young boys out of the colleges in the city. They would say, 'Boys,
come on; let us go down to Whitechapel.' A young boy comes in from the
country and does not believe in that sort of thing; he resists the first time.
They say, 'You are a sissy; you will get used to this after a while.' He may
have the invitation made to him several times, but unless he is a young man
of unusual moral character, if he thinks he can go down to the district, and
there is a certificate that he can go down there in safety to himself as far as
physical conditions are concerned, and he knows that he may go down there
without any molestation by police ofilcers and without being found out,
the chances are pretty good that unless he is an unusual young man that he
will go. But if he lives in Des Moines now and sees in the paper where
Chief Jenney raids this district, and where a young man (perhaps the son of
some prominent man, a reckless libertine) is treated the same as the unfor-
tunate outcast, this young man will not start like that, and you are saving
the young recruits. If you don't reform the hardened libertine and prosti-
tute, you do prevent the young man and the young girl from starting in the 1|
business. And that young man is worth the whole fight that we are
making."

GEORGE COSSON, Attorney-General of Iowa.

29

30 THE SOCIAL EVIL EST SYRACUSE

asked her how she liked that noisy crowd. She said, 'It's good trade, but
it is a rough bunch." She then pointed to a girl, who she said was so
busy during the week the university opened that she was laid up for
two weeks. The boys were dancing and carrying on like lunatics.
Some of them looked to be not more than seventeen years old.

"I also visited Madame X^G's house, E. "Washington St., X31's, E.
Washington St., and XSSl's, E. Washington ,St. I saw no patrons there
whom I could say were college boys. Madame X13'3 told me she had
quite a few friends calling on her from these boys. Madame X8 said
that while she has the trade she is not very anxious for it, as they are a
nuisance.

"In company with a gambler named X1&8, who keeps a gambling
house, I visited the X117 Hotel. There I was introduced to Mrs. X189.
I am supposed to buy this place, and the madame readily explained the
workings of the hotel. She said, 'Now, last night this piano (pointing
to a self -playing piano) earned eleven dollars; two rooms with two girls
brought me twenty-six dollars, all from these boys who reached here for
some sort of a meeting they are holding. There was an awful racket
here, and I was glad when they left.' "

4. "HIGHER UP"*

While it was not the purpose of this investigation to demonstrate the
intimate relationship, if any, between persons claiming to exercise power
through the so-called political machine and the segregated vice district
of the city, the investigators met many intimations that such a relation-
ship actually exists. The investigators report that in their opinion the
organization of the underworld in Syracuse is highly concentrated in a
few hands.

This is a field where it is of the utmost importance to get at the
facts. And as it is always excessively difficult, and often impossible, to
secure specific evidence except through the power to subpoena and ex-
amine witnesses, it seems necessary to confine our treatment of this sub-
ject to a recommendation for an official investigation which shall un-
earth the facts.

*"If the public oflQcials of the various cities throughout the country will
entirely eliminate blackmailing and grafting upon the female keepers of
houses of prostitution, and rid their communities of those despicable human
beings known as 'white-slavers,' of the male sex, it would be difficult to find
houses of this character."

DETECTIVE WILLIAM J. BURNS.

31

"There is not enough depravity in human nature to keep alive this very
large business (commercialized vice). The immorality of women and the
brutishness of men have to be persuaded, coaxed and constantly stimulated
to keep the social evil in its present state of business prosperity."

GENERAL BINGHAM, former Police Commissioner of New York.

"To the civilized man the ready presence of ideas which exhibit sexual
desire is of distinct import. The moral freedom of the individual, and the
decision whether, under certain circumstances, excesses and even crimes be
committed or not, depend, on the one hand, on the strength of the instinctive
impulses and the accompanying organic sensations, and on the other on the
power of the inhibitory ideas.

"The exciting and inhibitory powers are variable quantities. For in-
stance, over-indulgence in alcohol is very fatal in this respect, since it
awakens and increases sexual desire, while at the same time it weakens
moral resistance."

PROF. VON KRAFFT-EBING, M. D.

CHAPTER II

Hotels and Saloons and the Social Evil

1. HOTELS

Thirty-two disorderly hotels were counted and investigated. The
girls who take the men to the hotels accosted the investigators on the
street, in the rear rooms of saloons and in hotel grills. The price of the
hotel rooms are $1 and $2. In several of the hotels no registration is
necessary. During the summer investigation four such hotels were
found, where the couples could enter and proceed upstairs with no delay,
no publicity and no registration. The girls using these hotels charge
$1 and $2.

The worst feature of these disorderly hotels is their wine rooms
which are screened off as separated rooms. In certain of the places a
bedroom is assigned to drink in and no extra charge for its use unless
slept in. Such is the X79 Hotel. Some of the hotels are fairly clean,
but most are dirty, and the rooms are used by different couples time and
time again without changing the linen. In the X80 Hotel, two couples
can simultaneously use the same room. The excellent external appear-
ance of the hotels, their noisy, well-lighted, wide-open character, making
for ease of access, the wine rooms and the bedrooms close to each other,
make sexual vice safe and easy for both the man and the woman. The
hotel looks inviting to the semi-innocent but ripe girl who goes "just for
a drink." All the machinery for vice is there ready in smooth working
order — the bedroom close at hand, the absence of publicity, the effects
of the liquor, the urging applied at the right moment. These hotels are
perhaps the most blatant as well as one of the most insidious features
of the social evil in Syracuse. With them must be grouped in this
characterization certain of the saloons, which conduct rooms overhead,
where there are the same opportunities for immorality without incon-
venience, and with perfect security from observation.

Here is an instance of how this hotel system wrecks a girl, and takes
her over from an honest life into the life of a professional prostitute in
a house:

A prostitute in X23, a parlor house of prostitution, said that she
lived in Syracuse with a sister previous to entering the house. Some
trouble came up and she left her sister's place without any money. She

33

34 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN ,SYEACTJSE

said she had been going out with different fellows, but was too proud to
ask for money. She went with a fellow to X80 Hotel and afterwards to
X81 Hotel, N. Salina St. She knew a girl at the X180 Hotel news-
stand. She met a man there and went to his room in the hotel. This
man gave her $3 in the morning. She lived sometimes like this, some-
times having no place to sleep, as asking for money was distasteful to
her. She then went to the disorderly house, having met the madame
outside ia a friendly way several times before entering.

Illustrative Gases
June 31, 10 p. m., July 33, 9 p. m., August 5, 11 p. m.. Hotel X83

This hotel has twenty-iive rooms rented for prostitution purposes at
$1. The price of the girls patronizing this hotel is generally $2. There
is a saloon downstairs. Upstairs there are wine rooms, separate rooms
and different sections of the main room are screened off. The regular
bar prices are charged for drinks. On July 1st one of the investigators
counted six couples going in for rooms. On July T'th, at 11 :45 p. m.,
he counted four couples going into rooms in a space of twenty minutes.

July 5, 5 :30 p. m., September 5, 7 :45 p. m.. Hotel X80

The cost of a room is $1, and the price of a girl is $3. In the grill
of this place our investigators met fast women who, in certain instances,
suggested going to some other hotels. At other times, they met fast
women in other saloons who suggested coming here for a room.

The investigators found the Hotel X80 to be one of the most popular
and notorious rendezvous in Syracuse. The wine room is frequented by
young, semi-professional prostitutes, who are developing under the in-
fluences there into professional money getters. Girls bring their men
to the X80 House from restaurants, saloons and grill rooms. We give
the two reports of one of the investigators (a woman), concerning this
hotel :

"In company with girls X66, X67 and X68, the three girls whom I
met on September 4th at the X83 cafe, I visited this place. The en-
trance is through the cafe and hall, and a stairway in this passage leads
to rooms upstairs. As we entered, a young girl was going upstairs with a
drunken man. The man turned to look and the girl used very suggestive
language as to his coming on. Found two rooms — the one in front ar-
ranged as a dining room, the rear room, connected by a door, used as a
drinking room. In it were a piano and a man singer. The singer, who
was about 33 years old, sang three vulgar songs accompanied by dis-
gusting movements. He gave every indication of being a degenerate.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 35

There were four uiiescorted women besides ourselves and three with es-
corts in the front room where we were ushered. Men kept passing in
and out. The rear room was so crowded I was unable to count, and
could not see the entire room from where I sat, but had a full view of
part of the hallway where they passed in and out. Some of the girls
were about 23 to 25 years of age. Some appeared of the type who work
during the day. I had no opportunity of speaking to any. I heard one
girl at the opposite table make this proposition to the man she was with :
*Leave a dollar to the singer and fifty cents to the waiter and come up-
stairs with me.' She arranged to stay all night. This man was a
visitor wearing badges. He had been buying champagne, and his drink-
ing bill was over $8 at the table. This is how she came to suggest the
amount to be left to waiter and singer from the $10 bill. I saw them
go up the stairway. Another couple were drinking and talking seriously.
He said, 'Well, you go fix it up and I will take you up.' He was a
stranger. She left the table and in a few minutes returned. They left
the room, but were still arguing as to the amount the girl wanted when
we passed them in the hallway. The waiter, who attended to us, knew
these women with me very well, and said, 'Stick, girls, plenty doing.'
These girls invited him to come up when they were fixed up.

September 10th
"Entered Hotel X80 at 11 p. m. and found both rooms crowded.
Two men were at the doors to keep the crowd moving, and one was
stationed at the foot of the stairway. I passed upstairs to the ladies'
room, which is at the extreme end of the hall, and used as a public
room for both sexes. I found several of the bedroom doors closed (rooms
on either side of the hall). Laughter and profanity were coming from
some. When I entered the dining room, men invited me to sit down.
This place seems to be patronized by the youngest sporting element. I
met three couples entering as I left. None of the girls was twenty
years of age, and all were intoxicated. A man standing in the hall,
minus a hat and in his shirt sleeves, said, 'Good crowd, dear, come again
— sorry you are in a hurry.'

September 5th, Hotel X84

"I met , an investigator, by appointment, and at 3 :15 p. m.

we passed this place. The outside appearance looked suspicious to me,
and I suggested that we go in. The Ladies' Entrance is on the side of
a saloon. We passed up a stairway, entering a large room, partitioned
off with about three-quarter curtains, forming booths. I inquired of a
colored woman, who was cleaning, if we could have a room there. She
said, 'Sure, the price is $1.' As we were passing, I found this same

36 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

■woman attending a switchboard. I inquired, 'Is there any chance of
my meeting any men here?' 'Oh yes/ she replied. I learned through
girl X66 that you can get in this place almost any time of day or night.
'Most of the girls go there/ said she.

September 5th, X3 Hotel

"I asked Mr. (one of the investigators) to step into this

place with me. I inquired for an actor, who had roomed at this place
one year ago. I asked concerning transient rooms, saying that Mr.

, the actor, had suggested this place as being all right. 'You could

not have a single room for no price,' the clerk replied. 'I don't mean
that way, I mean for a little while,' I said, with a wink. 'Not now, we
are filled up/ he answered.

September 7th, 10 :30 p. m., 11 -M p. m.

"Women and girls who frequent what is termed the grill here are
older and of a different class from those found at hotels X80, X83 and
X83 or X85. Most of the men purchase something to eat. I over-
heard the following conversation between a man and a girl. The man
had left the table, but returning stood alongside the girl and said :

" 'Can't get anything here tonight. He said to go to the X84 Hotel
or up to the next corner to X86's Hotel, which place will we go?'

" 'Let's go X250's place, at the X73 apartments.' Saw them refuse
two men who had been drinking too much liquor.

September 6th

"I met Mr. (an investigator), and we strolled along Salina,

Clinton and Willow Sts. I asked him to step into the X85 Hotel. We
entered the ladies' room, and found two men and two women. As one
woman, X87, left the room, I followed and learned the following:

" 'You can get a room here if you work it with the bartender. One
time this place was fierce, but a new man took it and it changed. X86's
Hotel, at the next corner, is all right.'

"I asked her to take me around and show me the town. She agreed.

So I left Mr. , and she did the same with her friends. We went

to the X80 Hotel. She told me that she had been out drinking all the
afternoon, and made $7 from a 'guy.' He gave her $2 and she stole $5.
He was so drunk, he never knew. They had stayed at the X84 Hotel. At
one time she had lived in a $1 house, on E. Washington St., but the
landlady had forced the girls to go the limit (perversion). She left
and went to house X45, E. Washington St., for three months, then went
away as child's nurse for the summer. The X&3 Cafe, she said, had
been raided twice. They would not have young girls, but the X80 Hotel

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSB 37

took anything. Girls would go upstairs there just for a drink. Young
boys go there with only price of room rent. After being at X80 Hotel
for about an hour, I suggested that we leave. At Warren iSt. she met
a man whom she knew.

"At the X84 Hotel we were invited to a curtained booth by the clerk.
After we were served, the curtains were drawn together. A room was
later oilered to us for one dollar.

"I also visited the X94 Hotel, one of the worst dives I have ever
been in. Colored men and women were in the bar, the women openly and
brazenly soliciting."

2. SALOONS

One of the most pernicious sources of immorality is the association
of the saloon with prostitution. This evil is rampant in Syracuse. Ac-
cording to the United States Census for 1910, the city has a population
of 137,249. There are 383* retail liquor places, or one saloon to every
358 residents. This is an abnormally large relative proportion of saloons
to inhabitants, larger than that of New York City, for instance, where
there is one saloon to over 500 inhabitants. Des Moines, la., has only
one saloon to every thousand inhabitants.

The direct result of flooding the community with saloons is that
many liquor dealers are forced by over-competition to add immoral con-
ditions to their saloon trade. If they sold liquor in obedience to the
law only, they would lose money and become bankrupt. So they open a
rear room trade where women drop in to drink and meet men. This, in
turn, leads to the opening up of bedrooms overhead. One saloon to
every 358 persons means that there is a promiscuous secret drinking be-
tween the sexes in many sections of the city. It also means many dan-
ger spots, where the social evil is supplied with victims and practitioners.
But little headway can be made against the social evil until the number
of saloons is so reduced as to bear some reasonable relation to the normal
demand for liquor, and not a demand falsely stimulated by mixing the
sexes in secret drinking places.

In many of the saloons in Syracuse the law is not enforced. This is
especially true of the late closing and Sunday closing laws. There are
curtained booths, open soliciting at the bar, beckoning from the booths,
and entering the rear room of the bar. These rear rooms are used by
unescorted women ; and open solicitation is common in them. There are
also rooms for prostitution over many of the saloons.

The law now on the statute books is adequate to meet much of this
cryiag evil. The licenses of many of the saloons which are now centers
of sexual vice could be withdrawn by a fearless enforcement of the law.
Thus the number of saloons, now so greatly in excess of the average in
other cities of the United States, would be reduced and the saloon keeper
would be freed from the necessity, which many of them now feel, of
adding prostitution to the sale of liquor in order to make a living.

The investigators made the following reports of conditions in saloons
and cafes:

*The number was given in January, 1913, by the Excise Commissioner for
Onondaga County. It includes only hotels and saloons within the city limits.

38

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE 39

"It ia the rule rather than the exception for the saloons to have bed-
rooms connected with wine rooms, and the bedroom can be had by hand-
ing the waiter the price, usually one dollar, and stepping down the hall."

"The X53 cafe is known to all women as a meeting place. On
August 3rd, I was solicited by two prostitutes of a State St. flat. They
make the X53 cafe their headquarters."

"Fellows and girls from the dance hall and the streets intermingle

in the saloons, and go to rooms together. Often a prostitute from one of

I the parlor houses will ask the girls in the saloon to come and see her.

In this way the girls of the street meet working girls and acquaint them

with the atmosphere of the parlor houses.

"A case in point is that of girl X91. She first began to go out with
a man named X190, who is now running a saloon. Later she went to
live with him. In visiting the saloon she became acquainted with most
of the madames who came there to drink. The madames have used
every possible means to induce this girl to go into a house. X91 herself
said that Madame XI offered to buy her a diamond ring. .She told me
she intended to enter a house, but she met a fellow she liked and went
to live with him. She will undoubtedly go into a house when he drops
her."

The investigators found thirty-two saloons where disorderly condi-
tions exist. With further investigation this nimiber would undoubtedly
be increased. As with all the figures of this report, this number affords
a conservative and minimum basis for estimating the extent of the busi-
ness done in vice. The investigators counted 209 unescorted women in
the rear rooms of these saloons. Very frequently the saloon girls take
their men to the disorderly hotels, such as X80, X83, X84, X94, X95,
X&6 and X81. Sometimes they take them to rooms over a saloon, or
to furnished rooms where they live. The average room run in connec-
tion with a saloon is one dollar. The girls charge one dollar and two
dollars. One girl offered herself for fifty cents and another asked five
dollars.

Typical Instances

"July Mth, 4 p. m. — The X98 saloon has bedrooms on the second
floor opening off the wine room. No registration is required. One in-
vestigator saw two unescorted women in the rear room. This place is
very dirty and the bedding is not changed. Two men and two women
obtained a room co-operatively on July 24th, at 4 p. m., each man paying
fifty cents."

"At the X53 cafe I counted eleven unescorted women, thirty-one
men and eight couples during my stay on September 4th from 8 to 10 :30

40 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

p. m. I made the acquaintance of three women who were together. One
of them said, in answer to my inquiry for the real sporting cafes, 'This
is all right, and these two waiters (referring to the two young men who
were serving) are all right. They can put you on to some good things
here. "We were arrested yesterday for slumming (I knew they meant
soliciting, but felt timid with me at first), but were let off with a fine.
Everything is pretty close, but there is plenty doing.' Men from the
opposite table began sending drinks to our table, so I left. I found
more men addressing women than women speaking to men."

"I entered the X53 cafe at 13 :10 p. m. on September 10th. There
were twenty-three unescorted women present, but they were soon sup-
plied. The women here seem to be in a more advanced state of prostitu-
tion than most of those who frequent the X80 hotel. The place is very
poorly ventilated, and the smoke is so thick that you can hardly discern
those at the lower end of the hall. Many young men were present, some
very intoxicated. There were also young girls with soldiers and musi-
cians in uniform. I followed two couples out. The girls took the men
to the X8'2 hotel. The men refused to go upstairs, however, and the
girls left them and returned for more."

"I visited the X99 saloon, which has a very bad reputation. Girls
enter the bar just as the men do. As you enter the bar there is a booth,
where the street walkers congregate. I joined four girls in that booth.
While there I was solicited and invited to go upstairs.

Following is conversation of one of the investigators with three of
the saloon and hotel girls: "On September 5th at 8 :30 p. m., I met girls
X66, X67 and X68 and we went into the X83 cafe. I ordered some re-
freshments, remarking that I had spent the day flat hunting, and wanted
to open a place for the Fair. X6'6, who appears to be the most talkative,
said, 'We've taken a flat today, and there's one vacant on the next floor.
We have some stuff: put up $5 and got some more; one dollar down,
and one when they get you. We'll keep it till after the fair, and then
beat it.' Upon my saying that I was in a quandry where to take a man,
she replied, 'There is the X83 hotel — -very nice — the X84 hotel, well,
that's not swell, but you don't marry the man. I will take you to the
X80 Hotel. You can get in for one dollar. Of course if the fellow looks
easy, they charge him double now (State Fair Week), but believe me,
men are few who pay over two dollars, one for you and one for the room.
Do you know there is only one five dollar house in town, the rest are one

dollar, and they go the limit. It's to get along. We were in

Montreal, and heard that you could coin your money here, but we have
not seen one live one since we came, four months ago. I was in New
York for a while, and lived with a madame on 66th St., near Central

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 41

Park W. She had a dandy flat for fifty dollars a month. Business was
good, but men advised her to move down to the Forties, and we starved
to death. I beat it to Detroit for the races. Then I got it into my head
to travel. I went first to one place, then to another; and finally landed
in Montreal. We three had a good time there, but we heard about this
place and here we are till after the Fair — ^then for Detroit, where you
can meet live men. This is the only place in town where you can meet
vnth a dollar. At the X80 hotel they treat, but hate to spend.'

"I inquired about the X2 hotel and she said, 'You must have your
suitcase and your certificate now, until you can get in right. If you
can get a good man (I mean a man well known in town) to take you
there, say, you are fixed. It's a cinch then. I believe it was loose at
one time, but now they are closing the lid down tight. The fellow who
rims it stands pretty high and wants to be safe.'

After we had been in the XS3 cafe for about an hour, she suggested
that we go to the X80 hotel, saying that the girls are cheap at this place.
She and her companions were very chummy with the waiter. She as-
sured me that rooms could be had there."

One of the investigators reports that he was solicited by three women
in the rear room of a saloon on July 15 at 11-30 p. m. A police officer
entered the room, and the waiter gave him a glass of beer. The officer
drank the beer without paying for it, spoke to the women, and went out.

"Perhaps more girls, craving amusement and fun, have traveled to their
ruin over the smooth, glistening floors of innocent looking dance halls, than
in any other way. Not that the dances in themselves are so bad, but the
surroundings are bad. The beautiful, graceful dance is not in vogue there,
but the bawdy sham, trying in its limp, lame fashion to mimic society and
the good, wholesome, refreshing merrymaking of a refined social evening.
" The dance hall, with the saloon or bar in connection or adjacent, is the
curse of the present century."

CLIFFORD G. ROB.

CHAPTER III

Summer Amusement Resorts and the Social Evil

Dance halls at two amusement resorts just outside Syracuse are
loosely managed. The sale of liquor is an important source of income
at these resorts. In neither place is liquor actually sold in the dance
hall, but pass checks are handed out good for long intermissions between
the dances, and bars and wine rooms are close at hand. These resorts
are mostly patronized by working girls seeking amusement.

An investigator reports of these resorts : "I saw an inmate of one of
the houses of prostitution dancing and mingling with the girls. While
I actually saw only this one prostitute there, I was told in different
houses that the girls were off for the afternoon at one of these resorts.
It is customary for the girls to go out with companions during the in-
termissions. Thus an innocent girl may unwittingly be in a party with
one or more prostitutes, and follow their lead. I have seen a prostitute
from X106 tenement and her friend at both resorts.

"I danced at one of the resorts with five girls just as they came.
Pour of them admitted going out and drinking and going to bedrooms
afterwards. Two of the girls had men with them. One girl requested
a date for another evening. They said that as the other two were to-
gether, I would have to get a friend. The fifth would not dance close,
and did not leave an opening for this kind of conversation. Close danc-
ing (a follow step, like the 'Turkey Trot' and 'Grizzly Bear') is allowed,
and those who dance in this manner are most sought after. Dancing
once round the hall in this fashion often results in a mutual under-
standing which permits of any kind of conversation."

On July 37th, 8 p. m., "there were about 200 present at this resort,
of whom about fifty were minors. Working girls were among those danc-
ing. A card prohibiting tough dancing was posted, but nearly everything
was in evidence— the. Turkey Trot, the Grizzly Bear, etc. Liquor was
sold to minors nearby and eight or ten persons were intoxicated. Extra
tickets for dance admissions were sold to good looking girls. Men were
soliciting the girls to go to the X108 hotel."

"I was with X25 last night. He lives at X108 and works now in
X109 store. He is a New York cadet and crook. He brought his girl
here from Hartford, Conn., where he 'stuck up a man for a pin, and

43

44 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

skipped town.' His girl is afraid to go out on the street, and he would not
let her work for a madame. 'I am working fourteen hours a day for
twelve dollars a week' he said, 'so I shouldn't starve. Ain't that the
limit?' He is going to 'put me wise' to some charity (clandestine pros-
titution). He said he would help me 'grab a girl,' so that I can 'get a
front.' He also told me that he picked up 'a kid' the other night on
So. Warren and Fayette Sts. He treated her to ice cream and took her
to a nearby resort. There he attempted to assault her and she screamed.
He put his hand on her mouth and told her he would let her up if she
would stop her hollering. She promised, so he let her up, put her on a
car and after riding some distance with her, jumped off. 'They'd hand
me eighty years,' he said. 'The kid was only 15 years old.' " The
investigator adds that he secured a few more such cases.

September 8th. "I met X25, the cadet, at 1 p. m. and persuaded
him to initiate me into the secrets of one of these resorts. We took a
car and went there. He showed me several places where he takes his
prey every evening. Cadet X35 took me down XllO St. and showed me
the spot where he had seduced a girl on another occasion. We then
walked on further and he showed me another secluded spot where he
brings girls. We then went back to the city, and he made an appoint-
ment for 8 p. m., as he had an engagement with a 'couple of kids' to take
them to this resort. He also told me that three friends of his from
New York were due that day, and asked me to be sure and meet him,
as I knew his friends, too.

"I purposely failed to meet him, but followed him to the resort at
8 :30. As I expected, I found the men in company with the three girls
on the porch of the Xlll hotel. Of the three cadets who came from

New York I only know one, an Italian, nicknamed . He is a

thoroughly vicious man. The other two were Jewish fellows. I had
seen one of the three girls, but could not place her till she made a bad
break about XI 13 store. I then knew that she had sold me some
Syracuse pennants, and after awhile she admitted that she was working
there. Not one of these girls was 18 years old. Cadet X25 and two of
the other men walked with the girls to a valley right below the hill,
while I remained with the fourth fellow. When they returned, I began
'kidding' the X112 store girl about her very recent valley experience
(in order to be sure just what happened), and she said to me, 'Go on,
you ain't got the nerve to take me down that valley.'

"After a while I 'lost myself and began to explore that valley. I
counted eight couples, the girls all young; the men young, middle aged
and elderly, go down the valley below the hill. It is so dark there that

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYILiCUSE 45

you can scarcely see your hand before your face. As you go slowly along
you can see nothing, but you can hear whisperings all about. I do not
think that husbands take their wives, or sons their mothers, or honest
lovers their sweethearts there. And besides when you pick up a clan-
destine girl on the streets of the city, she usually suggests this resort to

you."

The investigator's report of another amusement resort is as follows:
"On July 28th there were from three to four hundred persons present
at the dance here. Many of them working girls, and about one-half were
minors. A card prohibiting tough dancing was displayed, but the
Grizzly Bear and the Turkey Trot were being performed. Liquor was
sold in a place opposite. I counted thirty-five who were intoxicated.
Men solicit women to go to nearby resorts for bed house privileges.
These nearby resorts derive a considerable income from people from the
dance hall here.

"One-half of the men returning to Syracuse on the car July 28th
were intoxicated.

"Very frequently girls in couples, after waiting at the entrance of the
dance hall or walking about the park on the chance of securing partners,
enter in the hope of making men acquaiutances. I counted two such
couples on the hunt during fifteen minutes on July 31st at about 9 p. m.
Girls hover around the spectators in the billiard room in order to make
acquaintances. I noticed one girl entering and reentering the billiard
room. These girls are mostly young, averaging 16 to 18 years of age.

"A 'wheel' is run at this place. This is a wheel with srsty numbers.
Twenty paddles, with three numbers on each, are sold for ten cents per
paddle. Thus the proprietor of the wheel collects two dollars. The
purchaser of the winning paddle received one dollar and fifty cents if the
wheel stops at the number on the top of his paddle, one dollar if it stops
on the second number and seventy-five cents if it stops on the third
number. The man who runs the game is boimd to receive from fifty
cents to one dollar or one dollar and quarter each time the wheel spins.
They take the money from children as well as from adults.

"A danger spot at this resort is the large unlighted grove near the
dance hall.

CHAPTER IV

Tenements, Furnished Rooms and Miscellaneous Places

1. TENEMENTS AND FURNISHED ROOMS

While searching conditions in the parlor houses, disorderly hotels
and saloons, the investigators found that many of the fast women about
town live in flats and lodging houses where they take men from time to
time. Thus girl Xl&l runs a place, living at No. — State St. X192 lives
opposite and is summoned over to girl X191's when a man comes. Beer
is sold at twenty-five cents. X193 has a little girl about 12 years old.
The two women frequent the X53 cafe. The charge for a room is one
dollar, and Xl92's price is two dollars up.

No. — E. Genesee St., X54 solicited the investigator on July 15th
at 7:45 p. m. She lives upstairs and said that the woman rents the
rooms to her knowing that she uses them for prostitution.

X55 solicited the investigator to go to her room at No. — Wyom-
ing St.

X57 entertains men friends at the X58 apartments. The elevator
boy also sent the investigator to X59, at apartment No. — .

On July 11th, the investigator saw two street solicitors take men to
No. — E. Genesee St. X61, a cadet, stated that the flats were rooming
places for cadets and their girls.

The women who live at No. — let men visit them without charge.
Girls X193 and X194, 31 and 34 years old, bring a boy home occa-
sionally.

At is an apartment conducted by Girls X66, X67 and X68.

Girl X66 has a cadet. He appears to be a rough sort. X66 and her
cadet rent the flat, stating to the landlady that they desired to rent out
rooms.

At the X71 apartments the investigator saw many cards on the door
with just the first name. The elevator man said, "The elevator nms
all night. It is mostly all girls who are in here — aU jolly good fellows."
When asked if one's men friends can come in, he said, "They simply get
on the elevator — ask no questions."

Girl X73 rooms in this place with a married couple, and meets some
of her "friends" here. She said, "There are lots of good people living
here, but many real bad girls."

47

48 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

Girl X74, living at the X73 apartments, said, "We have three rooms,
X186 and I. I take most of my men outside."

X76, living at 'No. — "W. Genesee St., said, "Some nice men, whom
I know very well, I take to my room." There are furnished rooms at
this place, and women of rough appearance were soliciting at the door.

At the X7'i' apartments the elevator man said, with a knowing wiak,
"You don't have to have a license to breathe." Girl X78 said, "I room
with a friend here, and meet my friends quietly. There are several girls
besides myself living here."

In addition to the parlor houses, disorderly hotels, saloons, tenements
and furnished rooms, there are a number of other places in the city
closely connected with prostitution. Among these are the stores where
the inmates of the parlor houses are exploited by the exorbitantly high
prices paid for purchases, and the places where the cadets and prosti-
tutes gather.

Of these places, the investigators report as follows :

XlOCFs store. No. . The parlor houses send here for tobacco,

candy and other goods. A young girl is messenger to and from the
houses. Cadets and prostitutes frequent this place.

XlOS's store. "I called here, and while I was talking in the store,
three public women from the nearby house came in and made purchases.
One girl bought silk hose, ribbon, and silk undervests at $3.50 a gar-
ment. A colored woman bought a pink silk wrapper for $13.50. A girl
from XlO house took two wrappers to the house on approval. This store
appears to cater to this particular class, carrying everything in their
line."

"I asked a waitress in XlOl restaurant if she could tell me where I
could buy some 'hop' (opium). She asked a Chinaman and he sent me
to X102 restaurant. The Chinaman had 'hop' but would not sell me
any. His partner had left for New York to lay in a supply. I met X103
here, and he sold me two dollars worth of 'hop.' "

Of this XlOl restaurant another investigator reports : "I visited this
place September 7th, 1912, at 13 p. m. to 1:30 p. m. and found it
crowded. A small room in front is set apart for unescorted women ; but
this was occupied mostly by men. I counted fifteen women (three
unescorted) and forty men passing in. I saw here three girls whom I
had seen at all my visits to the X80 hotel, two from the X83 cafe, and
two women, who, I understood, were from the X7 house. A prostitute
came in, accompanied by a man and a little girl about 10 years of age.
The conversation and the actions of the woman were vile. The men
were of the working class. The cadets of Syracuse are not of the 'dandy'

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 49

class of other cities. They dress, as do the women, rather plainly. Three
white girls act as waitresses here. The place is very rough."

"At X195's, hard cider is sold. Two prostitutes were met here. A
room may be obtained here for one dollar, and the girl charges the same
amount.

"Among these miscellaneous places may also be included certain
waiting rooms, the State Fair Grounds and the Post OfiBce.

"Of one of these waiting rooms the investigators report: This is a
meeting place. Girls use the ladies' waiting room as a blind. This
room is one of the dirtiest places I ever visited. Decayed fridt, paper
and dirt are strewn aroimd. Six girls in groups of three were standing
outside and soliciting. They were telling of escapades with men, and
seemed of the type that would not ask for money. One girl said to me,
'I hang around here, and pretend I am waiting for a car. I have met
many a good fellow that way. A married woman did something to me
in the women's waiting room. She comes here often and is known as
the muffler. She picks out blonds and girls living at home.' And an-
other girl said, 'You can meet good men here;' and still another, 'You
can hang around outside and make believe to wait for a car, and meet
some good fellows some times.'

"On September 11th, I counted eight women, who, I am sure, were
out for money. Girls, 17 and 18 years old, were standing around flirt-
ing, and would meet men without asking money. I have seen many
clandestine arrangements made here. It is a rendezvous for married
women. Many girls take rides to continue a flirtation which ends at a
park or hotel. This place seems to be a rendezvous where girls who live
at home stand and flirt. On September 14th, I counted eight who
appeared to be thoroughly public women.

"At another waiting room, eleven women and girls were counted
soliciting on September 11th and six on September 13th. Of these the
investigator reports : They are bolder than any I have seen elsewhere."

"The Post Office corner is a rendezvous for the married women and
day girls. They pass around the corner, enter one door and leave at the
opposite side." On September 7th, eleven women were counted solic-
iting here.

State Fair Grounds

"On September 11th, I met here eleven women whom I have met in
New York, and several men who stand around 42d St. and Broadway.
I noticed more out of town women here than on the streets. They were
soliciting around the booths and in the amusement tents. One woman

50 THE SOCIAL EVIL IK SYEACUSB

said to me, 'My man has the booth here. We work together. He always
follows the fairs, and I travel along, picking up a good many live ones
that way.' She was very bold in her soliciting, accosting men as they
passed by. She was accompanied by another girl. They are both Few
York women. 'Business is very good around here,' she said.

"On September 13th, I found X239 and X235, New York girls,
soliciting along the roadway in front of a dining tent. One told me, *I
came to town with X239 and two men. Have met many good men.
Am here for the convention and intend to stay a few weeks longer to see
how business is. I may enter a house.' I found many women soliciting
along the walk, four of whom were from New York. X339 had a man
friend with her who was playing the races. He had left her in an
automobile and she was soHeiting men as they passed."

"The life of an unprotected girl who tries to make her living in a great
city is full of torturing temptations. She faces the problem of living on an
inadequate wage. She quickly learns of the possibilities about her, of the
joys of comfort, good food, entertainment, attractive clothes. Poverty be-
comes a menace and a snare. One who has not beheld the struggle or come
in personal contact with the tempted soul of the underpaid girl can never
realize what the poverty of the city means to her. One who has never seen
her bravely fighting against such fearful odds will never understand. A
day's sickness or a week out of work are tragedies in her life. They mean
trips to the pawn-brokers, meagre dinners, a weakened will, often a plunge
into the abyss from which she so often never escapes."

Report of the Chicago Vice Commission.

CHAPTER V

Street Soliciting and Clandestine Prostitution

1. STREET SOLICITING

One of the most pernicious aspects of the social evil in Syracuse is
the prevalence of street soliciting. There is no city ordinance dealing
with this evil. There was such an ordinance, but it was repealed; and
an effort to replace it on the statute books made in 1901' failed. As a
result of this condition street solicitation is openly practiced in defiance
of the police. Thus the investigators report many cases of solicitation
with police officers close at hand. The date, hour and location are given
in each case.

Most of the street soliciting was observed in the narrow boundaries of
the hotel and crowded business section, at the very center of the city.
Instances were observed in front of numerous hotels, up and down Sa-
lina St., on Water St., on Warren St., along Fayette St., on Washington
St., and opposite City Hall. So. Salina St., from the canal south for
half a dozen blocks is a favorite section for street solicitation ; also North
Salina St., near the canal. Numerous cases of solicitations were wit-
nessed by the investigators on E. Washington St., West Washington St.,
East Eayette and West Payette, So. Warren, James, E. Genesee, W.
Genesee and So. Clinton Sts. Our investigators saw in all 441 women
whom they believed to be prostitutes. They were actually solicited by
seventy-eight girls. Twenty-one of the women asked one dollar; twenty
asked two dollars; one asked three dollars and one five dollars. Many
made such answers as " Leave it to you," "What you think is right,"
"Don't care." They solicited men to go to the X115, X116, X117, X118,
X84, X119, X80, X&2, X94 and X95 hotels; X97 and Xl»l's saloons
and madame X120's parlor house, and to furnished rooms and apart-
ments. The price of nineteen of the rooms chosen by the girls was one
dollar. One room was priced at fifty cents and one dollar.

An investigator reports: "Walking on Salina St. I found eleven
women in seven blocks soliciting. I met several girls who appeared to
be employed during the day. The public women are more reserved in
their manner than the general type I have observed. They are not so
bold on the street as in other towns. They do not have the dissipated
look and are less vulgar in their conversation. They range from 17 to

53

54 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

35 years of age. I have particularly noticed many who appear to be
married women, modestly dressed, soliciting aroimd the hotels, at the
main post oflSce, on Salina St., and on Warren St. These women seem
more bold than those who appear to be professionals. The general
method adopted by the street girls is to stand in the doorway of a store.
They are sometimes alone; but usually travel in groups of two or three.
They are bolder when in groups, but dress quietly, and use but little
paint or powder.

"I find the streets crowded at night with girls from every walk of
life — ^the home girl out for a little flirtation, the working girl out for
fun and small change, and the professional prostitute. Many of the
latter live exclusively by prostitution; others add thievery to it. The
girls are not as mercenary as in other towns, and they seem to have no
fear of going to the woods, parks or hotels with strangers. Many of the
girls are just starting out on the life of vice. Some of the older ones
go to one of the summer resorts. I have seen lots of fellows and girls
there, and know what the purpose is. Fellows buy whiskey and cock-
tails ; take the girl to the woods, get her half iutoiicated, and then per-
suade her to her ruin. I have found many married women soliciting
during the day on B. Washington St., on Fayette St., and around the
doorways of stores generally. This is their method, and more soliciting
is carried on in this way than by walking about."

"On September 10th, crowds of people were on both sides of Saliua
St., girls of 14 years to women of 40, boys of 18 to men of 50. It was
hard to discriminate no-money girls from those who ask for money.

Policemen No. X and No. X were standing there. They both

seemed to be acquainted with some of the girls who were hustling back-
ward and forward on the two blocks. Young men at the corners ad-
dressed these girls, and each girl had a vulgar reply ready. I counted
seventeen girls whom I knew were soliciting."

Typical Cases of Street Solicitors

X170 solicited an investigator on S. Warren St. and took him to
X83 hotel. She wanted $3 for a little while. She said she has lived in
Syrac]a8e for two years. On July 23d, she solicited another investigator
and took him to the X82 hotel.

On June 36th girl X171 solicited the investigator at Salina and
Washington Sts. She gave her age as 36 years, and her occupation as a
nurse. She asked the investigator to go to Hotel X84.

On June 27th, 4:30 p. m., girl X55 gave her age as 24 years. She
practices perversion for two dollars. She said that her home was in the

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 55

west, that she is a stenographer, and lives at 'So. — . She solicited
the investigator on Wyoming St. and took him to X97's saloon and
hotel. On July 37th at 2 p. m. she solicited another investigator on So.
Clinton St. This time she asked one dollar and gave her address as
No. — . She had another girl with her who said she came from Utica,
N. T.

July 6th, 2 a. m., X356 was in the parlor house, X172, where the
made is X137. She stated that she had heen "in the game" for two
years. She gave her age as twenty-eight, and had a certificate of free-
dom from venereal disease signed by physician X49.

July 2'2d, 9 p. m., July 27th. Girl XI 91 solicited the investigator
and took him to the X108 hotel. She stated that she lived on the prem-
ises, where she had light housekeeping rooms and that three other women

have privileges there. She is about 35 years old, and comes from ,

N. Y. She has been married, but left her husband, and has been iu the
business for over a year.

June 28th. Girl X39, an inmate of Madame X26's house is about
24 years old, and came to the house on August 18th. This is the girl
whose account book, showing her earnings for a period of six months,
appears in the appendix of this report. Besides giving her accounts in
a very haphazard way, and with an altogether original method of book-
keeping, the book serves as a memorandum and address list of her friends
of both sexes. The names of eleven other girls are recorded, evidently
inmates of Madame X26's house. A number of men "friends" from
nearby cities are classified. From the general tone of the book, the girl
appears to be a pervert.

On June 1, at 6 p. m., X174 solicited the investigator. She is about

19 years old. She said she came from , N. Y., and is now living

with her parents. She graduated from a high school, married when 17,
and is now divorced. She practices perversion for five dollars.

On July 10, X175, 18 years old, X176, 19 years old and X177 drank
much beer at the grill room, later changing to highballs. At the girls'
suggestion the party took an automobile to a roadhouse, where the girls
asked three dollars. X176 said that three dollars is cheap as they get
five dollars "down the line."

2. CLANDESTINE PROSTITUTION

Another baffling feature of the social evil, very closely connected with
street soliciting, is the clandestine prostitution which is common in the
city. The clandestine prostitutes do not and will not solicit, but they
will permit solicitation and "follow you." Here is a typical case, as re-
ported by one of the investigators : "A girl about 19 years old stood on
the corner of Salina and Washington Sts., looking in a window. I
opened negotiations by passing the time of day. Here is her story:
She is employed at X124 store, and earns six dollars a week, which, she
said, 'Is simply not enough for a girl who must bring the greater part of
it home.' For that reason, 'If I am lucky enough to be picked up by a
stranger, I will follow him.' "

This investigator states that anyone can easily "pick up" a dozen
girls a night on Salina St. alone. They do not openly solicit, but give a
stranger just enough room to approach them. They name no price, but
will "follow you" preferably to one of the nearby summer resorts, where
nobody sees or knows them. Their only worry is not to be seen. The
conditions around the X3 hotel, the investigator declares, are a disgrace
to Syracuse. Girls from 15 to 19 years of age gather around there, with
chauffeurs, who have their machines in front of the hotel.

Continuing his report, the investigator states, "Of course the girls
show encouragement to the prospective customer, you can not possibly
go vrrong. On one occasion, I spoke to five women (including two girls
about 15 years old), and all of them were ready and willing to follow me.
The two girls were looking into a jewelry store window, admiring the
paste display. I stopped and looked into the next window. They opened
the conversation by asking me if I would not buy them 'thaf necklace.
They said that they would come with me to any room, etc., etc."

The following reports of the investigators will give an idea of this
clandestine prostitution :

"While doing some shopping in the X163 store, I got into conversa-
tion with two girls about 15 and 16 years of age respectively. The 16-
year-old girl very readily consented to meet me when the store closed.
I asked her where we could go, and she suggested one of the nearby re-
sorts.

"I had my meals at the XI 64 restaurant twice during the day, and
was able to make an appointment each time with a waitress. I readily
see now why I got so many histories in New York of girls from Syracuse,
Rochester, Schenectady and up-state. It seems that the prostitution from

56

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYBACUSE 57

which New York's vice is recruited, begins right here and in this vi-
cinity."

"I made an appointment tonight with a waitress in the X164 res-
taurant. She works at night, and is getting about eight dollars a week
salary, and about five dollars in tips. But that is not enough. She
wears lace inserted waists, patent leather shoes, silk hose, and 'must'
have her hair dressed, etc. She is satisfied with four or five men a week."

"Being unable to get any breakfast in the city, owing to the tre-
mendous crowds, I went out of my way to the X165 restaurant. A
waitress, X166, a very pretty girl about 19 years old, readily 'picked me
up' and made a date to go to a near-by resort with me that night. I
very bluntly asked how it happens that she goes out with men when she
is working. She replied, 'I am getting six dollars a week in this joint,
and hardly any tips, and what's the difference, it's in the air.' "

Certain of the fast women work in restaurants. Such is X91, who
works in X92 restaurant. Of this woman and her associates, one in-
vestigator reports as follows :

"A student named X167 was introduced to me by X91 in a restaur-
ant. He looked healthy on July ^Sd. I met him on the street on Au-
gust 3d and did not recognize him till he spoke to me. He has been
living with X91. He seems a bright fellow, and gave me much infor-
mation regarding the houses of prostitution. He is one of the fellows
who stands in with the madames because of acquaintances in college.
In conversation with him I said, 'You are pretty well known down the
line; they must like you.' 'There are several of the fellows who are
well known,' he replied.

"He said that 'the madames like to have the girls get acquainted with
students who are on the teams or are well known in college. Then they
can go up round the stadium, get acquainted with fellows, and drum
up business.' Student X168 'stands in' at one of the houses of prosti-
tution. A woman used to loan him twenty-five dollars at a time.

"I do not know that any of these fellows have actually introduced
girls into the houses. The only evidence as yet is that they have indis-
creetly told the madames of several 'joy' girls, and given addresses. I
have not found any direct evidence of white slavery, but I have found
that much pressure is brought to bear upon girls who are loose morally
to go into the houses of prostitution by the following methods : Fellows
who have taken girls out, or have lived with them for a time, talk of
them in the houses, and direct the madames where to find them. In
some cases they introduce the girls to inmates for drinking parties and
the like. Thus many means are employed to get the girls into the houses.
In this way waitress X91 has become acquainted with every place in the
district."

The breeding-place of all venereal diseases without exception is in the
social institution called prostitution, or sexual promiscuity; in the debase-
ment and degradation of what should be the highest and most revered of
physical powers, those involved in the act of generation. Bred and culti-
vated in prostitution, venereal disease spreads thence through the com-
munity, attacking the innocent as well as the guilty, the pure as well as the
impure, just as typhoid fever is no respecter of persons, no matter how
strict their own sanitary standards may be.

The genuine prevention of venereal disease is only made possible by the
prevention of prostitutioii. Prostitution cannot be retained and the diseases
fostered in it be eliminated.

LAVINIA L. DOCK, R. N.

CHAPTER VI

The Social Evil and Disease

The spread of venereal diseases is a direct result of prostitution.
These diseases are parasitic. Pasteur said that forty per cent of human
deaths are caused by parasitic diseases, all of which are preventable ; and
that if this cause of death were removed the average of human life would
be increased fifteen years.

Dr. Prince A. Morrow of New York, President of the Society of
Sanitary and Moral Prophylaxis, has written as follows upon the
venereal diseases:

"Prevalence of these Diseases and their Danger to Public Health.
In point of prevalence they vastly overshadow all other infectious dis-
eases, both acute and chronic combined. It is a conservative estimate
that fully one-eighth of all human disease and sufEering comes from this
source. Moreover, the incidence of these diseases falls most heavily upon
the young during the most active and productive period of life. Every
year in this country 770,000 males reach the age of early maturity, that
is, they approach the danger zone of initial debauch. It may be affirmed
that under existing conditions at least forty per cent, or over 300,000,
of these young men will some time during life become infected with
venereal disease. Twenty per cent of these infections wiU occur before
their twenty-second year, fifty per cent before their twenty-fifth year, and
more than eighty per cent before they pass their thirtieth year. These
300,000 infections represent the venereal morbidity incident to the male
product of a single year. Bach succeeding group of males who pass the
sixteenth year furnishes its quota of victims, so that the total morbidity
from this constantly accumulative growth forms an immense aggregate.

"Dangers to the Innocent Members of Society. Of the large propor-
tion of men who contract venereal disease, many of them carry this in-
fection into the family. Unfortunately, these diseases are markedly
accentuated in virulence and danger to the wife and mother in fulfilling
the functions for which marriage was instituted. There is abundant
statistical evidence to show that eighty per cent of the deaths from in-
flammatory diseases pecidiar to women, seventy-five per cent of all
special surgical operations performed on women, and over sixty per cent
of all work done by specialists in diseases of women, are the result of

59

60 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

gonoeoccus infection. In addition, fifty per cent or more of these
infected women are rendered absolutely and irremediably sterile, and
many are condemned to life-long invalidism. Every year in this country
thousands of pure young women are infected in the relation of marriage,
their conceptional capacity destroyed, the aspirations which centre in
motherhood and children swept away, or the holy ofl&ce of maternity
desecrated by the bringing forth of tainted, diseased, or dead children,
and the women themselves often ruined in health or condemned to
mutilation of their maternal organs to save their lives.

Dangers to the Of spring. The effects of these diseases introduced
into marriage are not measured alone by the danger to the life and
health of the mother, but are still further manifest in their danger to
the offspring. Fully eighty per cent of the ophthalmia which blots out
the eyes of babies, and twenty to twenty-five per cent of all blindness, is
caused by gonoeoccus infection. Syphilis is the only disease which is
transmitted to the offspring in full virulence. Its effect upon the pro-
duct of conception is simply murderous. Sixty to eighty per cent of all
infected children die before being born or come into the world with the
mark of death upon them. Those that finally survive — one in four or
five — are the subjects of degenerative changes and organic defects
which may be transmitted to the third generation.

Such are some of the undeniable and scientifically demonstrated
dangers of a class of diseases, aptly designated as the 'Great Black
Plague,' whose ravages have always been covered up and concealed from
the public. There are some facts which it is more dangerous to conceal
than to expose.

Economic significance. The fact that these diseases constitute the
most potent factor in the causation of blindness, deaf-mutism, idiocy,
insanity, paralysis, locomotor ataxia, and other incapacitating and in-
curable affections, imposes an enormous charge upon the state and com-
munity. Millions of dollars are contributed to the support of defectives,
iut not a dollar for the dissemination of the saving knowledge which
might prevent.

Relation to Tuberculosis. It should be known that the spread of
tuberculosis is not simply a question of seed and environment, but
chiefly one of soil suitable for the development of the tubercle bacilli.
It is a fact well recognized by the medical profession that syphilis, by
lowering the vitality and weakening resistance, produces a condition
favorable to the development of tuberculosis. Until the spread of
syphilis is effectively cheeked the fight against tuberculosis will be but
partially successful.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 61

Objects and Aims. The more immediate objects of the educational
work undertaken are: (1) The prevention of the large number of in-
fections which occur in the young, the immature and the irresponsible
through ignorance. (3) The preservation from infection of virtuous
wives and innocent children who are powerless to protect themselves.
(3) The prevention of the vast mass of disease and misery engendered
in the descendants. It will thus be seen that this work, apart from its
sanitary and economic importance, has a distinct humanitarian value.

Remedial Measures. While there are other causes which contribute
to the spread of these diseases, the basic cause is ignorance. The edu-
cational part of the work embraces as its most essential features :

The general dissemination of knowledge among the public, in a
proper and discreet manner, of the extent and dangers of these diseases,
and their modes of contagion, direct and indirect.

The enlightenment of the public respecting the social dangers of
these diseases, especially to the innocent members of society through
their introduction into marriage.

The education of young people into a knowledge of their physical
selves and of the laws and hygiene of sex.

It is believed by medical men who are competent to judge that the
knowledge we seek to convey would be of inestimable benefit in prevent-
ing thousands of ignorant and reckless exposures to the dangers in-
separable from i mm oral relations. Whatever may be the value of edu-
cational and moral training as a preservative against voluntary expo-
sure to infection, it would certainly constitute a valuable prophylactic
measiu-e against the introduction of these infections into marriage. The
vast majority of infections in married life are effected through ignorance.
The average man is not a criminal ; he does not wreck the life and health
of his wife and children knowingly and wilfully. In most cases he does
it through ignorance of the nature and terrible consequences of his dis-
ease, ignorance of the prolonged duration of its contagious activity, and
especially ignorance of the fact that it is often infectious after apparent
cure.

It is also believed that publicity of these evils, especially the havoc
wrought in the home and family, cannot fail to create a public senti-
ment in favor of this work, which will lead to a sympathetic and active
co-operation on the part of all men and women interested in the social
welfare."

The Social Diseases in Syracuse

In January, 1911, the Syracuse Society for Prevention of Social Dis-
eases made an investigation to determine the extent to which gonorrhoea

63 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

and syphilis exist in Syracuse. The statistics were obtained by sending a
letter of inquiry to each of the 340 physicians ia Syracuse who were gen-
eral practitioners and to those specialists who might treat these diseases
in their practice. One hundred and five physicians replied, of whom
ninety reported venereal cases under treatment.

Gonorrhoea Syphilis

The 90 physicians reported existing cases 5.24 453

Of these 13 specialists reported existing cases 253 289

The remaining 77 physicians reported existing cases. . 371 163

Average per physician not a specialist, existing cases . . 3.53 3.13

At these averages the 115 physicians not reporting had

existing eases 405 244

The estimate is conservative, as three specialists did not report, who

together, were treating probably a total of at least 135 cases.

A large proportion of gonorrhoea never comes to a physician, but is

treated by experienced friends or with advertised medicines. Estimating

this proportion at one-third of the cases treated by physicians, the nimiber

of such cases is 310.

The total number of existing cases is, therefore:

Gonorrhoea Syphilis

Eeported by 90 physicians 534 453

Estimated as being treated by 115 physicians not re-
porting 405 344

Estimated as being treated by the patients themselves 310

Total 1,339 696

Total of both diseases existing in Syracuse 1,935 cases

Estimate of Total Cases in 1910

Ninety physicians reported total of both diseases treated in 1910 as
being 3,338 cases. The ratio of existing cases reported to total cases
treated is 1 to 3.48. If we reduce this ratio one-third for cases reported
by more than one physician the ratio becomes 1 to 3.38. Using this ratio,
the 1,935 total existing cases represent 4,413 separate infections treated
during the year 1910, which is 3.31^ of the total population of 137,349
persons.

Proportion of the Total Population Infected

Assuming that the danger zone of venereal infection in each human
life is of ten years' duration — and this is conservative, as proven by the
case of a girl 10 years old infected by a man 66 — these 4,413 separate

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYBACTJSE 63

infections in 1910 represent 44,120 total infections, present and past, in
the population of Syracuse in 1910. Eeducing the total by more than
one-quarter to allow for re-infections, recurrent attacks and for the
smaller population in the years prior to 1910, thereby making it 33,000
total infections, and dividing the number between males and females on
the basis of the 976 existing cases reported, which were 75% among males
and 35% among females, the 32,000 total cases indicate 34,000 infections
of males and 8,000 infections of females.

In other words, 35% to 40% of the men and boys in Syracuse and
10% to 13% of the women and girls in Syracuse are, or have been, in-
fected with venereal disease.

Infection in Children

Fifty-one cases were reported of infection in children under 16 years
of age, which at 0.57 cases per physician reporting, equals 116 total
existing infections of this class. Of the 51 reported cases, 33, or 64.71%,
were recent infections.

Several of these recent infections were reported for children 3 to 3
years old, though these were believed to be accidental. One case was
reported of a girl 10 years old infected by a man of 66 ; which proves no
period of life exempt from these diseases.

Large Proportion of Syphilis

A striking feature disclosed by the reported existing cases is the large
proportion of syphilis, a disease which is popularly believed to be rare.
Of the 976 existing cases reported, 453, or 46.31%, were syphilis — 453
cases equals 3.39 cases per 1,000 inhabitants.

Comparison with Tuberculosis

In 1910, 3,134 persons died in Syracuse, of whom ISO, or 7.07%, died
of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is approximately five years in its course, so
that there are 750 people now in iSyracuse who are infected with tuber-
culosis which is destined to prove fatal. These 750 tuberculosis infec-
tions are but 17% or only one-sixth as many as the total 4,413 cases of
venereal disease reported and estimated as existing in 1910.

Conclusions from the Investigation

The investigation found the physicians unanimous in the opinion that
children must be taught sex hygiene and the existence, wide prevalence
and dangerous character of venereal diseases. Of other suggestions sub-

64 THE SOCIAL EVIL IF SYRACUSE

mitted by tlie physicians, the most valuable were that these diseases be
officially recognized by, and reported to, the Bureau of Public Health and
controlled by that Bureau like other contagious and infectious diseases;
that street solicitations be abolished; that the advertisement of alleged
cures be regulated; that all male children be circumcised; that young
people be protected against alcoholic drink, because most venereal infec-
tions occur when the men or women, or both, are under the influence of
liquor, and that every man be required to prove himself free from ve-
nereal disease before being granted a license to marry, by presentiag a
certificate from an accredited physician of a diagnosis by the "Wasser-
man or other accepted biological tests.

The fact that physicians report 75% or more of the infections in men
as having originated from occasional prostitutes proves that class of
woman much more dangerous than they are usually believed to be. On
the other hand, if 40% of the male population are, or have been, infected
with venereal disease, as the investigation indicates, it is a certainty that
the occasional prostitute cannot long avoid venereal infection.

The serious attention given by the physicians to this investigation and
their earnest desire to deal iu an enlightened manner with the problem of
the social diseases, is well illustrated by the sentiment of a leading phy-
sician of Syracuse, who writes : "It seems to me that there are two things
which this Society ought to further in the very highest degree. In the
first place, a high and noble conception of the relation of the sexes, and,
in the second place, a correct idea of the physiological processes — repro-
duction in nature. Until young men and young women have a right and
lofty conception of what the sex problem really means, we shall have the
perversions which are common now, and not until young men and yoimg
women know the laws of reproduction, are they properly prepared for
marriage. And, finally, in the last analysis, the correction of the evils
which we now deplore will depend upon the training at home and in
schools and in self-control."

"In 1897 and 1898, the writer conducted an examination into the actual
number of girls and women who were at that time inmates of houses of
ill-fame in the United States. Correspondence and interviews were had
with mayors, chiefs of police, reformers and ministers in cities of 25,000
inhabitants and over. From the facts thus gathered we estimated the num-
ber of professional prostitutes in this country at that time to be 300,000,
which figure we felt to be conservative. . . . Accepting these estimates as
approximately correct, we see that at least 60,000 girls and women are re-
quired every year, or 5,000 every month to provide for the constant demand
of the public houses of shame. No one can doubt that with the enactment
of proper laws and their enforcement, which can and will come through
the demands of our people as light is given, vice as a public business which
consumes 60,000 of our girls each year can be suppressed."

B. S. STBADWBLL, Pres. American Purity Federation.

"Where shall we look to recruit the ever-failing ranks of these poor
creatures as they die yearly by the tens of thousands? Which of the little
girls of our land shall we designate for this traffic? Which of them shall
we snatch, as they approach maturity, to supply this foul mart?"

DR. HOWARD KBLLBY.

CHAPTER VII

Histories of Professional and Clandestine Prostitution

in Syracuse

The girls whose cases were studied and their names obtained by the
investigators numbered 135. They were of all ages, from 13 to 50. The
average estimated age was 24 years, though this figure is, of necessity,
a guess. The list includes girls living in parlor houses, in disorderly
hotels, frequenting fast cafes, living in flats, in furnished rooms, in
homes, working in restaurants, factories, stores, etc. The girls are of
every degree of professionalism. There are girls receiving $10 for
perversion and $5 for normal intercourse; parlor house girls rendering
service at $1 or $3, leading the men from the wine rooms to the near
bed-rooms; girls who are too shy to ask for money, but will accept it
if offered; and the girls, many in number, who go out with men for an
evening of pleasure and drink and intercourse where no money is asked
or offered. There are married women who put in a quiet afternoon on
the sly in respectable looking places, such as waiting rooms, and certain
of the restaurants. There are girls who come in two or three times a
week from the surrounding country districts. Saturday and Sunday
are favorite days for these girls to visit Syracuse. There are working
girls from the department stores, factories and restaurants. The even-
ing brings these girls out in numbers. The number of girls who are
working part of the time and carrying on prostitution is large. There
are many who live and board with private families and go out at night.
These girls take into the saloons the men whom they pick up on the
streets, and then go to the bed houses, especially to those where they do
not have to register. Often this class of girls go with men entirely for
pleasure with no economic pressure responsible for driving them to the
life. Thus, one of the girls in X134 department store, who had a job
paying $30, but took to evil practices.

As an illustration of the youth of the girls: Four girls were exam-
ined by Dr. , found in a box car with men. The doctor's certifi-
cate gives their ages as 14, 13, 15, 13. The girls had been used four or
five times in one night.

September 5. Girl X66 was talked with at the X53 cafe and the
X80 hotel. She was born in Pennsylvania about 28 years ago. Pour

67

68 THE SOCIAL EVIL IF SYRACUSE

months ago she came to Syracuse, for the purpose of soliciting. She was
arrested on September — in the X181 cafe, along with two other girls,
but was set free without a fine. She fell more than six years ago and has
practiced prostitution continuously. It is her only means of support.
Once she lived in a disorderly flat in New York, and has visited in
Montreal, Detroit, Eochester and Buffalo. She would not tell much.

September 14. Girl X179, 33 years of age, was talked with in the
X53 cafe, the XIT'S cafe and the X83 hotel. Her birthplace was

, N". Y. She came to Syracuse recently to work. A friend caused

her downfall sis years ago. She is now employed in X183's store, S.
Salina iSt., and has practiced prostitution continuously the last five years.
The highest sum she has earned from prostitution is $35 a week. From
other sources, $8. She was seduced at a picnic — ^tried to keep straight
afterwards, but could not resist the fellow. He died; she met another and
then decided to take money. She works to keep up appearances at home.

September 12. Girl X318 was talked to at the State Fair Grounds,

X84 hotel and X183 hotel. She gave her birthplace as , and

her age 34 years. Comes to Syracuse two weeks every year to "hustle."
Was seduced by her sweetheart, husband now, four years ago, and has
practiced prostitution continuously. When her husband has work she
does not go out. She is of a decidedly low type, and is a drug fiend.

September 13. Girl X184 was talked to in the Central E. E. Sta-
tion, the X35.7 hotel and on Franklin St. She was born in Syracuse
33 years ago. A stranger caused her downfall four years ago and

she has practiced prostitution for past three years in , this

being her only means of support. She lives at home. She not only
prostitutes herself for the money but also because she likes the society
of men.

September 6. Mrs. X196 was talked to at the Hotel X84. Her
story was that she was born near Syracuse and comes to Syracuse often
to do her shopping. A stranger caused her downfall one year ago and
she has practiced prostitution since. She intends to leave her children
and. go to New York City, where she feels she will meet a real man who
will care for her.

September 14. Girl XIQ? was talked to at the X85 hotel. She said

she was 34 years old and was bom at , Canada. A stranger,

caused her downfall two months ago, and she prostituted herself for pay
for first time six weeks ago. Since then it has been her only means of
support. The highest pay she has received from this practice is $17 a
week ; from other sources, $30 per month. She got tired of living alone
and met a charming fellow who persuaded her to go to New York.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 69

She expects to take a flat there for her work and that the man will marry
her. She does not seem normally bright.

September 11. Girl X198 was talked to at State Eair Grounds,

Hotel X84 and the X180 hotel. She was born in and is 23

years old. A friend ruined her five years ago and she has practiced pros-
titution continuously since, it being her only means of support. The
highest sum she has received from this practice is $300 per month. The
man who is taking care of her is married, but wife will not divorce
him. The girl is very pretty, but thoroughly degenerate.

September 12. Girl X76 was talked to at the X82 hotel. She was
born near Syracuse, 21 years ago (looks younger). A stranger caused
her downfall two months ago and she has been practicing prostitution
since. Highest sum earned $23 per week, lowest $3. She is married,
but ran away from home, as she did not want to live among a lot of
"dead ones."

September 7. Girl X200, 21 years of age, was talked to at the X80

house and in the X82 hotel. She was born in , N. Y., and came

to Syracuse three months ago, getting employment during the summer
in a small store. A stranger seduced her three years ago and she has
practiced prostitution continuously since then. The highest sum received
from this practice is $25 per week, lowest $5 ; highest sum received from
other sources, $6. She is married, has one child, but is separated from
husband. As soon as the Fair is over she is going to Albany as she
understands there is money in houses there. She is very easily led.

September 11. Girl X201 was talked to at the State Fair Grounds
and at the X180 hotel. She was born in New York City 26 years ago
and has practiced prostitution for seven years. From this practice she
has received as high as $150 per week. She has one child. She has
been living with a man six years and said, "Well a good pal is worth
a whole lot. I have had a hard life. "When he has money I have it —
when I have it, it is his. We are good partners and I love him. He
makes good money, and I can turn good tricks myself. She is rough
and thoroughly degenerate.

September 11. Girl X202 was talked to in the X203 cafe. She is
26 years of age, and was born a few miles from Syracuse. In X124's
store she earned $5 a week. A stranger ruined her three years ago, and
she has practiced prostitution continuously since, receiving as much as
$40 and as low as $10 per week for this service. She is married and has
children. She is a very plain woman and careful whom she meets.

September 14. Girl X204 was talked to in a moving picture theater
on North Salina iSt. She was bom in , 24 years ago, and has

70 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

lived in Syracuse ten years. Her sweetheart caused her downfall six
years ago, and she has been practicing prostitution for the past five
years. The highest sum she has received weekly for this practice is $40,
and the lowest $6 per week. Prom other sources $5 per week with
dinners.

-September 12. Girl X205 was talked to in the X84 hotel. She
gave her age as 19 years and her birthplace Syracuse. A friend seduced
her three years ago and she has now practiced prostitution for one year,
receiving as the highest sum from this practice $40 a week, and from
other sources she has received as high as $10 a week, working in a
restaurant. She lives at home, but likes the pleasure of men's company.
She is very pretty and easily led.

September 7. Girl X74 was talked to in the XT'l Apartments. She
was born in Syracuse 24 years ago. Said she was employed, and re-
ceived $12 a week. Would like to go to New York.

September 10. Girl X206 was talked to in the X81 hotel. She was

born in , 23 years ago. She came to Syracuse three years ago to

work. Her brother-in-law seduced her when she was 15 years of age
and since then she has practiced prostitution, receiving as high as $30
weekly. The highest amount received from other sources was $6 a week.

September 11. Girl X207 was talked to in the Central E. R. station
and the X208 hotel. She gave Syracuse as her birthplace and her age
22 years. She was seduced at the age of 14. She has practiced pros-
titution for the past four months. The highest sum received weekly
from this service being $30, the lowest $3. She is not compelled to work
as her family is in moderate circumstances, but she likes the society of
men and will run away with the first man who offers to take her out of
town.

September 9. Girl X209, 22 years of age, was talked to at the X80

house. She said she was born in . Her sweetheart caused her

downfall, and she has been prostituting herself for the past four months,
the highest sum received weekly for this service being $20. She works
at X210 store for $7 a week. She wanted change and a good time.
Close friends thinks she is a very good girl. She does not solicit on the
street.

September 6. Girl X211 was talked with at the X82 hotel. She
was born near Syracuse, 24 years ago. Her sweetheart ruined her, and
she has been practicing prostitution for the past three years. The high-
est weekly sum received from this source being $20. She worked as
sales girl in X212's store for $9 a week. Expects to go to work after the
Fair.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 71

September 13. Mrs. X213 was talked with at the X214 hotel. Her
birthplace was given as Syracuse and her age as 24 years. A friend
caused her downfall sis years ago, since which time she has practiced
prostitution, receiving at high as $20 weekly. She worked in the X214
hotel. She earned $5 a week. She is a cigarette fiend and formerly
was an inmate of a disorderly house. Her home life is unpleasant and
she is sorry she ever stayed in Syracuse. She could be made a very good
woman.

September 13. Girl X216, 23 years of age, was talked with in dis-
orderly house XIO. She was born in Syracuse. Once she was arrested
in Kew York City for soliciting and sent to the Island for ten days.
Her sweetheart seduced her seven years ago, and she had been practicing
prostitution continuously since, the highest sum received weekly from
this service being $100, the lowest $20. She worked one year for a firm
in ISTew York City at a salary of $8 a week. The sweetheart who seduced
her is now her "lover," and they live together. She is very fond of him
and he saves her money. She is a thorough degenerate.

September 12. Girl X217 was talked with at State Fair grounds,

X84 hotel and the X183 hotel. She was born in and is 22

years of age. A stranger caused her downfall three years ago. She came
to Syracuse for the fair to "hustle." She is married but has practiced
prostitution for the past three years, her highest weekly income being
$75, lowest $10. She is a drug fiend, a degenerate and avoided answer-
ing questions. She seemed to be under complete control of girl X218.

September 11. Girl X219 was talked with at the X84 hotel. She

was born in • and is 28 years old. Four years ago she came to

Syracuse because the man she married worked here. She has been prac-
ticing prostitution for the past two years. She lives with husband at
home but is not satisfied with him. She is a degenerate and will mingle
with anyone for pleasure and drink.

September 9. Girl X72 was talked with at X2'20's saloon and the

X71 apartments. Her birthplace was , N". Y., 26 years ago.

She came to Syracuse this summer after a quarrel at home. She is mar-
ried and has been working in X112's store on S. Salina St. for $6 a
week. She has been practicing prostitution for the past two months,
receiving as high as $30 a week and as low as $3. She knows several
traveling men, and often goes out for company's sake. She is a low
type of girl.

September 7. Girl X221 was talked with at X80 hotel, the hotel
X84 and the XlOl restaurant. She was born in Syracuse and is 26 years
of age. When it is too cold to go out soliciting, she work for $8 a week.

n THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

She has been practicing prostitution for six years, the highest sum re-
ceived being $30 a week, the lowest $10. She is known among the girls
as a degenerate and one of the roughest types. Men in the XlOl res-
taurant call after her. She would not speak much of herself.

September 10. Girl X333 was talked with at the X80 house. She
was born near Syracuse 21 years ago. She was employed at the X323
factory at $8.50 a week. She has been practicing prostitution for the
last three years and her highest earnings per week have been $35, lowest
$3. She lives at home and pays board.

September 14. Girl X334 was talked with in the X183 hotel lobby

and the X3 hotel. She was born in , 34 years ago. )She came

to Syracuse with a show, but was thrown out of work. A friend
caused her downfall eight years ago. She has been practicing prostitu-
tion for seven years. The highest sum received from this service was
$80 per week, from other sources $30 per week. She says she had been
disappointed and did not purpose to let anyone get ahead of her. She
resorts to all the vile methods.

September 13. Girl X235 said she was bom in Few York and is
34 years old. ,She came to Syracuse to "hustle" about two weeks ago.
Her step-brother ruined her about ten years ago. She has been a pros-
titute for past eight years and has been in houses in New York City.
The highest sum received from this practice was $150 a week, lowest $10.
She has been in houses in Hartford, Conn., and Albany, N. Y., also.
She is a very low type of girl, would steal, and use all vile methods.

September 14. Girl X:336 was talked with at Hotel X80. She was
born in New York City 33 years ago. She came to Syracuse four months
ago to live in a house, and has been in houses in New York City, Brook-
lyn, and Hartford, Conn. She has been a prostitute for four years, her
highest weekly earnings being $65. She was ruined by a neighbor in
New York, six years ago. He taught her how to make money, and in-
duced her to enter a house. She does not like Syracuse as there is not
enough money there, and intends to go to New Haven next week.

September 13. Girl X327 was talked with at the X80 Hotel. She

was born in , N. Y., and is 20 years of age. She came to Syracuse

three years ago because her father was employed here. A friend ruined
her four years ago, and she has been practicing prostitution quietly the
past two years, her highest income weekly being $25. She "meets some
very nice traveling men, but does not mingle with the boys of the town."
She goes to Sunday School and Church, and says every girl here goes
around on the quiet. She is very pretty and easily led.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 73

September 5. Girl X67 was talked with in the X83 cafe and in the

X80 house. She was born in , Pa., 26 years ago, and came

to Syracuse about four months ago from Montreal, Canada, to solicit.
On September — she was arrested in a saloon in company with two
other girls. An old sweetheart caused her downfall and she has been
practicing prostitution for the past three years. She has been in Detroit
and Montreal, also on the street in New York. She would not talk of
personal afEairs prior to coming to Syracuse.

September 11. Girl XaS-S was talked with at the X81 hotel. She
gave her birthplace as Syracuse and her age as 21 years. A friend
caused her downfall three years ago, and she has practiced prostitution
for two years. The highest sum received from this source being $35 a
week. iShe also worked as stenographer, the highest sum received from
this source being $10 a week. The man who ruined her left her when
her condition became noticeable. She goes out only for extra money —
not for pleasure.

September 5. Girl X229 was talked with in X258's saloon. iShe was

born in and is 34 years old. She came to Syracuse three years

ago "with the old folks." A stranger, with whom she now lives, caused
her downfall three years ago. His name is X231. This woman some-
times works at the X233 hotel — is very dissipated looking.

September 14. Girl X230 was talked with at the State Fair grounds.
Her birthplace was New York City and her age 24 years. She was se-
duced by a relative when she was fourteen years old, and has been prac-
ticing prostitution for eight years. Her highest weekly earnings from
this source being $100, lowest $10. She shares her money with a friend,
who, she says, is kind to her. They travel around together and take in
the sights. She is very much hardened to the life.

September 5. Girl X68 was talked with at the X80 hotel. She is
about 25 years old and came to Syracuse four months ago to solicit, from
Montreal, Canada. On September — she was arrested in a saloon with
two other girls. She has been practicing prostitution for about two years
and makes "enough to live." She looks to be one who would stoop to
all practices. Would not talk much.

September 12. Girl X233 was talked with at the X80 hotel. She is
22 years old and was born in Syracuse — ^has lived here always. A friend
ruined her four years ago and she has been practicing prostitution for
two years, her highest weekly earnings from this practice being $20.
She also works at X12'2's store for $8 a week and lives at home. Would
talk on any subject except this.

74 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

September 6. Girl X87 was talked with at the X80 hotel. She was
born just outside of Syracuse and is 88 years of age. A friend caused
her downfall six years ago, since which time she has practiced prostitu-
tion continuously, her highest weekly earnings from this source being
$2^5. She also worked as child's nurse during the summer for $5 a week

and board. She has been in , Canada, and intends to stay in

Syracuse until after the Pair, when she will got to ISTew York. She
drinks heavily.

September 10. Girl 334 was talked with at the X84 hotel and the

X81 hotel. Her birthplace was and her age 34 years. An old

friend of the family, who was visiting her home, ruined her eight years
ago, and she has been practicing prostitution for six years, her highest
weekly earnings from this source being $28, her lowest $1. She also
works in X124's store for a salary of $6. She complains that the poor
salaries paid are inadequate to meet expenses, and is very much dis-
couraged with life. iShe is a respectable looking girl and no doubt would
live difEerently under better conditions.

.September 5. Girl X335 was talked with in X358's saloon. She was

born in 39 years ago. She came to Syracuse a few years ago

to get married, and "stuck to husband until she had nothing to wear."
Her first sexual offence was with a friend three months ago, and she has
practiced prostitution since then. She intends going to New York
"where money is better, and live." She is of a very low type.

September 9. Girl X78 was talked with in the X77 apartments.
Her birthplace was Syracuse 34 years ago, where she has lived all her
life. A friend whom she expected would marry her, caused her down-
fall six years ago, and when her condition became noticeable he left her.
Her highest weekly earnings from the practice of prostitution has been
$35. She also works as saleslady in X213's store, where she receives
$7 a week. She spends all her money on clothes. She says there are not
enough "sure things" in Syracuse to depend on, and intends going to
BuflEalo after the last of the month as there is more money there.

September 13. Girl X236 was talked with at X86's hotel. She was

born in and is 36 years of age. She came to Syracuse four

months ago, having run away from husband who was cruel to her. Her
first sexual offense was with a stranger two years ago. She has been
practicing prostitution for two years, her highest weekly earnings from
this source being $31, lowest $6.

September 7. Girl X337 was talked with in front of the X84 hotel.
Her birthplace was near Syracuse and her age 23 years. A friend caused
her downfall four years ago and she has been practicing prostitution for

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 75

the past three years. She comes to Syracuse every week "to see the boys."
Her highest weekly earnings from prostitution were $15, lowest $3, from
other sources $7. She has one child, father unknown. Just wants com-
pany and a good time, and has two fellows whom she is sure of meeting
every week. From conversation investigator thinks she is diseased, but
is ashamed to go to see a doctor.

September 7. Girl X238 was talked with at the X80 hotel. She

was born in , N". Y., 34 years ago, and came to Syracuse two years

ago to live in a "house." A married man seduced her when she was 15
years old. She has one child by him still living. She has practiced pros-
titution for past five years, her highest weekly earnings being $40. Her
parents quarreled with her so much that she left the child with her
mother and came to Syracuse to work in a "house." She prefers to work
for herself, however. She admits being a degenerate since child was
born, and claims to have adopted perversion through fear of having more
children.

September 13. Girl X239 was talked with at the State Fair grounds,
and one other place. Her birthplace was New York City, age 21
years. A sweetheart caused her downfall four years ago, and she has
traveled with this man, who is a gambler, since. She is a close friend
of girl X225, is perfectly happy, and claims she does not give her man
money, although the investigator believes she does.

September 13. Girl X240 was talked with at the X85 hotel and the
X82 hotel, is 24 years of age and came to Syracuse two years ago to live.
A stranger caused her downfall when she was 15 years of age. She has
practiced prostitution for seven years, her highest weekly earnings being
$50. Has been on the stage as an actress, lived in houses of prostitution
and is an all round "sport."

September 13. Girl X241 was talked with at the X2 hotel and the
X84 hotel. She is married, lives at home and has children. She
comes to Syracuse to shop. Her first sexual offense was with a stranger
three years ago. She has practiced prostitution for two years for "some
extra money," her highest earnings being $15 a week. She claims that
her husband is lazy and has no ambition, and she would like to meet a
live, city man. She is easily led.

September 9. Girl X242 was talked with at the X84 hotel and X2
hotel. She was bom near Syracuse, and is 26 years of age. She is
employed at present in X243'8 store, at a salary of $9 a week, and
comes to Syracuse every day to work. A friend caused her downfall
seven years ago. She has practiced prostitution for the past six years,
her highest weekly earnings being $40, lowest $10. She says everyone is

76 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

"dead" in her home town ; but she meets some real live business men with
money in Syracuse. Has been associating with a girl from a house.

September 14. Girl X344: was talked with at the X81 hotel. She
was born in Syracuse 31 years ago and has lived there always. She is
employed at X113's store at a salary of $7 a week. A friend caused her
downfall three years ago, siace which time she has been practicing pros-
titution, her highest weekly earnings being $30.

September 10. Girl X245 was talked with at the Xa hotel and X86's

hotel. She was born in the city of and is 33 years old. A teacher

at school ruined her seven years ago. She has been practicing prosti-
tution for five years, her highest earnings being $45 a week. She is going
to try to get into XlO's disorderly house.

September 14. Girl X246 was talked with at the X180 hotel. Her

birthplace was , N. Y., and her age 24 years. A friend ruined her

eight years ago, and seven years ago she ran away from home and came
to Syracuse. She has practiced prostitution since, her highest weekly
earnings being $80. At times she has worked as a demonstrator, receiv-
ing $12 a week. She would not say much of her private life, is very
vain, and could not be drawn into a long conversation, as she was inter-
ested in a group of men standing in the lobby.

September 14. Girl X247 was talked with on Salina St. She was
born in Syracuse 18 years ago and has lived there all her life. A friend
caused her downfall two years ago. She works every day at present,
receiving $5 a week salary. She has never received money for prostitu-
tion, but likes to go out for a good supper and theatre with men. She is
pretty, very foolish and easily led. She lives at home.

September 10. Girl X248 was talked with at the X83 hotel. She
was born in Syracuse 34 years ago and has lived there always. Her first
sexual offense was with a friend four years ago, since which time she has
practiced prostitution continuously, receiving as her highest weekly
earnings $30, lowest $10. She is employed at X349's store and receives
$8 a week. She lives at home and her family think her respectable. She
Ukes the general excitement connected with the life, and will probably
develop into a low type of girl.

SUMMARY OF HISTORY CASES

The following is a summary of data compiled from the Histoiy Cases
of professional and clandestine prostitutes in Syracuse. For further
details see Tables 1 to 8.

Birthplaces. The birthplaces of fifty prostitutes were reported by the
investigators. Of this number fourteen gave their birthplaces as Syra-
cuse, the remaining thirty-four came from small places about Syracuse,
such as B. Syracuse, Camillus, Wampsville, Baldwinsville, Minoa, Eock-
well, and larger places, such as Utica, Binghamton, Troy, New York
City, Philadelphia, Pa., Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Providence, E. I., Newark,
N. J., New London, Conn., and Bedford, Mass. Three said they were
bom in Canada, Germany and Ireland respectively.*

Reasons for Coming to Syracuse. The investigator persuaded thirty-
nine prostitutes, who came from other cities and now ply their trade in
Syracuse, to give her their reasons for coming to this city in the first
'instances. It must be remembered that in the majority of cases these
girls may or may not have been prostitutes when they came to Syracuse.
Of the thirty-nine, ten said they came either to solicit on the street or to
enter houses of ill-fame as inmates. The rest came for various reasons.
Some ran away from home after quarrels with folks or husbands ; others
live in surrounding towns and come in every day to work or to shop.
Three girls came with men, one of these was a traveling salesman. An-
other girl comes to town every .Saturday and Sunday to see the boys.f

Present Age, Age of First Sexual Offense and Age When Girls En-
tered Life of Prostitution. The investigator secured the ages of twenty-
four girls now practicing prostitution in Syracuse. Of this number one
is 19, three are 21, four are 22, four are 23, seven are 24, four are 26,
and one is 28.

Twenty of these girls gave the ages when they committed their first
sexual offense. Of these one was 14^ two were 15, four were 16, five were
18, two were 19, two were 20, one was 22, two were 23, and one was 26.

Twenty-three of these girls gave the ages when they entered upon a
life of prostitution. Of this number one was 16, one was 17, six were 18,
four were 19, two were 20, two were 22, one was 23, and one was 26.
Two girls said it was fout months after their first sexual offense; two said

*See Table No. 1, Appendix II.
tSee Table No. 2, Appendix 11.

77

78 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSB

it was two months, and one declared that she began this life six weeks
after her downfall.*

Wages Received by Girls in Various Occupations. It is interesting
to note that the wages which the girls who are leading irregular lives in
Syracuse receive in various occupations are fair, though some fall below
what is usually termed a living wage, $8. Of the twenty-five girls who
gave their occupations, eleven said they either worked or had worked in
department or five and ten cent stores. The average wage given was
about $8.00 per week.f

Residence of Girls Before Entering Life. Eecords were secured in
forty-one instances showing their residence previous to entering upon a
life of prostitution. Of this number thirty-five said they lived at home,
four declared they were living in furnished rooms and two said they
were boarding. Of those who lived at home, eight said they gave all
of their earnings to the family, and sis gave only part of their wages.
One of the girls who lived in a furnished room said she paid $5 per week
for the room, and the two who boarded said they paid $4 per week for
board and room.

Occupation and Business of Girls Before and After Entering Life of
Prostitution. Thirty girls told investigator their occupation and business
before entering upon a life of prostitution. These occupations are quite
varied. Some were salesgirls, cashiers in various places, such as picture
shows and meat markets. Others were employed as stenographers, tele-
phone operators, nurses, maids in hotels, and some were married.

After entering upon a life of prostitution it appears that quite a
number continued at work. This was probably done to maintain a re-
spectable appearance in the community. J

Earnings of Prostitutes as Compared with their Earnings in Other
Occupations. Forty-four prostitutes whom the investigator talked with
in saloons, hotels and on the street in Syracuse gave her the amounts
they had made per week in this business, that is the highest amounts as
well as the lowest in some cases. The fluctuation between these two
points must be considerable; and it would be very difficult to strike an
average from these figures. §

The average weekly earnings of inmates of houses is fairly well
established from various sources. It is not as high in Syracuse as it is
in New York or Chicago. In these places the average in $1 houses is

*See Table No. 3, Appendix II.
fSee Table No. 5, Appendix II.
tSee Table No. 7, Appendix II.
§See Table No. 8, Appendix II.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN" SYEACUSE 79

about $50 per week. Under the heading "Earnings of Inmates in
Houses," it will be seen that the average in Syracuse is about $25 or $30.

Some of the forty-four prostitutes who gave their highest earnings
per week from this business said they made as high as $100, $150 and
$300 per week. Some said $15 as the highest and $3 as the lowest.

The largest number gave such figures as $30, $35, $30, $35 and $40,
as the highest earnings per week and $3, $5, $6 and $10 and $30 as the
lowest.

It is interesting to compare the salaries these girls receive in respect-
able occupations, combined with which they follow prostitution as a side
line. For instance the girl who says she makes $300 per week in pros-
titution receives $15 as an actress. The girl who makes $6 as a salesgirl
declares that she earns $25 per week as a prostitute. A maid in a hotel
at $5 per week makes as high as $40 from prostitution.*

First Sexual Offense. The partner of the girl in her first sexual
offense was secured in forty-six cases. Of this number fourteen were
strangers whom the girl met occasionally ; eight were lovers, who accom-
plished the ruin of the girls before marriage; eighteen were designated
as friends; five were relatives; one a brother-in-law; one an epileptic
uncle ; one a cousin ; one a brother, and one is mentioned as a relative. A
teacher of one of the girls is given.

Prostitutes and their Children. The investigators were only able to
learn the facts regarding their children from eleven prostitutes. These
women had sixteen children. Of this number four were legitimate, seven
illegitimate, and in five cases the investigator could not learn whether
or not the mother had been married.

Civil State of Girls. The civil state of girls was secured in forty-seven
instances. Of this number three are now living with their husbands, two
of these give part of their earnings to these men ; ten are separated from
their husbands, leaving them for different reasons, such as cruelty, failure
to support, on account of drink, etc.; and thirty-four are designated as
single.

Reasons Given by Girls for Entering Life of Prostitution. Forty
girls gave investigator certain reasons for entering a life of professional
or clandestine prostitution. These girls were seen on the street, in sa-
loons and hotels in Syracuse. They belong for the most part to the
clandestine type. They work at various occupations. One girl declares
that she goes out only with traveling men, and nobody knows it. She
goes to church and Sunday School and says that many girls like her go

♦See Table No. 8, Appendix 11.

80 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN ,SYEACUSE

out on the quiet. Without doubt there is a large number of girls of this
type in Syracuse. Of the forty girls who would talk of their personal
histories, seven referred to conditions in their family lives, which influ-
enced them in taking up their present life; nine blamed their husbands;
nineteen had personal reasons for taking this step, and five declared that
insufficient money for food or clothes drove them into immoral living.

Drug Victims. Eour of the fifty-one prostitutes interviewed admitted
they were drug fiends, victims of cocaine and morphine ; several were heavy
cigarette smokers and a number were evidently far gone from drink.

Abortions. Two of the fifty-one prostitutes admitted that they had
had abortion operations performed. One women was very weak from
three such operations. Another woman said she now resorted to xm-
natural practices to escape danger of having children.

CHAPTER VIII

The Economic and Social Aspects of Commercialized Vice

"There is one great basic fact which imderlies all public questions at
the present moment. That singular fact is that nothing is done in this
coimtry as it was done twenty years ago."

Prior to 1880 the commercialized social evil existed only in a few
large seaport cities, because we were an agricultural nation of small
cities and rural communities. Our population was mostly native Eng-
lish or North European stock, whose life centered in the home and whose
social interests were chiefly those provided by the church.

Hours of labor were long, often from sun to sun, and machinery and
industrial equipment crude and exhausting to the worker.

Marriage at twenty to twenty-five was the rule and its strict code of
morality was that of our Anglo-Saxon and Germanic ancestors.

The main business of life was living.

The development of industry, and the commercialization of prac-
tically every human interest in the past thirty years has completely trans-
formed daily life. Power, transportation and lighting by electricity,
automatic machinery, the gas engine, the typewriter, the telephone, the
moving picture show, vaudeville and the modern drama, these and scores
of other developments of applied science, have shortened labor to nine or
ten hours per day. They have relieved many laborers from exhausting
toil; made night a continuation of day, and have commercialized much
of the social and moral influences formerly left to the home and the
church.

The main business of life now is pleasure.

This transformation has brought into industry thousands of women
to whom marriage is long deferred, or denied, and whose rate of wages
is that established years ago when woman's employment in industry was
merely a temporary incident prior to her marriage. This economic and
social revolution has accentuated the problem of the social evil by making
it easy and profitable to exploit women in vice. If such exploitation be
unrestrained it can only result in a hideous political corruption and per-
sonal demoralization such as that disclosed in New York by the Eosen-
thal murder, and the testimony of Mrs. Goode.

81

82 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

As Magistrate Joseph B. Corrigan of New York has said, "Gainbling
and prostitution have ofEered for twenty years, and still offer, oppor-
tunity for continuous and vastly profitable careers, through which active
men starting at the bottom work up to the top, as in any other business."
Under our American policy of "Freedom of the Individual," together
with a system of antiquated court procedure, criminal law encumbered
by trivial technicalities, and courts hampered by the failure of the better
type of citizens to do jury duty, it has become exceedingly difficult to
obtain convictions of these commercial crinainals.

Hence they continue their unobstructed course to murder, or some
other culminating crisis. For, as Magistrate Corrigan again says,
"Early in 1912 it was very clear to any in a position to see that the crim-
inal population of New York was rapidly rising to a boiling point; and
that an explosion of some kind was inevitable."

A like fate awaits every American city, unless the citizens unite to
suppress commercialized vice.

Insanity is another phase of the social evil which grows with the
rapidity of a cancer. The cost for the care of the insane in New York
state for 1909 was $5,600,000. In 1913 it had risen to $8,400,000, an
increase of $2,800,000, or fifty per cent in three years. The official esti-
mate for the state for 1913 is $11,792,704, an increase since 1909 of
$6,192,704, or one hundred and ten per cent in four years.

Approximately twenty per cent of the insanity among men, and ten
per cent among women is incurable paresis, caused usually by syphilis.
An additional thirty per cent of the insanity among men and ten per cent
among women arises from conditions due directly or indirectly to alco-
hol. Thus the heavy and rapidly increasing cost of insanity is due, in
great part, to the social evil.

The situation is serious, but not hopeless unless we continue to ignore
it. We must realize that human nature remains unchanged, and that the
normal, healthy young human being who works but ten hours a day at a
light task, and who has five hours of leisure each evening, will continue
an easy prey to the crafty exploiters of vice for profit, unless we devise
powerful measures to thwart these commercial criminals.

Certain of these measures anyone can apply now. We can all do our
part in teaching the youth of both sexes the simple truths of life, and
the physical and moral dangers which confront them.

We can protect our daughters and sisters by compelling the men who
wish to marry them to present a certificate from an accredited physician
of diagnosis hy an accepted biological test showing that they are free from
venereal or other contagious diseases. We can uphold the clergy in their

THE SOCIAL EVIL IK SYRACUSE 83

efforts to make this requirement general. By so doing we shall exert a
powerful restraint upon many young men before marriage.

We can direct the energy of the young people into moral channels by
using the school houses, churches, and public buildings as centres of
wholesome amusement and social activity.

Every good citizen can help justice greatly by serving on the jury
whenever called. Without such men it is difficult to obtain convictions
in cases arising from the social evil and violations of the excise laws.

We can accomplish much by persistent demands for the enforcement
of existing laws relating to prostitution and the sale of liquor. We can
urge the enactment in New York state of laws similar to the thoroughly
effective Iowa laws for the suppression of prostitution, referred to in
another chapter in this report. And we can insist that the Bureau of
Health exercise the same control over the social diseases that it does
other contagious and infectious diseases.

We should help maintain the work of making a moral survey of the
city from time to time by such non-political agencies as the American
Vigilance Association, or the New York Bureau of Municipal Eesearch.
Such surveys constitute an audit of the police and other departments of
the city government, and are as necessary to an efficient administration
of the city as regular examination of banks is necessary to banking
efficiency.

Lastly, we must no longer depend wholly upon volunteer committees
of citizens for the study and solution of modern city problems. These
twentieth century civic evils must be handled by twentieth century
methods if we expect to prevent their overwhelming us. They require
steady work day by day, and year after year by educated, experienced and
paid social workers.

Much of the routine work of this moral survey was done by the Syra-
cuse Associated Charities, it being recognized by the committee as the
logical agent for such work.

The bringing of moral defectives under control, in order to prevent
the spread of disease and the propogation of more defectives, is an im-
portant factor in reducing the social evil to its minimum. That the
Associated Charities, whose social workers cover the city, has most effi-
cient means for accomplishing such preventive hygiene is shown by the
following cases, taken from many similar ones on file :

Associated Charities Eecord. Katherine,* aged 33 years, came
into the office of the Associated Charities, July, 1913, looking for a place
to board her two children, saying she would be willing to pay $3.50 a

*A11 names given are fictitious.

84 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSB

week for their care. She said she was working in a restaurant, earning
$5 a week, but would have to give up her position if she could not find
a place for her children. A plan was worked out by the Associated Char-
ities immediately, but it failed because the woman could not be found.

In November the woman was admitted to a local hospital and shortly
after gave birth to a child. Investigation proved that the woman had
never been married and that this was the fifth child. An orphan asylum
in a nearby city is earing for four of the children, and the fifth had been
placed with a family in the city. The woman, when admitted to the
hospital, came from a house of prostitution, and returned to one.
Through the efforts of the Associated 'Charities she was sent to her home
city. The authorities there agreed to send her to a corrective institution.

Associated Charities Eecord. Jennie,* aged 31 years. Jennie's fifth
child was born in October, 1913. The woman's expenses were paid
by the Department of Charities. Upon investigation the Associated
Charities found that she and John were married under compulsion upon
the birth of the second child. He deserted immediately. Since then
she has given birth to three children, the Department of Charities paying
the expenses of the confinement each time. The Associated Charities
Visitor interviewed Jennie's mother and found her caring for the chil-
dren. Her income was insufficient for their proper care and upon the
Visitor's suggestion, the Department of Charities are giving her $3.50 a
week instead of forcing her to place the children in an institution. With
her consent the last baby has been adopted out. The Associated Chari-
ties Visitor swore out a warrant against Jennie, who now has syphilis,
and she was committed to Albion, where she will no longer be a menace
to society.

Associated Charities Eecord. Margaret,* 18 years of age, was re-
ported from two sources as being syphilitic. The Associated Charities
was asked to make some disposition of the case. The girl was located at
one of the hospitals, where she was working. Her parents were living in
town and were greatly distressed to know what to do with her. Doctors
were consulted as to her condition, and it was found that she needed care-
ful treatment. iShe was sent to Albion Eeformatory. The superintendent
of that institution wrote that the girl was in such bad condition, due to
syphilis and gonorrhoea, that she had to be put in quarantine. Later re-
ports received from the institution show that Margaret is behaving well,
and is much better physically.

Without such preventive work as this, persistently maintained and
backed by ample public support, Syracuse and our American cities are

*A11 names given are fictitious.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACTJiSE 85

in danger of being swamped by the swiftly risiag tide of dependants,
defectives and delinquents now numbering about 10,000 in Syracuse, or
seven per cent of the population. They supply a large quota of the
prostitutes of both sexes; spread disease broadcast, and crowd our hos-
pitals and asylums. If unrestrained they will produce a numerous brood
of their kind to increase the burden society must carry in the immediate
future.

CHAPTER IX

Conclusions and Recommendations

This investigation shows that through the tacit permission of the
authorities and the indifference of its citizens there has existed for
generations in Syracuse what is to all intents and purposes a segregated
district where the business of prostitution is openly encouraged and prac-
ticed in flagrant violation of the law. The community has thus become
a partner in this abhorrent crime. The experience of every city where
segregation has been tried has demonstrated its utter failure; and all
students of the social evil agree that segregation, so far from repressing
prostitution or confining it to any one district, actually tends to its
increase and spread throughout the community. The preceding report
of conditions in Syracuse amply bears out this contention.

The segregation of prostitution and its permission (tacit or other-
wise) in any one section encourages every kind of vicious practice, and
gives rise to unnatural vice. Thus the investigators found perversion
fearfully common in the houses of prostitution in the city.

If we are to make any headway against the social evil, it must be
understood once for all that segregation does not segregate. This is the
universal experience. Only with this understanding clearly in mind
can the problem be dealt with adequately.

Segregation does not even segregate the venereal diseases. On the
contrary it assures their spreading. Even granted that the inmates
are periodically examined, and that the examination is adequate (which
it very rarely is or can be) this assertion still remains true. An inmate
may be examined one day, and be declared free from venereal disease.
That same night she may entertain a diseased man, and become infected.
All the men who have intercourse with her before her next examination
are in danger of contamination. The medical certificate thus gives a
false sense of security to the patrons of a segregated district which too
often leads to their physical ruin. And besides this, in accordance with
our one-sided treatment of this problem, the physical examination ex-
tends only to the woman. Men carry the infection as well as women;
and vicious men frequently carry it into innocent homes. Vicious
women very seldom do so.

This report amply demonstrates that the vice fostered in the segre-

87

88 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

gated district spreads its baneful influence to every part of the com-
munity, even invading not only the colleges but the high schools.
Too much emphasis cannot be laid upon this phase of the problem. As
a matter of fact there is actually more of the business of commercialized
prostitution carried on outside the segregated district than within. But
the segregated district is the center where it breeds, and whence it
spreads. Prostitution is there openly flaunted in deflance of law and
decency; it is advertised as other businesses are advertised; and all pos-
pible means are employed to encourage every form of unspeakable vice.
If any advance is to be made in the fight against the social evil in this
city the segregated district must be abolished.

The iuvestigation also shows unmistakably the pernicious influence-
of the association of prostitution with the saloon and the disorderly
hotels, which is common in Syracuse. As has already been stated, the
abnormal number of saloons practically forces many proprietors to asso-
ciate prostitution with their liquor business in order to make a living.
This type of the liquor business is the means of luring young men and
women into vice. This is its purpose. The business must be made to
pay, and this is the means. The more drink, the more prostitution ; the
more prostitution the more drink. Thus is the vicious circle completed.
The young people's self-control is broken down by the first few drinks.
The means of vice are close at hand, and every encouragement for its
indulgence is employed. Seduction or prostitution is the next easy step.

It is safe to say that without this stimulus of liquor the extensive
business of prostitution would materially shrink at once. And the evil
influence is brought to bear upon those who have not yet fallen into
vice, but who, under the influence of the liquor, are made ripe for the
fall.

Thus the investigation shows conclusively that the disorderly hotels
and cafes, together with the saloons run in connection with prostitution,
are a most pernicious source of the debauchery of youth.

The investigation also reveals the prevalence of street soliciting in
open defiance of the police. The professional or semi-professional pros-
titute carries on her nefarious trade openly throughout the business
centre of the city. As already pointed out elsewhere in this report,
there is no city ordinance prohibiting street solicitation. Such an
ordinance should be at once enacted and rigidly enforced.

The evidence of the prevalence of clandestine prostitution, very
largely on the part of young people, is another pitiful outcome of the
investigation. This suggests an ignorance on the part of the youth of
the city regarding the dangers attending sexual vipe, and a lax moral

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE 89

sense. Something must be done to educate our boys and girls in this
matter, and to strengthen their moral fibre. We submit this chapter of
the report to the earnest consideration of parents, teachers, ministers,
and all who have to do with the training of youth.

In this connection we wish to call special attention to the report
relative to summer amusement resorts in the vicinity of the city. The
committee feels that they cannot too strongly emphasize the evils at-
tending the lax supervision of these resorts.

Information in the hands of the committee also points to the fact
that many of the city parks, not alone those on the outskirts, but those in
the populous parts of the city, are inadequately policed and lighted, and
that this results in vicious practices in the summer time.

The chapter on Prostitution and Disease should also receive the
earnest consideration of all citizens. These diseases, so frightful in their
consequences, not only to the guilty, but to innocent wives and children
yet unborn, are distressingly prevalent in Syracuse.

One very significant fact disclosed by the investigation is that the
vice of Syracuse is constantly recruited by girls from the neighboring
towns, who, having fallen into prostitution here, pass on to the houses
of prostitution ia the City of New York. Thus Syracuse and the other
cities of central New York become supply stations for the vice of the
larger city.

The affidavit of the investigator who visited the city at the time of
the Conference of Older Boys reveals in a striking way the pernicious
influence for the corruption of youth of a well known segregated vice
district in any community. This alone should make the further toler-
ance of segregated vice in Syracuse an absolute impossibility.

In the appendix following will be found detailed the experiences of
certain cities that have faced the problem of vice with the determination
that it be reduced to a minimum. This chapter is commended to the
thoughtful perusal of the city authorities, police department and citi-
zens generally. What other cities have done, Syracuse can do.

In view of these conclusions, and its careful study of the social evil
in Syracuse and other cities, the committee presents the following recom-
mendations to state and city authorities, public officials, and various
organizations :

Recommendations to the State Authorities

1. That a state law similar to the Iowa Injunction and Abatement
Law (,See Appendix No. IV) be enacted and enforced whereby houses
of prostitution and assignation are declared to be a nuisance, citizens are
given the right to institute summary proceedings in equity for the abate-

90 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUiSE

ment of the nuisance, and the penalty for prostitution is placed upon the
owner or owners of the building or property where prostitution occurs.
3. That the law prohibiting the sale of alcoholic liquors in connec-
tion with prostitution be enforced; that violation of this prohibition be
punished by permanent revocation of all liquor licenses held by any
parties engaged in the violation, and that the revocation of licenses apply
not only to the holders of the license but also for a term of not less than
one year to the premises where the illegal sale of liquor occurred.

3. That violations of the liquor laws be punished by the permanent
revocation of all licenses held by the violators, and that the revocation
apply also for a term of not less than one year to the premises where the
violation occurred.

4. That in dealing with prostitution in the courts, fine be abolished
and imprisonment or an adult probation system be substituted.

5. That the number of saloons in Syracuse be immediately reduced
through a rigid enforcement of the excise laws so that it shall bear a nor-
mal relationship to the population of the city.

6. That a course in Sex Hygiene be introduced into the Normal
Schools of the state, so that teachers may be prepared to instruct their
pupils.

Recommendations to the City Authorities

1. That a city ordinance be enacted and enforced similar to the so-
called "Tin Plate Ordinance" of Portland, Ore. (See Appendix No. IV),
whereby the owner of any building used wholly or in part as a hotel,
rooming house, lodging house, etc., shall maintain at the principal street
entrance a plate bearing the name and address of the owner or owners
of the building and the land on which it stands.

2. That city ordinances be enacted and enforced that shall deal
adequately with street solicitation.

3. That the tacit permission of the segregated district where pros-
titution is exploited for profit cease, and that the district be abolished by
vigorous enforcement of the laws relative to prostitution; and that this
abolition of the segregated district be followed by continued and per-
sistent efforts to reduce prostitution in all parts of the city.

4. That in cases of arrest in disorderly houses or resorts, the men
as well as the women be held for trial.

5. That prostitutes who desire to avail themselves of the oppor-
tunity, or who are arrested and convicted, be sent to an industrial home
with hospital accommodations.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 91

6. That semi-delinquent girls be separated from delinquents, and
enlightened methods of care and education given them.

7. That enlarged and adequate provision be made, in connection
with the Juvenile Court, for the care of delinquent young girls held in
temporary detention.

8. That all association of saloons and prostitution be absolutely
abolished; and that all connections between the bar and other rooms be
immediately and permanently closed.

9. That the hotels and cafes of the city be adequately supervised;
that bona fide registration of guests occupying rooms be required in all
hotels; that all connections between wine room and bed rooms be abol-
ished; and that no screens or curtains be allowed in wine rooms.

10. That dance halls be placed under control of accredited matrons ;
and that no association of the dance halls with saloons or the sale of
liquor be permitted.

11. That the citys system of parks and playgrounds be extended
to provide ample recreation centres for children and adults; that the
parks be given ample supervision and lighting, and that the playgrounds
be supervised by matrons.

13. That women be added to the police force.

13. That public comfort stations be established in appropriate sec-
tions of the city.

Recommendations to the Bureau of Health

1. That the Bureau of Health recognize the social diseases as con-
tagious diseases, and subject them to a degree of control equal to or
greater than that maintained in relation to other diseases; that the
Bureau of Health adopt the methods now employed by the Department
of Health in New York City for the control of social diseases, and that
the Bureau compile annually the statistics of these diseases in order to
ascertain the efBciency of control.

Recommendations to the Board of Education

1. That the Board of Education investigate thoroughly the advisa-
bility and methods of teaching sex hygiene to the older pupils of the
public schools.

a. That the school houses be used as social centers to as great an
extent as practicable for children, young people and adults.

Recommendations to Parents
That parents change their attitude of assumed ignorance regarding
sex to one of initial or primary instruction; that they instruct their

93 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

children in the simple facts of sex life, sex hygiene, and the physical and
moral dangers associated with vice, or arrange with some suitable per-
son for the proper instmction of their children in these matters.

Recommendations to the Authorities Where the Summer Amusement
Resorts are Located

That such authorities provide adequate supervision of the summer
amusement resorts, and that the dark places in the grounds be lighted.

Recommendations to Various Organizations

1. That the Churches, Clubs, The Chamber of Commerce, Women's
Organizations, Labor Assemblies and Labor Unions throughout the city
enter upon a vigorous campaign of education regarding the social evil, to
the end that the public conscience be awakened to the point of insisting
upon its suppression.

2. That the business men of Syracuse, through the Chamber of
Commerce and other business organizations, be informed of the cost of
vice and its diseases in reduced efficiency of workers, the cost of sick-
ness and hospital treatment, and premature death.

And Finally to the Men of Syracuse

That they recognize one standard of morality for men and women
alike, govern their lives accordingly, and set their faces sternly against
every form of sexual vice. The social evil is fundamentally a man's
problem. It is fostered by men for financial profit, and for the gratifi-
cation of their passions. Thousands of imwilling girl recruits are an-
nually forced or lured into its toils by that monstrous product of our
civilization, the male procurer, whose business is seduction.

APPENDIX I

Accounts of an Inmate of a Dollae House of Peostitution feom
Januaet 1st, 1913, TO June 30th, 1913

JANUARY Ist, 1912

Total
Earnings

Her
Share

Balance in
Debt to
Madam

Expenses

Remarks

$96.00

Began year with this debt

Mon. . .

.. 1

$17.00

$8.50

87.50

Tues. . .

.. 2

10.00

5.00

82.50
109.60

$27.00

Ring

Wed. . .

.. 3

9.00

4.50

106.00

Thiirs. .

.. 4

11.00

5.50

99.60

Fri

.. 5

4.00

2.00

97.50
120.60

23.00

Sat....

.. 6

10.00

5.00

116.50
116.00
126.18

.60
10.18

Show

Waist $4.98, home $6.00, 20c (7)

Sun. . . .

.. 7

7.00

4.50

121.68

Mon. . .

.. 8

8.00

3.60

118.18

Tuei. . .

.. 9

6.00

6.60

111.68

Wed. . .

..10

14.00

7.00

104.68

Thur. . .

..11

7.00

3.60

101.18

Fri....

..12

13.00

6.50

94.68
113.68

19.00

Dress $15.00, switch $4.00

Sat....

..13

11.00

5.60

108.18
135.18

27.00

Wash $2.00, ring $25.00

Sun

..14

10.00

*2.00

133.18

Mon. . .

.15

6.00

2.60

130.68

Tues. . .

.16

9.00

4.60

126.18

Wed. . .

.17

8.00

4.00

122.18
123.18

1.00

Show

Thuri..

.18

5.00

2.50

120.68

Fri....

.19

12.00

6.00

114.68

Sat....

.20

10.00

6.00

109.68
114.68

5.00

(?)

Sun

.21

10.00

*2.00

112.68
115.68

3.00

Waah and Doctor

Mon. . .

.22

16.00

8.00

107.68

Tuea. . .

.23

3.00

1.50

106.18

Wed. . .

.24

13.00

6.60

99.68
103.86

4.18

Com. $1.25, dress $2.50, ISc and

Thurs..

.25

14.00

7.00

96.86

28c (7)

Fri....

.26

12.00

6.00

90.86

Sat....

.27

21.00

10.50

80.36
84.51

4.16

15c, $3.00, $1.00 (7)

Sun

.28

19.00

*6.50

78.01
103.01

25.00

Ring

Mon. . .

.29

11.00

5.50

97.51
107.51

10.00

Home

Tuea. . .
Wed. . .

.30
.31

Is

10.00
10.00

t4.00
5.00

103.61
98.61

Tota

$326.00

$156.50

$159.01
6.00

Board

$165.01

*Board of inmate, $3.00, taken out of her share of earnings each Sunday,
tinmate's share of earnings not an even half of her total receipts for the day.

95

96

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

APPENDIX I— Continued
FEBRUARY Ist, 1912

Total
Earnings

Her

Share

Balance in
Debt to
Madam

Expenses

Remarks

$98.61

ThuTs.

.. 1

$9.00

$4.50

94.01
96.61

$2.50

Show 50c, shoes $2.00

Fri

.. 2

10.00

5.00

91.61

Sat....

.. 3

19.00

9.50

82.01
84.01

2.00

Washing

Sun. . . .

.. i

13.00

*3.50

80.51

Mon. . .

.. 5

12.00

6.00

74.61
77.81

3.30

Show (Grand) 30o, dress dyed $3.00

Tue...

.. 6

8.00

4.00

73.81
78.81

6.00

Hat

Wed. . .

.. 7

5.00

2.50

76.31

Thurs. .

.. 8

out al

Fri

,. 9

out al

Sat....

..10

18.00

9.00

67.31
68.31

1.00

Chss.

Sun

..11

21.00

*7.50

60.81
63.81

3.00

Doctor $1.00, washing $2.00

Mon. . .

..12

13.00

6.50

57.31
58.81

1.50

Lysol 25c, record $1.00, chop suey

Tues, . .

..13

13.00

6.50

52.31

25c

Wed. . .

..14

4.00

2.00

50.31

Thurs. .

..16

9.00

4.50

45.81
51.56

5.75

Home $6.00, show 76c

Fri

..16

10.00

6.00

46.66

Sat....

..17

14.00

7.00

39.56
41.81

2.26

Washing $2.00, waist 26c

Sun. . . .

..18

18.00

*6.00

36.81

Mon. . .

..19

13.00

6.50

29.31

Tues. . .

..20

9.00

4.50

24.81
25.16

.35

Cream (Cold)

Wed. . .

..21

6.00

3.00

22.16
22.66

.50

Show

Thurs. .

..22

11.00

6.50

17.16

Fri....

..23

9.00

4.60

12.66

Sat....

..24

23.00

11.60

1.16
30.16

29.00

Washing $3.00, Doctor $1.00, ring

Sun. . . .

..25

12.00

*3.00

27.16

$25.00

Mon. . .

..26

9.00

4.50

22.66

Tues. . .

..27

9.00

4.50

18.16

Wed. . .

..28

10.00

5.00

13.16
16.76

3.60

Furs, sandwich, go out $2.60, old

ThviTB..

..29

2.00

1.00

16.76
19.76

4.00

lady $1.00
Doctor $1.00, washing $2.00, (7)
$1.00

Totals

$309.00

$142.50

$63.75

12.00

Board

$76.76

*Board S3 . 00, taken out each Sunday.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

97

APPENDIX 1— Continued
MARCH Ist, 1912

Total
Earnings

Her

Share

Balance in
Debt to
Madam

Expenses

Remarks

$19.76

Fri....

.. 1

$11.00

$5.50

14.26

Sat

.. 2

20.00

10.00

4.26
7.26

S3. 00

Doctor $1.00, washing $2.00

Sun

.. 3

11.00

*2.50

4.76
14.76

10.00

Clothes

Mod. . .

.. 4

7.00

3.50

11.26

Tues...

.. 5

13.00

6.50

4.76

.. 6

11.00

5.60

8.26

3.60

Dress $2.50, bank $1.00

Wed...

2.76

Thurs..

.. 7

17.00

*5.50

t2.74
8.26

11.00

Dress $8.00, washing and Doctor

Fri....

.. 8

17.00

8.50

t .24

$3.00

Sat....

.. 9

16.00

8.00

t8.24

Sun....

..10

14.00

4.00

12.24
12.76

25.00

(?)

Mon. . .

..11

10.00

5.00

7.76
17.76

10.00

Suit

Tues...

..12

14.00

7.00

10.76

Wed. . .

..13

16.00

8.00

2.76

Thurs..

..14

9.00

4.50

tl.74
t.99

.76

Corset

Fri

..IS

19.50

9.75

tlO.74
t25.74

Sat....

..16

30.00

15.00

22.74

3.00

Doctor and washing

Sun

..17

9.00

*1.S0

24.24

Mon. . .

..18

7.00

3.60

t27.74
tl5.74

12.00

Hat

Tues...

..19

12.00

6.00

t21.74
15.76

37.50

Suit

Wed. . .

..20

8.00

4.00

11.76
15.76

4.00

Shoes

Thurs..

..21

11.00

5.60

10.26
14.76

4.50

Shirtwaist

Fri

..22

15.00

7.50

7.26

Sat....

..23

17.00

8.50

tl.24
2.41

3.65

Doctor and washing (Jew)

Sun....

..24

11.00

*2.50

t.09
33.89

33.98

(7) $3.00, skirt $2.98, ring and

Mon. . .

..25

11.00

5.60

28.39

presents $18.00, go home $10.00

Tues...

..26

Home

Wed...

..27

Home

Thuis..

. .2S

Home

Fri....

..29

Home

Sat

..30

14.00

7.00

21.39
32.39

11.00

Washing and Doctor $3.00

Sun. . . .

..31

als

13.00
$363.50

*3.60
$163.75

28.89

Tot

$172.88

18.00

Board

$190.88

♦Board $3.00 taken out each Sunday.
tBalance ahead. Madam owes inmate.

98

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYKACUSE

APPENDIX 1— Continued
APRIL Ist, 1912

Total
Earnings

Her

Share

Balance in
Debt to
Madam

Expenses

Eemarka

$28.89

Mon.. .

.. 1

$7.00

S3. SO

25.39
27.39

$2.00

"Comond"

Tues...

.. 2
.. 3
.. 4

3.00
6.00
6.00

1.50
3.00
3.00

26.89
26.89

1.00
1.00

Show

Wed. . .

23.89
24.89

Bank

Thurs..

21.89

Fri....

.. 5

10.00

5.00

16.89
26.89

10.00

BankXB

Sat....

.. 6
.. 7

.. 8

16.00
21.00

15.00

8.00
*7.50

7.50

18.89

3.00
25.75

Sun....

11.39
14.39

Doctor and washing

Mon. . .

6.89
32.64

(?) 75c, ring, fish $25.00

Tues...

.. 9

10.00

5.00

27.64
29.14

1.60

Doctor $1.00, lysol 26o, powder 25o

Wed. . .

..10

..11
..12
. .13

3.00

1.50

27.64
65.89

38.25

Dresses $15.00, coat $6.00, powder

Thurs..
Fri....
Sat

26c, wash $3.00, Doctor $1.00,
combination $7.50, Doctor $1.00,
combination $4.50

Sun....
Mon. . .
Tues...
Wed. . .
Thurs..

..14
..15
..16
..17
..18

13.00

6.50

59.39

Fri

..19

10.00

6.00

54.39
54.64

.25

(?)

Sat

..20

12.00

6.00

48.64
61.64

3.00

Doctor and washing

Sun. . . .

..21

16.00

*6.00

46.64

Mon.. .

. .22

10.00

5.00

41.64
86.64

45.00

Ring $30.00, coat Mr. F. $16.00

Tues...

..23

8.00

4.00

82.64

Wed. . .

..24

11.00

5.50

77.14
92.64

15.50

Dress

Thurs..

..26

10.00

6.00

87.64

Fri....

..26

12.00

6.00

81.64

Sat. . . .

..27

19.00

9.60

72.14
76.14

3.00

Doctor and washing

Sun....

..28

14.00

*4.00

71.14
75.64

4.50

(?) $2.60, "Borred" $1.50, (?) 50o

Mon. . .
Tues...

..29
..30

als

8.00

4.00

71.64

Tot

S240.00

$111.00

$153.76
9.00

Board

$162.75

♦Board S3.00, taken out each Sunday.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSB

99

APPENDIX 1—Continved
MAY 1st, 1912

Total
Earnines

Her

Share

Balance in
Debt to
Madam

Expenses

Remarks

$71.64

Wed. . .

.. 1

S8.00

$4.00

67.64

Thura..

.. 2

12.00

6.00

61.64
63.14

$1.60

(?)

Fri

.. 3

10.00

5. '00

68.14

Sat....
Sun....

.. 4
.. S

21.00
15.00

10.50
*4.50

47.64
93.89
89.39

46.26

Doctor and washing $3.50, ring
$26.00, curtains $17.76

Mon. . .

.. 6

10.00

6.00

84.39

Tues...

.. 7

10.00

5.00

79.39
95.99

16.60

"Comond" $16.00, borrowed 60o

Wed. . .

.. 8

7.00

3.50

92.49

ThUTB . .

.. 9

3.00

1.50

90.99
107.99

17.00

Hat

Fri

..10

8.00

4.00

103.99

Sat

. .11

18.00

9.00

94.99
95.99

1.00

Express

Sun....

..12

14.00

*4.00

91.99
93.99

2.00

Laundry

Mon. . .

..13

9.00

4.50

89.49

Tues...

..14

14.00

7.00

82.49
83.69

1.20

Towels

Wed. . .

..15

7.00

3.50

80.19

Thurs..

..16

7.00

3.50

76.69
77.44

.76

Show

Fri

.17

8.00

4.00

73.44
76.64

3.10

Doctor and washing $3.00, (?) lOo

Sat

..18

20.00

10.00

66.64

Sun. . . .

..19

16.00

*5.00

61.64
91.54

30.00

Home

Mon. . .

..20

8.00

4.00

87.54

Tues...

..21

11.00

5.50

82.04

Wed. . .

..22

12.00

6.00

76.04
78.54

2.60

(?)

Thurs..

..23

2.00

1.00

77.54

Fri....

..24

16.00

8.00

69.54

Sat

..25

22.00

11.00

68.54
61.84

3.30

Doctor and washing, $3.00, (7) 30o

Sun. . . .

..26

16.00

*5.00

66.84

Mon. . .

..27

9.00

4.50

62.34
63.34

1.00

Dress

Tues...

..28

8.00

4.00

49.34

Wed. . .

..29

16.00

8.00

41.34

Thurs..

..30

21.00

10.60

30.84

Fri

..31
als

10.00

5.00

25.84

$126.20
12.00

Tot

$368.00

$172.00

Board

$138.20

*Board $3.00, taken out each Sunday.

100

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

APPENDIX I— Continued
JUNE 1st, 1912

Total
Earnings

Her

Share

Balance in
Debt to
Madam

Expenses

Remarks

Sat 1

Sun 2

Mon 3

Tues 4

yrtd 5

Thurs 6

Fri 7

Sat 8

Sun 9

Mon 10

Tues 11

Wed 12

Thurs 13

Fri 14

Sat 16

Sun 16

Mon 17

Tues 18

Wed 19

Thurs 20

Fri 21

Sat 22

Sun 23

Man 24

Tues 25

Wed 26

Thurs 27

Fri 28

Sat 29

Sun 30

Totals

J16.00

13.00

8.00
19.00

Home

Home
11.00
19.00

13.00

8.00

8.00

11.00

5.00

7.00

17.00

20.00

10.00
10.00
22.00

16.00
7.00

17.00
9.00
7.00

13.00

10.00
14.00

18.00
12.00

$356.00

$8.00
*3.50

4.00
9.50

5.50
9.50

*3.50

4.00
4.00
5.50

2.50
3.50
8.60

*7.00

6.00

6.00

11.00

8.00
3.60

8.60

*1.50

3.50

6.60

5.00
7.00

8.00

9.00
*3.00

$163.00

$25.84

17
19

.84
.84

16.34
18.84

14

.84

5

28

.34
.34

22

.84

13
15

34
34

11
17

84
84

13

84

9

84

4
20

34
34

17

84

14

34

5
10

84
84

3
31

84
34

26

34

21

34

10
14

34
49

6.49

2
6

99
99

tl
2

51
99

1
26

49
49

22
40

99
49

33.99
35.49

30.49

23

44

49
49

36
43

49
49

34.49

31.

49

$2.00
2.50

23.00

2.00
6.00

16.00

6.00
27.60

4.16

4.00

4.60

25.00

17.50

1.60

21.00
7.00

$168.66
15.00

$183.65

Washing
(?)

(?)

Washing

Gloves $1.00, shoes $5.00

Coat $13.15, (7) $2.50, 35o

Washing $2.00, Doctor $1.00, Miss
— $2.00

Dress

Waist $4.00, (?) ISo

Doctor and washing

Dress $4.00, (?) 60o

Ring $20.00, locket $5.00, (follow-
ing original entry torn out)

(?)

(?) $1.00, (?) 50o

(?)

(?) $1.00, (?) $6.00

Board

♦Board $3.00, taken out each Sunday.
tBalance ahead. Madam owes inmate.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

101

APPENDIX I— Continued
Total Eaenings, Hee Share of Eaknings, Expenses, and Balance
OF Debt to Madam, Januakt 1st to June 30th, 1913, Accounts
OF X39, Inmate of One Dollak House of Peostitution.

Total
Earnings

Her Share (de-
ducting board)

Expenses, (ex-
cluding board)

Deficit

Surplus

$326.00
309.00
363.60
240.00
368.00
356.00

$156.50
142.50
163.75
111.00
172.00
163.00

$159.01
63.75
172.88
153.76
126.20
168.66

$2.51

42.75
' 'h'.65

Feb

$78.76

May

46 80

June

Total . .

$1962.50

$908.75

$844.24

$60.04

$124.65

Average per week. .

$75.48

$34.96

Balance debt to Madam January Ist, 1912 $96.00

Expenses, January Ist to June 30tli, 1912 844.24

$940.24
Earnings, January 1st to June 30th, 1912 908.75

Balance debt to Madam June 30th, 1912 $31 .49

Deficit

$96.00
60.04

$156.04
Surplus 124 . 65

$31.49

Total Earnings and Average Earnings pee Day Based upon the
Actual ISTumber of Days Worked from January 1st to June
30th, 1912. Accounts of X39, Inmate of One Dollar House
OF Prostitution.

Total
Earnings

No. Days
Worked

Average

Working

Day

Every
Day

Highest

Lowest

Jan

Feb

Mar

April

May

June

$326.00
309.00
363.50
240.00
368.00
356.00

31
27
27
21
31
28

$10.50
11.46
13.46
11.43
11.87
12.71

$10.50
10.65
11.73
8.00
11.87
11.87

Jan. 27, Sat. $21.00
Feb. 24, Sat. 23.00 ,
Mar. 16, Sat. 30.00
April 7, Sun. 21.00
May 25, Sat. 22.00
June 19, Wed. 22.00

Jan. 23, Tues. $3.00
Feb, 29, Thurs. 2.00
Mar. 4 & 18, Mon. 7.00
April 3, Tues. 3.00
May 23, Thurs. 2.00
June 13, Thurs. 5.00

$1962.50

165

Average per working day, $11.90.
Average per working week, $83.30.
Average per working year, $4,331.60.

Classified Expenses oe XSD, Inmate of a Dollar House or Prosti-
tution^ January 1st to June 30th^ 1912

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

April

May

June

Total

Per Cent

$28.16

77.00

15.00

2.00

1.60

35.35

$10.26

25.00

5.00

14.00

2.05

7.46

$82.23
18.00
20.00
15.65

37! 66

$70.00
55.00

is! 66

1.00
12.75

$34.00

25.00

30.00

9.50

.75

26.95

$73.65
25.00

11166

1.00

58.00

$298.29

225.00

70.00

67.15

6.30

177.60

32.50

24.60

7.60

Doctor amd Washing. . . .

7.60
.70

19.20

$159.01
■ 6.00

$63.75
12.00

$172.88
18.00

$153.75
9.00

$126.20
12.00

$168.66
16.00

$844.24
72.00

92.10

7.90

$165.01

$76.75

$190.88

$162.76

$138.20

$183.66

$916.24

100.00

APPENDIX II

Table No. 1
Table Showing Birthplace, Nativity

Record of fifty cases showing birthplaces of prostitutes as stated by them to investigators

Birthplace

Foreign

Native

White

Colored

Syracuse 14

E. Syracuse 2

CamiUus, N. Y 1

Wampsville, N. Y 2

Baldwinsville, N. Y 3

Minoa, N. Y 1

Rockwell Springs, N. Y 1

Utica, N. Y 1

Oneida, N. Y 2

Binghamton, N. Y 1

Troy, N. Y 1

Rochester, N. Y 2

NewYork, N. Y 9

Philadelphia, Pa 1

Pennsylvania 1

Wilkes-Barre, Pa 1

Newark, N.J 1

New London, Conn 1

Bedford, Mass 1

Providence, R. 1 1

Canada 1

Germany 1

Ireland 1

Total 50

1 not learned

3

48

51

Table No. 2

Table of 39 Cases Giving Eeasons Why Prostitutes Came to

Sybacusb

Total

To work 12

To shop 3

To solicit 7

To enter house 3

With man 3

To live 2

To marry 2

Ran away — quarrel at home 3

Came with show 1

To be with father — employed 1

From Ireland — to be with folks 1

To see the boys every Saturday and Sunday. . . 1

39

103

104

THE SOCIAL EVIL IF SYRACUSE

APPENDIX II— Continued

Table No. S

Table Showing Pkesent Age oe Giel, Hee Age When the Fiest
Sexual Offense "Was Committed^ and Age When She Enteeed
Life op Peostitution. Twenty-foue Cases Consideeed.

Preaent Age of

Age of First Sexual

Age of Entering Life

Girl

Offense

of Prostitution

24

20

20

22

18

19

23

22

22

24

23-10 months

6 weeks after

23

18

18

21

20-10 months

2 months after

21

18

18

26

19

26

23

23

24

18

19

19

16

18

24

23

15

20

22

14

4 months after

22

4 months after

24

19

22

24

18

18

23

16

16

22

19

19

28

26

26

26

2 months after

26

16

18

21

15

18

24

16

17

Average 24

Average 20

Average 23

Table No. 4
EiBST Sexual Offense

Eeoord of Forty-six oases showing partner of first sexual offense,
as stated to Investigator.

Stranger

Lover

Friend

Relative

Teacher

Total

14

8

18

5

1

46

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE
APPENDIX II— Continued

105

Table No. 5

Table Showing "Wages Received by 35 Peostitutes in Various Oc-
cupations IN Steacuse Engaged in Bbfoee and Aetee Becoming
Peostitutes.

Occupation.

Salary Per Week

Domestic Servant

Salary

$15.00 and expenses

6.00

5.00 and dinner
10.00
12.00

6.00

8.00

8.50
20.00

8.00
10.00

5.00 and board
12.00

5.00

7.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

6.00

8.00

7.00

7.00

9.00

8.00

9.00

Cook

Extra servant at hotel

Maid in hotel
Maid in hotel

$20.00 per month

Pj^f^hiftr , , , ,

5.00 per week

Waitress in Restaurant

Cashier

5.00 per week

Store

Store

6 . 00 per week

Telephone operator

Sales girl

Sales girl

Sales girl

Sales girl

k^

Table No. 6
Civil State of Giels

Record of Forty-seven cases showing tlie Civil State of Prostitutes.

Living

with

Husband

Separated

from
Husband

Single

Total

3

10

34

47

106

THE SOCIAL EVIL IK SYEACUSE

APPENDIX 11— Continued

Table No. 7

Table Showing Occupation and Business of Giels Befobe and

Aftee Becoming Peostitutes

Trade or Business

Before Becoming a

Prostitute

Domestic
Service

Trade or Business

Combined with

Prostitution

Domestic
Service

Married

Maid

Sales girl

Maid

Married

Maid

Cashier

Maid

Cloak model

Maid

Waitress

Married

Cashier

Married

Sales girl

Cashier

Married

Waitress

Married

Cashier

Actress

Sales girl

Telephone operator

Married

Stenographer
Sales girl

Sales girl

Actress

N\arse

Cashier

Sales girl

Telephone operator

Married

Manufacturing

Sales girl

Sales girl

Sales girl

Nurse

Married

Sales girl

Sales girl

Sales girl

Demonstrator

Married

Laundry-

Sales girl

Sales girl

Married

Sales girl

Sales girl

Demonstrator

Laundry-

Sales girl

Sales girl

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

107

APPENDIX U—Continued

Table No. 8

Table Showing Baenings of Peostitutes as Compaeed with Baen-
iNGs IN Othes Occupations

Earnings from Proa-
titution Weekly

Eajrnings Combined
With Prostitution

Earnings from Prostitu-
tion Combined with
Domestic Service

Disposition of
Earnings

Highest Lowest
$40.00
10.00
100.00

17 00

$20 . 00 per month, maid
5.00 maid

Friend

200 .00

$15.00 per week, actress
6.00 sales girl

23.00 $3.00
25.00 5.00
150.00
40 00 10 00

40.00 6.00
40.00

5.00 cashier
10.00 waitress
12.00 cashier

7.00 sales girl
9.00 sales girl

36!66 "'s'.oo'

30.00 3.00
20 00

Lives home

20 . 00

5 . 00 maid

20 00

100.00 20.00
75.00 10.00
15.00

30.00 3.00
30.00 10.00
25.00 2.00
80.00

20.00 actress

working

160.00 10.00
65.00
25 00

Friend

8.00 telephone operator
10.00 stenographer

8.00 sales girl
5.00 and board-nurse
6.00 sales girl
7.00 sales girl

7.00 sales girl

9.00 sales girl
7.00 sales girl

12.00 demonstrator
5.00 laundry
8.00 sales girl
8.00 sales girl

25 00

100.00 10.00
20 00

25 00

28.00 1.00
25 00

Lives home, pays all

21.00 6.00

40.00

70.00

50.00

15.00

40.00 10.00

30 . 00

45.00 5.00
80 . 00

30.00 10.00
35 00

Average $44.00

Results Following the Abolition of the "Red Light District"

in Seattle, Wash.

LETTER FROM THE MAYOR OF SEATTLE

'*Julv 9 1912
"Honorable F. A. Hartenstein, '

"Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio.

"My Dear Mayor: —

"In reply to your inquiries in your letter of the 2nd inst., I would answer
One and Two:

"We have no 'Red Light District' in Seattle. It was abolished as a result
of agitation leading up to an injunction proceeding against owners, city
ofiScials, etc., in October, 1910.

"Third: Since October, 1910, there have been no recognized, tolerated
houses of prostitution, and it is and has been for eighteen months the policy
of this and the last administration to suppress and so far as possible elim-
inate this evil.

"Fourth: The result of the above action and policy has clearly been to
decrease in a very marked degree the number of persons engaged in or in
any way suspected in connection with this line of vice. It has been estab-
lished, I believe I may say, without question, by experience here, that the
so-called 'Restricted' or 'Red Light District' acts as a nucleus well advertised
breeding center for the social evil, from which it radiates and permeates
throughout the entire city.

"The idea that 'segregation' accomplishes the result which the name indi-
cates, and produces better conditions outside of the 'Restricted District' has
been abundantly disproven here.

"Fifth: Our control of the social evil consists in constant watchfulness
of houses suspected of harboring or inviting traffic of this sort, arrests when
necessary, and a constant, persistent effort to reduce it to a minimum. Any
form of public solicitation is promptly dealt with and I believe there is little
of that sort of thing in our city.

"While we do not claim in any sense to have absolutely eradicated the
social evil, we do believe that Seattle, a cosmopolitan seaport city of nearly
300,000 population, has made a great stride forward toward municipal clean-
liness in this respect. The absolute refusal of any form of official recogni-
tion or toleration, the discontinuance of any form of fining policy for any
purpose of raising revenue, the attitude of constant watchfulness and prose-
cution, particularly of the owners of premises said to be used for prostitution
purposes; these things, backed up by the attitude of the community ex-
pressed in the last two city elections (especially since women's suffrage was
adopted in our state constitution in November, 1910) have altogether com-
bined to give us a greater degree of accomplishment towards the solution of
this old and terrible social problem.

"Very truly yours,

"(Signed) GEO. P. COTTERILL, Mayor."
108

APPENDIX III

The Reduction of Vice in Certain Western Cities Through

Law-Enforcement

By Wirt W. Hallam, Chicago
(Reprinted from "Social Diseases," April, 1912)

In speaking upon the subject assigned to me, I will begin with a few gen-
eral comments.

First. The recent improvements in the administrative control of vice In
several large cities have shown that It Is an easy matter to enforce the law
when public opinion and public officials wish it enforced.

Second. That it is an extremely difficult matter to enforce the law when
public opinion is not especially Interested, or when public officials, for any
reason, do not want it enforced.

Third. The influences which make public officials disregard their oath of
office and neglect their sworn duty are: First, political Influence; second,
failure of the general public to support the work of law-enforcing officials. I
mean by this that a law-enforcing official makes enemies of criminals and
receives neglect instead of friendship and support from the law-abiding.
Third, the secret financial contributions available for any official who will
neglect to prosecute criminals. The latter condition would not be possible
were it not for the existence of the two former. In Chicago, in Des Moines,
and in Seattle the promoters of vice left the city in large numbers as soon
as they found that the illegal protection which had been extended to them
was being withdrawn, and they left without waiting to be prosecuted. These
people know only too well how easy It is for officials to prosecute them, and
they either pay heavily for protection or disappear at the first sign of real
danger.

Considering these facts, you will easily appreciate the statement that
while administrative reform Is valuable, it is only one of several reforms
which are needed.

When I first became Interested In the problem of vice, I was far from
appreciating its many-sidedness. There are many good and thoughtful
people who are dally making similar mistakes, and underestimating the
number of Influences which work to make victims for that arch enemy of
humanity, the vice of prostitution, which numbers its diseased victims by
the thousands every year; with its moral and physical wreckage drawn
from the daughters of the poor and the sons of the wealthy.

Some people may, in fact, tell us that prostitution Is purely an economic
problem. If that were correct, the wealthy and the well-to-do would all be
moral. But we find that while many of these are moral, many others are

109

110 THE SOCIAL EVIL IK SYEACUSE

not; on the other hand, many of the poor are of good moral character, even
under the most adverse circumstances.

Other persons expect great results from education, which has indeed
proven to be of great value — perhaps the greatest of all the Influences ex-
erted during the past ten years. But as knowledge is not wisdom, so educa-
tion is not moral character, although it is of infinite help to moral character.

There have been, and still are, others who expect great benefit from
sanitary measures; but these, without educational and moral influences,
have shown most disappointing results. In England, investigations have
proved that the Contagious Diseases Act increased the volume of vice and
that the number of girls wrecked for the profit of the business of vice was
greater than before they went into effect. The sanitary supervision of pros-
titution does not decrease the total of disease or of social disaster which is
inseparable from the existence of vice in any community.

CHICAGO

The work recently accomplished in Chicago for the improvement of vice
conditions is important because it proves how much can be done in large
cities when public ofiacials really make the effort and have substantial public
opinion to back them up. We must not blame public officials entirely for
the evils which exist. They must have a strong public opinion behind them
if any public good is to be accomplished.

Chicago has been studying and discussing the consequences of vice for
about five years. First, the Chicago Society for Social Hygiene was organ-
ized through the influence of the American Society of Sanitary and Moral
Prophylaxis; second, the Illinois Vigilance Association made a protest,
handling the subject from the ministerial point of view, attacking more
especially the white slave traffic and the general institution of prostitution;
third, the Social Hygiene Committee of the Chicago Woman's Club, which
sent lecturers to women's clubs in Chicago and many neighboring cities,
and introduced into the National Federation of Women's Clubs a discussion
of Social Hygiene and the protection of the family; fourth, the outcome of
the three above mentioned movements was the Chicago Vice Commission.
This was not a prosecuting body, but its investigations were made with a
view of encouraging prosecutions eventually and of developing a better
method of administrative or governmental control of the vicious element.

The Vice Commission made its investigation and report. A new admin-
istration came into office, and while these officials did not follow the Com-
mission's recommendations, they did make some very remarkable clean-ups
in vice conditions, and put a number of police officials out of office because
they had permitted the existing conditions.

After the present mayor was installed in office late in the spring of 1910,
vice conditions, which had been bad, immediately grew very much worse.
The Impression had gotten out that it was to be a wide-open town. The
public made complaint and things improved slightly; the Mayor promised
several additional Improvements, but they developed very slowly. He then
ordered the City Civil Service Commission to investigate charges against
police officials, namely, that they were incompetent or were in partnership
with gambling and with prostitution.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 111

The Commission summoned the police officials before it and asked if
they knew of the existence of certain laws and regulations, and whether
these were being enforced. Most of the officials knew of the laws and regu-
lations and assured the Commission that the same were being enforced,
either as specified or very nearly so.

The next step was to start an investigation to learn if conditions were
as good as the police reported; the results showed that they were not.
Consequently, there was but one conclusion to be drawn, either that the
police officials were incompetent or that there was collusion with the law-
breakers; in either case, there was sufficient cause for discharge from
office. Since the trial began, three inspectors, one captain, and five or six
lieutenants have been discharged. One captain resigned and went to Eu-
rope; another held his place only by establishing his claim that he had
endeavored to enforce the law but found his efforts blocked by the inspector
who was his superior officer. The lieutenant at this latter station held his
position on the plea that he had obeyed orders.

The police Inspector, captain and two lieutenants on the West Side were
the first to be tried. Some of the worst saloons were promptly closed. One
of the large furniture dealers of the West Side took back $46,000 worth of
furniture which he had sold on the installment plan. The streets that had
been filled with a rough element were now quiet. A group of twenty so-
called "business men" waited on the Mayor to make complaint that business
was dead on the West Side, and to ask him to ease up on his law enforce-
ment. The Mayor told them "what he thought of them," and they went
home, refusing to give their names to the newspaper people who wanted to
write up the Interview.

When the trial of the police officials began on the North Side, an immedi-
ate reduction in vice developed there also. There was hardly a street-
walker to be seen anywhere. The back rooms in saloons had practically no
customers ; in one of the most notorious of these the investigator found only
a boy, who, upon being questioned, said there was "nothing doing for the
present. The police said we had to close this thing up for a month."

In the preliminary report of the Civil Service Commission, the medical
inspection of prostitutes Is commented upon priefly, as follows:

"The system of medical examination of prostitutes and the issuance of
certificates of alleged freedom from venereal diseases is a species of graft
that should be eliminated. Investigation on this line is just starting, but
the Commission expects to show the following:

"That certain physicians catering to this class of patients make such
examination and issue certificates, many of which they know to be false,
and divide the proceeds with the dive-keepers. That in many cases the cer-
tificates are issued weekly, without examination, and that the police in cer-
tain districts are in collusion therewith.'"

As for White Slavery, the girls who are forced into this or into immor-
ality through the physical violence or intimidation of the vice promoter, are
not the only ones who need our sympathy and our help. The girls who are
enticed into vice by any means are often as much helpless victims as though
they were taken into its nets by force. Both classes soon become hopeless
human wrecks. They are somebody's daughters and, sensational as it may

lis THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

sound, somebody is slowly killing them for profit. Clifford G. Roe says:
"My experience In handling several hundred White Slave cases is that
severe punishment is likely to follow a woman who gives evidence in court
against a procurer. In most cases the victim is slashed with a knife."

Our failure to protect the witness and the victim is too unjust for words.
In White Slave cases, as well as in cases of crime against little girls or
women, the effort to prosecute the criminal is filled with dangers and injus-
tices which should not be allowed to exist.

As for street-walking, this vice condition, which exists in New York in a
form equal to the worst we have ever had in Chicago, has been greatly
reduced in the latter place by the prosecution of high police ofilcials in
whose district it existed and with but little or no change in the way the
courts treat the girls.

In Chicago, as already mentioned, street soliciting stopped immediately
when the city began prosecuting officials for neglect of duty. In Seattle, the
majority — 1,000 women and 2,000 men — ^left the city without prosecution,
though some others tried to continue, notwithstanding the new officials. In
Iowa, cities where the law made it seemingly impossible for politics or graft
to give illegal protection, dive-keepers left without waiting to be prosecuted.
Other cities and States can do the same and thereby save lives and money ,^
and save large percentages of both.

IOWA

The experience of Iowa is unusual and extremely valuable. Since her
earliest history, her towns have had red light districts. For years they have
passed laws and attempted prosecutions, but with little success. Many peo-
ple regarded the institution as necessary and inevitable; grand juries would
not indict; petit juries would not convict. When the commission form of
government was established at Des Moines, John L. Hamery was made Su-
perintendent of Public Safety. He endeavored to enforce the law, but finally
declared that prosecutions of this nature invariably found their grave at the
County Court House. It was sometimes found that one man on the jury —
from prejudice, corruption or a misunderstanding of the nature of his duties
— would defeat the laws of the State and the judgment of the other eleven
men on the jury.

In commenting on this state of affairs, Mr. John B. Hammond — also of
Des Moines, and a most valuable and active worker for improved conditions
in Iowa — says that the people of Iowa, seeking some avenue for escape and
finding no precedent that would meet their needs, set about to establish one.

As a consequence of their efforts, the Iowa Injunction and Abatement
Law was drawn up and passed through the Legislature. There has been for
years an Injunction and Abatement Law in regard to liquor selling in prohi-
bition districts, and there was also another law — an "ouster law" — by which
officials who failed to enforce the law could be promptly put out of office;
this had been used to help the liquor prohibition legislation of the State.
These two laws regarding liquor, about which no constitutional question
could be raised, were united and made applicable to the social evil. The
result was that the day after the laws in regard to the social evil went into
effect cities which had had open houses of prostitution for fifty years found

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 113

them closed; and shortly afterward It was claimed that there was not an
open house of prostitution in the State of Iowa.

The new law which produced this remarkable effect is known as the
Carson Law, or the Iowa Red Light Injunction and Abatement Law, and it
provides the following:

1. An injunction against the Iceeper of the house of prostitution; also
against the owner of the property, since it was usually found that the owner
of the house and the keeper of it were different individuals.

2. A temporary and, upon conviction, a permanent abatement of the
nuisance, and the admission of general reputation as evidence upon which to
establish the existence of a nuisance.

3. A fine for the l<eeper of the house, amounting to not less than $200 or
more than $1,000, or imprisonment for not less than three months or more
than six, or both fine and imprisonment.

4. A fine of $300 against the property, which fine is a tax lien and comes
ahead of a mortgage, and acts as a cloud upon the title until paid.

5. The property is enjoined forever from use for immoral purposes, and
for one year from use for any purpose whatever — the only exception being
that the owner, by giving bond to the amount of the full value of the prop-
erty and convincing the court of his good intentions, will be permitted, after
all fines are paid, to open the building for legitimate business or residential
purposes.

In addition, the "ouster" law regarding liquor was made applicable to
vice cases also, and the law-breakers of Iowa thus found themselves without
any means of Illegal protection.

The advantage of the Iowa law is that any citizen or official who finds
that the law is being broken can bring prosecution; and it is useless for the
criminal to try to stop one complainant, whether office-holder or citizen,
because another complainant can bring a similar prosecution the following
day, if the offense is continued.

The danger of fine and imprisonment, the danger of loss of personal
property or loss of a year's rent on the building are sufficient to make it un-
profitable and undesirable for anyone to take the risk of permitting his
property to be used for immoral purposes; and persons now owning property
in Iowa make it their business to know what kind of tenants desire to rent
it, and look with suspicion upon people who offer to pay two or three times
the normal rent.

In one city the people went to the Mayor and asked about the new law
which was going into effect the next day; they wanted to know if it would
make any difference. He replied that he didn't know, but would look it up.
In a few hours he told them that the new law was going to make a very great
difference, and that they would have to move at once. They began work at
six o'clock that night, and by daylight next morning most of the houses
were empty. In the cities along the Mississippi River the dive-keepers
moved across to the cities on the Illinois side.

Let us now consider the effect of the enforcement of the new law — the
law which really worked.

A great many people thought that if the red light districts were wiped
out vice would be scattered throughout the cities. The chief of police in

114 THE SOCIAL EVIL IF SYEACUSE

one city said publicly that he hoped the good people of the town would get
enough of this scattering business once and for all. He hoped a house of
prostitution would be set up by the side of every minister's house in town
until they were sick of it. He was sure that women and children would not
be safe in the street. Many good people feared the same thing, and doubted
the wisdom of such vigorous efforts to eradicate the evil.

After the law went into effect — to the surprise of both its friends and its
enemies (for even its friends were sometimes fearful of evil effects from it)
— the change in every direction was prompt and for the better. Many of the
immoral women left town, while others gave up the business entirely and
sought respectable work. When the women left town the hangers-on in the
vice district accompanied them. The petty criminals, such as pickpockets,
hold-up men, thugs, etc., disappeared almost entirely, as well as almost
simultaneously with the women.

Dubuque, Davenport, Sioux City, Burlington, Keokuk, Ottumwa, and
other cities had their red light districts — Davenport probably being the only
one which provided a medical inspector as a means of increasing patronage.

Mayor A. J. Mathis of Des Moines says:

"There is no question but that the so-called 'red light' has been driven
out of the city. There is no such district here. This plan brings much
better results than segregation. The credit is due to Mr. John L. Hamery,
who took the advanced ground that the red-light district was unnecessary."

Mr. Hamery, in a speech before the National Purity Congress (October,
1909), at Burlington, Iowa, said, among other things:

"Cheap lawyers, bondsmen, and money sharks, all of whom hung like
blood-suckers on the segregated districts, have been forced to relinquish
their prey. Crime has been reduced to a minimum. The decrease has been
so marked within the past thirteen months that the city passed through the
recent State Pair and the XJ. S. Military Tournament with an average daily
attendance of 30,000 people, extending over a period of two weeks, without
a single case of professional hold-up, burglary, robbery, or other crime more
serious than intoxication being reported to the police.

"Preceding the present administration, the records show that the police
department was called upon almost daily to investigate robberies. Those
same records will now show that we oftentimes pass through a period of
two weeks without a single case of even petty larceny."

The Attorney-General of Iowa says:

"The bill has had a marked effect all over the State because property
owners having small buildings leased at exorbitant rental to vice have been
afraid to continue the leases. I believe that every State in the Union should
have a similar law, and also the removal bill providing for the summary
removal of all law-enforcing officials without the intervention of a jury."

Mayor Hanna, in a letter dated Feb. 6, 1911, says:

"It is claimed by those favoring segregation that the prostitutes scatter
through the residence districts; but this is not true in this city. Des Moines
is in a great deal better condition morally to-day than in the days of segre-
gation."

In the "Register and Leader" of Des Moines, the Assistant Chief of
Police — an officer of high character — makes the following statement:

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE 115

"It is not generally known to persons outside of the police department
that in the days of the 'Red Light' district, when it was commonly believed
that lewd women were segregated, not more than 15 per cent, of the traffic
was really carried on in the district. Everywhere in the city were dis-
orderly houses. It was impossible to control them. The best evidence of
the decrease In business is the fact that complaints from the residence dis-
tricts have decreased at least 75 per cent."

In the Biennial Report of former Attorney-General H. W. Dyers, dated
January 1, 1911, he says:

"We cannot resist the temptation at this point to state what will be fully
shown by the record as we unfold it, and that is that these laws have placed
Iowa in the very front in the matter of civic righteousness and moral clean-
liness. The good that has flown from them in cleaner towns and cities, in
money saved to the needy, in boys and girls turned from the haunts of vice
into paths of virtue, in making sober and industrious husbands and fathers,
in making homes happy and inspiring respect for law and order, is so im-
measurably great that no matter what may come to us in the future we will
never cease being grateful for the opportunity we had to take even a small
part in this great work."

There was one other significant feature in connection with Iowa's ex-
perience.

Prior to the existence of the Abatement Law, Mr. Hamery attempted to
improve conditions in the vice district by stopping the sale of liquor in the
houses of prostitution. After this order went Into effect houses which had
rented for $150 per month had to be reduced to |100 and later to ¥75.00 per
month, because the keepers could not pay the higher rent. Some of the
keepers went out of business altogether.

It is interesting to note that in Chicago, after the issuance of a similar
order, one dive-keeper who had been paying $500 a month rent was obliged
to have her rent reduced just half, and even then told the investigator that
she would gladly pay $500 again if they would let her sell liquors. Such
statements indicate more clearly than almost anything else that city authori-
ties can reduce vice; that vice and drunkenness work together each for the
profit of the other — and how thoroughly they both work for the destruction
of their .devotees is shown by the hospital records of any city.

SEATTLE

The improvement in the civic control of vice conditions in Seattle is inter-
esting for several reasons: First, because the city could not get improve-
ment until it put the mayor and chief of police out of office and elected other
men in their places. This is a striking proof that the trouble was not so
much a question of law or a question of controlling the prostitutes and
their associates, as it was the finding of some way to get rid of the politi-
cians and the dive-keepers, who were dividing the money profits of vice.
Second, that the women took an active part in the campaign, exercising for
the first time their right to vote. Third, that conditions promptly improved;
and while Seattle is by no means free from vice, the great improvement was
brought about simply by having in office good, honest men who wanted to
enforce the law.

116 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

To go a little into detail, let me quote from an article written by Mr.
Harry B. Moore, president of the Public Welfare League of Seattle, who has
given in "The Light," of La Crosse, Wis., a history of the movement.

"With the discovery of gold in Alaska, in 1897, Seattle began to grow
rapidly. Up to 1910 most of the mayors had believed in an open town,
although most of them had controlled the vice element fairly well. The
segregated district was near the depot, and every effort to move it brought
a vigorous storm of protest from the locality to which it was proposed to
move the district. The mayor at one time ordered the district closed. Sev-
eral hundred prostitutes gathered and marched out in a body; many left
town, some drifted back; others established themselves In hotels, rooming-
houses, flats and residences. No very strong effort was made to prevent this.

At last Hiram C. Gill, who had posed as "the poor man's friend," was
elected mayor. Immediately undesirables began flocking to Seattle. The
old district was enlarged three or four times, exploited and capitalized by
Gill supporters. New buildings were erected, not less than a dozen crib-
houses were in operation, and in these the sanitary as well as moral condi-
tions baffled description. People had seemingly accepted the idea that a
segregated district must be tolerated . somewhere, but each wanted it in
some place remote from himself.

On April 16, 1910, a general mass meeting was called. A clean city
movement was organized and on June 16, 1910, was incorporated as "The
Public Welfare League." This League secured attorneys of ability and
character who were thoroughly in sympathy with the work, and through
their continued efforts a sweeping injunction was granted. When, after
some time this was violated, application was made to the court, on the
ground of contempt of Court for some four hundred warrants, involving city
officers, owners, managers, and others in the district. The Judge of the
Criminal Court, while not issuing the warrants at once, did bring ofiicials
into court, telling them that if the nuisance was abated at the end of a week
the court and the law would be satisfied. He also reprimanded the mayor,
the chief of police and the prosecuting attorney, reminding them that prosti-
tution could not exist fifteen minutes without their knowledge, and that they
must perform their duty.

While the Public Welfare League was working for substantial improve-
ments a conference was held in Seattle, members of which addressed a
number of meetings in the city. About this time a petition for the recall of
the mayor was circulated, a few new laws were passed in the Legislature in
order to make the recall feature of the law effective, and a committee from
the League began securing signatures to the petition. It is interesting to
note the vigorous language of the recall. It stated that the mayor had
shown himself incompetent and unfit; had abused his appointive power for
personal reasons, and had put unfit men in office; had wholly failed, refused
and neglected to enforce criminal law; had permitted the city to become
the home and refuge of criminal classes; had failed to enforce law impar-
tially, and that his continuance in office was a menace to business and the
moral welfare of the city. This petition had to be signed by 25 per cent, of
the entire vote cast for all candidates at the last preceding generaj election.
They secured 10,701 names, of which about 16 per cent, were thrown out on

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE 117

technicalities. This, however, left enough to make the recall effective with-
out using the names of women who had signed through their recently ac-
quired right. Many meetings were held all over the city. The subjects as-
signed included "Vice and Business," "Vice and the Law," "Vice and Dis-
ease," "Vice and the Home," "Vice and Education," "Vice and the Remedy,"
etc., etc.

The women were aroused, — they wanted to know the truth. Many spent
hours at the telephones, inviting their friends to the meetings. As yet the
women had no vote, but the suffrage amendment carried in November and
the proclamation issued by the Governor, November 28th, made the women
legal voters. They registered to a number equaling perhaps 50 per cent, of
the male vote. One leading feature of the campaign which did much to
shatter the hope of the Gill forces was a women's mass meeting for Billing,
the new candidate. This meeting filled the Grand Opera House to the limit,
packed the Seattle Theatre with the overflow, and still turned away hun-
dreds. The election hinged squarely upon the issue of civic decency or civic
indecency. Nearly eighty per cent, of the registration voted. When the
votes were counted civic decency won with a majority of about 30 per cent,
over the vote cast for the man who held office. Gill attributes his defeat to
the women.

The election of the new mayor and the appointment of a new chief of
police was followed by a change in the City Council; the number was re-
duced from eighteen to nine, and good men were elected. Reforms were
instituted, and it is interesting to note that these reforms included efficiency
in public office, improvement in public service and a reduction in the waste
of the city's money, — as well as a reduction of vice conditions.

One thousand women and two thousand men have been driven out of the
city. Note that 2,000 men went with the 1,000 women; most of them were
petty criminals, and it is estimated that 500 of them were living upon the
earnings of immoral women.

The restricted district has been closed and white slave traffic made much
more difficult, — perhaps practically impossible; prostitution was very largely
driven out of hotels and lodging houses; immoral women were not allowed
in cafes; disorderly houses were prosecuted; 90 per cent, of the men on the
police force were clean, honest men; the fire department and public service
of all kinds were improved.

There is one difference between the clean-up in Seattle and the clean-up
in Chicago. In the former place the police department and police courts
greatly Increased their work in prosecuting the criminals themselves, even
after the 3,000 had left the city. In Chicago there was only a slight change
in the prosecution of criminals, but a large amount of vice was discontinued
as soon as the prosecution of high police officials began.

Regarding the cost of the clean-up in Seattle, Mr. Moore, president of the
Public Welfare League, makes this statement:

"The total expense incurred by the Public Welfare League and its indi-
vidual members, — including all legal expenses, recall petition, etc.,— did not
exceed ?8,000, while the expense of the DlUing Campaign Committee in the
election of Mayor Dllling, the new Mayor, was very close to this amount.

118 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSB

"When a city the size of Seattle can get rid of notoriously bad officials,
rid itself of 3,000 law-breakers and easily control the remaining ones at a
total cost of $16,000, including the expense of putting good men in office, it
is certainly worth while. Again, this shows that the immoral or vice ele-
ment is far from being hard to control, and that the difficulties which
stand in the way of proper conditions are mostly public indifference and the
aggressive talk of those who are profiting by vice. The criminals them-
selves leave quickly when corrupt officials are no longer in power to protect
them.

"Never again will Seattle be allowed to sink to the level of a year ago.
One by one we have added safeguards; the direct primary, the recall, the
initiative and referendum and the enfranchisement of the women make it
more difficult for the liquor interests, the political demagogue, and the ward
boss to thwart the will of the people, and eliminating these elements it be-
comes a matter of education."

LOS ANGELES AND MINNEAPOLIS

Several years ago Los Angeles abolished her villainous crib system, re-
called a corrupt mayor and elected a good one. It has since steadily kept
conditions in far better shape. It had a segregated district with crib houses
for the women. Two ministers, Kendall and Phillips, were passing some
place near when they heard a girl in one of the upper rooms of the crib
house cry'out: "My God, if I could only get out of here!" The ministers
investigated; they told the people of Los Angeles the facts, and did not stop
telling these and working until the whole city was aroused, the mayor put
out of office and a new city government installed.

Minneapolis has abolished the Red Light District and has made an excel-
lent report of the improved conditions. Both of these cities deserve more
attention than space permits me to give here.

I am firmly of the opinion that if any city will take the profit out of vice
it will immediately reduce the volume of vice at least 50 per cent. If, in
addition to this measure, it will make vice dangerous to men as well as
to women; to patrons, property owners and business men, as well as to
dive-keepers and women street-walkers, that city will quickly reduce vice a
total of 75 per cent, or more and will accomplish the reduction of wreckage
of health and morals in much the same proportion.

Those who are promoting vice are getting a money profit every day that
we let them alone. We can stop it if we will. It should be done, and done
soon.

APPENDIX IV

The Iowa Injunction and Abatement Law

SUMMARY OF THE LAW

First. The law declares houses of lewdness, prostitution and assignation
to be nuisances.

Second. It gives to citizens of the county, and the county attorney, the
right to instigate proceedings against such places.

Third. These proceedings are brought in a court of equity, where the
hearing is conducted before a judge, or court of judges, and not before a
jury; and the enjoinment and abatement of the nuisance may be had.

Fourth. A temporary Injunction issues in case the court finds that the
petition of the plaintiff is well founded, restraining the defendants from
conducting the nuisance during the trial.

Fifth. At the trial the general reputation of the place is admissible to
establish the nuisance.

Sixth. If any injunction is granted and the defendant violates it, he may
be arrested and summarily tried for contempt. If found guilty, he may be
fined or imprisoned.

Seventh. As a part of the final decree of the court an order of abate-
ment is entered by which the movable property of the building is seized and
sold as chattels under execution; and the building Is closed for one year
unless sooner released by the court.

Exception. If the owner of the property appears before the court and
pays all costs and files a bond to the full value of the property, stating that
he will abate the nuisance, the court may withhold the sale of the property.

The first five sections of the law are as follows:

"Section 1. Whoever shall erect, establish, continue, maintain, use, own
or lease any building, erection or place used for the purpose of lewdness,
assignation or prostitution is guilty of a nuisance, and the building, erection
or place, or the ground itself, in or upon which such lewdness, assignation or
prostitution is conducted, permitted or carried on, continued or exists, and
the furniture, fixtures, musical Instruments, and contents are also declared a
nuisance, and shall be enjoined and abated as hereinafter provided."

"Section 2. Whenever a nuisance is kept, maintained or exists, as de-
fined in this act, the county attorney or any citizen of the county may main-
tain an action in equity in the name of the State of Iowa upon the relation
of such county attorney or citizen, to perpetually enjoin said nuisance, the
person or persons conducting or maintaining the same, and the owner or
agent of the building or ground upon which said nuisance exists. In such
action the court, or a judge in vacation, shall, upon the presentation of a
petition therefor alleging that the nuisance complained of exists, allow a

119

120 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYRACUSE

temporary writ of injunction without bond, if it shall he made to appear to
the satisfaction of the court or judge by evidence in the form of aflldavits,
depositions, oral testimony or otherwise, as the complainant may elect, un-
less the court or judge, by previous order, shall have directed the form and
manner in which it shall be presented. Three days' notice in writing shall
be given the defendant of the hearing of the application, and if then con-
tinued at his instance, the writ as prayed shall be granted as a matter of
course. When an injunction has been granted, it shall be binding on the
defendant throughout the judicial district in which it was issued, and any
violation of the provisions of the injunctions herein provided shall be a con-
tempt as hereinafter provided."

"Section 3. The action when brought shall be triable at the first term
of court after due and timely service of the notice has been given, and in
such action evidence of the general reputation of the place shall be admis-
sible for the purpose of proving the existence of said nuisance. If the com-
plaint is filed by a citizen, it shall not be dismissed except upon the sworn
statement made by the complainant and his attorney setting forth the reason
why the action should be dismissed, and the dismissal approved by the
county attorney in writing or in open court. If the court is of the opinion
that the action ought not to be dismissed, he may direct the county attorney
to prosecute the said action to judgment, and if the action is continued more
than one term of court, any citizen of the county or the county attorney may
be substituted for the complaining party and prosecute said action to judg-
ment. If the action is brought by a citizen and the court finds there was no
reasonable ground or cause for said action, the costs may be taxed to such
citizen."

"Section 4. In case of the violation of any injunction granted under the
provisions of this act, the court, or in vacation, a judge thereof, may sum-
marily try and punish the offender. The proceedings shall be commenced by
filing with the clerk of the court an information under oath, setting out the
alleged facts constituting such violation, upon which the court or judge shall
cause a warrant to issue, under which the defendant shall be arrested. The
trial may be had upon affidavits, or either party may demand the production
and oral examination of the witnesses. A party found guilty of contempt
under the provisions of this section, shall be punished by a fine of not less
than two hundred nor more than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment
in the county jail not less than three nor more than six months, or by both
fine and imprisonment."

"Section 5. If the existence of the nuisance be established in an action
as provided in this act, an order of abatement shall be entered as a part of
the judgment in the case, which order shall direct the removal from the
building or place of all fixtures, furniture, musical instruments or movable
property used in conducting the nuisance, and shall direct the sale thereof
in the manner provided for the sale of chattels under execution, and the
effectual closing of the building or place against its use for any purpose, and
so keeping it closed for a period of one year, unless sooner released. If any
person shall break and enter or use a building, erection or place so
directed to be closed, he shall be punished as for contempt as provided in
the preceding section. For removing and selling the movable property, the

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE 131

officer shall be entitled to charge and receive the same fees as he would for
levying upon and selling like property on execution, and for closing the
premises and keeping them closed, a reasonable sum shall be allowed by
the court."

"Section 6. The proceeds of the sale of the personal property, as pro-
vided in the preceding section, shall be applied in payment of the costs of
the action and abatement, and the balance, if any, shall be paid to the de-
fendant."

"Section 7. If the owner appears and pays all costs of the proceeding,
and files a bond with sureties to be approved by the clerk in the full value
of the property, to be ascertained by the court, or in vacation, by the clerk,
auditor and treasurer of the county, conditioned that he will immediately
abate said nuisance and prevent the same from being established or kept
therein within a period of one year thereafter, the court, or in said vacation,
the judge, may, if satisfied of his good faith, order the premises closed under
the order of abatement to be delivered to said owner, and said order of
abatement cancelled so far as the same may relate to said property; and if
the proceeding be an action in equity and said bond be given and costs
therein paid before judgment and order of abatement, the action shall be
thereby abated as to said building only. The release of the property under
the provision of this section shall not release it from any judgment, lien,
penalty or liability to which it may be subject by law."

"Section 8. Whenever a permanent injunction issues against any person
for maintaining a nuisance as herein defined, or against any power or agent
of the building kept or used for the purposes prohibited by this act, there shall
be assessed against said building and the grounds upon which the same is
located and against the person or persons maintaining said nuisance, and
the owner or agent of said premises, a tax of 1300.00. The assessment of
said tax shall be made by the assessor of the city, town or township in
which the nuisance exists and shall be made within three months from the
date of the granting of the permanent injunction. In case the assessor fails
or neglects to make said assessment the same shall be made by the sheriff
of the county, and a return of said assessment shall be made to the county
treasurer. Said tax shall be a perpetual lien upon all property, both per-
sonal and real, used for the purpose of maintaining said nuisance, and the
payment of said tax shall not relieve the person or building from any other
penalties provided by law. The provision of the law relating to the collec-
tion and distribution of the mulct liquor tax shall govern in the collection
and distribution of the tax herein prescribed in so far as the same are ap-
plicable, and not in conflict with the provisions of this act."

APPENDIX V

The "Tin Plate" Ordinance

The City of Portland, Ore., passed a law which is commonly character-
ized as the "Tin-Plate Ordinance." A law, resembling in many respects the
Portland ordinance, but which is much broader in its scope, has been intro-
duced in the Council of the City of New York.

The Portland ordinance provides:

"Section 1. Any person, firm, co-partnership, association or corporation
owning any real property within the corporate limits of the city of Portland
upon which is erected any building used either in whole or in part as a
hotel, rooming house, lodging house, boarding house, tenement house, or
saloon, shall place and maintain at the front of every such building at the
principal street entrance thereof a conspicuous plate or sign bearing the
name and address of the owner or owners of such building. The letters or
characters on such sign or plate shall be of such size and distinctness and
the sign or plate shall be so placed that the name and address can be easily
read by persons passing along the street before such entrance."

"Section 2. When any building of the kind and character mentioned in
Section 1 of this ordinance is owned by any person or persons other than
the owner or owners of the land upon which such building stands the provi-
sions of this ordinance shall apply to the owner or owners of both the build-
ing and the land."

"Section 3. Whenever the title to any property contemplated in this
ordinance shall be held in a representative capacity, the name of the person,
persons, co-partnership, corporation, estate, or association sustaining the
representative relation to such property shall be displayed upon the plate
or sign required by this ordinance."

"Section 4. Any person violating any of the provisions of this ordinance
shall, upon conviction thereof in Municipal Court, be punished by a fine of
not more than |100."

"Section 5. Each day during which the sign or plate mentioned in Sec-
tion 1 is not maintained as required by this ordinance, shall be and consti-
tute a separate offense."

123

We, the Undersigned, Do Hereby Approve the Publication of
the Report on the Social Evil in Syracuse Made by the
Committee of Eighteen and Endorse the Recommenda-
tions Contained Therein.

HONOEABLE ChAELES AnDEEWS

W. D. Alsbvee, M. D.

Chaeles W. Andeews

Theeesa Bannaist, M. D.

Geoege B. Beach

Mes. W. H. Blauvelt

Geoege B. Beoad, M. D.

A. L. Beockwat

Chas. T. Beockwat

Mbs. W. a. Buelingame

Eev. Edmund A. Buenham

EOBEET Buens, M. D.

Eev. Samuel E. Caltheop

J. Willis Candbe^ M. D.

Stewaet Chaplin

C. E. Chappell

W. A. CuETiN, M. D.

Eev. Herman G. Duttan

Eev. W. "W. Dawlet

James Day, Chancellor of .Syracuse University

Eev. John E. Dobbs

Maeshall W. Downing, Principal of Forth High

School
Adelaide Dutchee, M. D.
Peofessoe Hoeace a. Eaton
Mes. Hoeaoe A. Eaton
Eev. Walter Eockwood Eeeeis
Peedeeick H. Flaheett, M. D.
Mes. H. a. Elint
Eev. Nathan E. Eullee
Haeeiet Goodteae
S. B. Geonee
Eev. Adolph Guttman
Mrs. T. H. Halsted

125

126 THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSE

Eev. Chaeles E. Hamilton

John L. Heffkon, M. D., Dean of the Medical Col-
lege, Syracuse University

Mes. John L. Heffeon

a. s. hotaling, m. d.

Peecy M. Hughes, Superintendent of Public Schools

H. B. Husted

Nathan Jacobson, M. D.

Maeie E. Jennby

J. EoBEETS Johnson, M. D.

Chestbe H. King

Maetin H. Knapp

Louis Keumbhaae

Albeet E. Laekin, President of the Board of Educa-
tion

I. Haeeis Levy, M. D.

T. Aaeon Levy

E. H. Lewis

K. A. Luthee

Peofessoe William H. Maoe

A. Cliffoed Meecee, M. D.
Mes. a. B. Millee
Eeank J. McMoEEOw, M. D.
N. L. Mulvey, M. D.

EzEKiEL "W. MuNDY, PubUc Librarian

D. H. MuEEAY, M. D.
Mes. William Nottingham
Mes. James Pass
Peofessoe Phillip A. Paesons
John D. Pennock

Mes. John D. Pennook

Heney Phillips

Mes. W. W. Poetee

Eev. B. Van Vliet Putnam

Mes. Peecy E. Eoohe

Peofessoe Eeedeeick A. Saundees

Mes. Peedeeiok A. Saundees

Maey Soott, M. D.

E. W. Seaes, M. D.

B. W. Sheevtood, M. D.
Elizabeth L. Sheimpton, M. D.

THE SOCIAL EVIL IN SYEACUSB 137

F. H. Stephenson, M. D.
Mks. p. H. Stephenson
Giles H. Stilwell
Mks. Benjamin Stolz
Mks. C. L. Stone

Jacob E. Stkeet, Dean of the Teachers' College, Syra-
cuse University
Mrs. Max Thalheimek
Mks. "W. G. Tract
Edward IST. Trump
Mrs. Edward N. Trump
E. D. Winkworth
Mrs. E. C. Witherby
Edward J. Wtnkoop, M. D.
Erederick K. Zerbe

Resolved, That the Academy of Medicine believes that the agitation
for the improvement of social vice conditions existing in Syracuse is
timely, and endorses the movement undertaken by the Moral Survey
Committee.

Syracuse, N. Y., February 18, 1913.