Commercialized Prostitution in New York City

HOUSES,[35] HOTELS, FURNI

to be openly, flagrantly, and in large numbers utilized for the commercial exploitation of prostitution in the interest, not of the woman herself, but of a promoter who drives her to do her utmost and assist

RESORTS I

her, and doing their cooking upon the premises, or by more than two families upon any floor so living and cooking, but having a common right in the halls, stairways, yards, water-closets or privies, or some of them." Any portion of a house of this descripti

th Street and West 110th Street, from Central Park west to Broadway or the river. A few of the cheaper type are conducted

ng food which does not nourish, sleeping in crowded rooms,-brothers with sisters, daughters with fathers,-dressing and undressing in the presence of boarders or distant relatives, and witnessing sights never meant for the ey

that he ring the janitor's bell and ask for the woman. When he did so, a little girl, apparently twelve years of age, came to the door. The child fully

lared with vehemence that she would never allow any of these "vile huzzies" to live in her house; but there were plenty of them on the street, she said

ered and spoke in whispers to one another. They knew that the bell rang in the apartment on the second floor rear; that the woman who came to the door in a loose kimono, with a mass of yellow

n, there were 92 unmarried men over 16 and 65 unmarried women over 16. The investigator also reported 30 widows living in these houses, with 18 children, the eldest being 12 years of age. In the different apartments 56 women were found who, on the basis of dress, conversation, and general bearing, were classed

fe. She "slips" them a dollar to see that the moving man does not injure the furniture. She alone among the tenants gives presents, fruit and candy to the

to indicate inmates is a popular one. Another madame urges her former patrons to renew their "membership in the library"; "new books," she asserts, are "on file in our new quarters." Still another enterprising promoter invites men to her place of business by saying, "Please call as I have a new member in the lodge." Similarly, business is procured through the same agents utilized by the parlor house-runners, bartenders, cabmen and chauffeurs. Where several establishments are conducted in one apartment building, elevator boys are given liberal tips by riv

e, the investigator of a resort on West 111th Street found several men smoking opium. In another flat, on West 37th Street, one of the colored inmates was snuffing cocaine. In a tenement on West 39th Street there is an opium "joint" on the second floor where prostitutes "smoke.

onal recruits are also procured by call, when needed. The "call" is sometimes a half-way stage for the working girl on the road to complete prostitut

r Ma

s Viola, the pretty little blonde, over at 2.30, not later if possible,

irl and accommodating at 1.30 sharp.

ed (M

y, May

ion, the madame exhibits a description of them, with measurements to show their physical development; the prices are appended. Her victims are variously procured: sometimes in restaurants frequented by girls who are employed in offices and stores: again, her place of operation may be the ladies' retiring room, where she enters into conversation with girls, inviting them to a meal or to spend an evening in her apartment. If she sees a girl alone at a table, she asks whethe

hese "stubes" are constantly advertising in the foreign papers published in New York for waitresses, offering to pay five or six dollars a week for such service. There is no doubt that many ignorant foreign girls are thus lured into lives of prostitution. One keeper who had a waitress about 38 years of age told the investigator that she expected to have two or three youn

them suited she would for a larger price call up a young girl who was not "a regular sport." Thereupon she summoned the girl by telephone.[42] The newcomer appeared to be about eighteen years of age. While talking with the investigator, Irene said she had been in the "business" since last September but worked in a department store in Brooklyn.[43] Previously to th

believes that the "kid" referred to is her sister. Margie leaves the flat at 5.30 P. M., for her home in Brooklyn, where she lives with her parents. They are under the impression that she is employed through the day in a wh

s investigation received a letter concerning a cider "stube" in

is too shrewd to be caught. You will have to watch carefully her movements. She keeps a cider store on East 5th Street, New York.... Look up her record and you will see she was arrested a few times.... She just was sen

or immoral purposes. When they failed in their efforts, the proprietor said that she could get him a young girl if he preferred. Two days

ter and their freedom from interference: one[46] on Broadway was visited nine times in five weeks: another,[47] in West 2

ION AND DISO

on of prostitution as a trade. There is, besides, an enormous amount of itinerant prostitut

framer of the law was to minimize the evils connected with saloons. As pointed out in the report of The Research Committee of

iquor on Sunday in saloons, saloon keepers created hotels with the required 10 bedrooms, kitchen and dining-room. The immediate increase was over 10,000 bedrooms. There being no actual demand for such an increase in hotel accommodations, the proprietors in many instances used them for purposes of assignation or prostitution, to meet the additional expense incurred. In 1905 there were 1407 certificated hotels in Manhattan and the Bronx, and of these about 1150 were probab

rostitution as formerly carried on in them has been well-nigh suppressed. Very few of the hotels found to be used for "assignation" and "disorderly" purposes d

n twice in one night with two different men, or by renting the same room twice in one night to two different couples, or by regularly admitting kno

the street and elsewhere to go to 65 of these hotels for immoral purposes. A woman investigator discovered 25 additional hotels where prostitutes declared they could freely take customers or have them openly visit their apartments or rooms. This gives a total of 90 different hotels in Manhattan which may be classified as "disorderly." In addition to these, seven different hotels were discovered which prostitutes claimed to be able to use for immoral purposes, though admitting

Sixth Avenue from West 34th to West 53rd Street; Lexington, Third, and Fourth Avenues, and Irving Place. The centers where soliciting for these hotels is most flagrant are as follows: East 14th Street and Third Avenue, and nort

stant use. A dilapidated bureau or dresser occupies one corner; a rickety wash-stand equipped with dirty wash bowl and pitcher stands in another. Cheap chromos hang on the wall, dingy with age. A small, soiled rug partly covers the floor which is seldom, if ev

houses had been operated by men who subsequently transferred their activities to "hotels," where they continued to practise their former methods. Others took their women with them, lodging them in the

o offer them large commissions and better protection than they can secure elsewhere. At times, saloon keepers who allow prostitutes to solicit in their rear rooms do so on condition that the women take customers secured in their places of business to friendly hotels. For instance

t walkers, keen to see that their women do not "get away with any money" by going to a strange hotel, from which they cannot collect the commission. A young man of this character stations himself near the entrance of a certain hotel on the Bowery and, as his woma

s he insists on repayment of the money he has advanced; and the girl is grateful because he has saved her from the Island. If a girl "breaks away" from a hotel and goes to a rival place of business the pr

o protect them. And "pimps" are usually admirable protectors, masters of the art of "saving" their women from the hand of the law. They are keen, wise young men, well grounded in the b

or a room, the prostitute receives $1.00 as a rebate. If, when in the room, he orders wine or beer, the girl receives another rebate or commission on the amount of the bill. Sometimes it is ten per cent, sometimes twenty-five per cent: this, in addition to her own price, which varies from $1.00 to $5.00, or as much as she is able to persuade

ame period. The first book is the one displayed to inquisitive investigators or inspectors. In some resorts there is a regular office, as in a legitimate hotel, where couples register at the desk; in others, a small window i

rder. But the chief crime is stealing. The most successful prostitutes who solicit for these hotels are "gun mols," that is, pickpockets. They use all manner of subterfuges

rl is induced to dine, then to drink, with a comparative stranger who has first taken pains to ingratiate himself with her: without recoll

on and disorderly hotel will illustrate so

er in East 9th Street. When these places were suppressed, he opened the hotel here in question. He and his manager[53] were both members of the Independent Benevolent Association in 1909. For some years this hotel has been on the Police List as under "strict surveillance"; now and then it has been raided. As far back

ed to the place. Thus he ascertained that the proprietor has two relays of solicitors, one group on the street from early morning until night, the other group on duty all night. To see that they attend strictly to business, a young man is employed to watch them at their work. If the girls enter into a dispute with customers over terms, the assistant endeavors to straig

ISHED RO

the following boundaries: First Avenue, Houston Street, the Bowery, and Avenue B; Second Avenue, 27th Street, Seventh Avenue, 31st Street; 33rd Street, Seventh Avenue, 42nd Street; Third Avenue, 27th Street, Seventh Avenue, 31st Street; Eighth Avenue, 33rd Str

es" for which the girl stipulates,-usually to the effect that, though not resident, she may bring "friends" there at any hour of the day or night. In some houses the prostitute pays $2.00 per night; elsewhere the landlady demands as much as $3.00 per night, or half of what the prostitute

ly. They prefer to go to the hotel, as they declare it is safer. "We are protected in the hotel," they say; "the proprietor knows us and you won't be molested." But customers who object to hotels are taken to her furnished room if the girl is not suspicious. The third class, who use the furnished roo

nner in which the furnished r

ty-five years of age, complained to the investigator that he had been robbed there that night. Four evenings later, eight different prostitutes entered with their customers in the course of less than five minutes. Shortly after, a color

ey each pay the landlord $2.00 per night for room and "privileges." One of these women appeared to be about twenty-one years of age. "I pay $2.00 per nig

ng. On February 9, 1912, two colored women stood in the doorway, soliciting men as they passed by. As the investigator appr

SSAGE

led massage parlors in Manhattan, a large part of which are believed to be vice resorts: only 75, however, were actually i

cted that it was not desired to attempt an extended investigation of every place. They were told to learn the nature of the massage given, the equipment, prices, the bearing, attire, and general behavior of the operatives. On the basis of these dat

23rd Street to West 80th Street. They are indicated by means of large signs displayed in the windows or tacked on the doors. These places also

caring for the nails. In these places the operators insist that they give straight massage and that they do not conduct an immoral business. In other parlors, the sign on the window or door is the only evid

ily papers for girls to learn the "business of massage," or for those who have had experience in this or that method of massage as practiced in foreign lands. The advertisements state the age of the girl wanted and the weekly salary. As a result, many unsuspecting girls, answering advertisements, come into personal contact with well-dressed and apparently respectable proprietors. If the girl appears to be weak and easily led, the keeper begins

ill. If the proprietors of such places would escape the general condemnation of their business, they should voluntarily seek the endorsement of respectable physicians

les only ne

not want any "old ones." "Some fools," she said, "are writing stories about young girls being sold into slavery and even country girls are getting wise and think the men are going to put them into prison instead of giving them a chance to make a little money for themselves. That sort of thing only happens in the lower class of places. I have

f her regular Saturday and Sunday customers"; by the following week she felt sure that her procurer would have a girl for her. The investigator called at the parlor early the following week to ascertain what had happened. She found

.[61] Two operatives were employed there with a madame[62] in April, 1912. Different resorts in this tenement have been r

nd foreign in type, climbing the stairs of a building in West 43rd Street.[63] As the girls came down some appeared to be disappointed, as though they had not been successful in their errand, whatever it might be. His interest

nder the classification of "Help Wanted-Female." "Girl for light housework, n

character of the place. In reply to the inquiries of the investigator, she explained the nature of the business: her customers paid from two to ten dollars, the girls

erlangt Weiblich."[65] "Girl, neat, German, not under 18 years of age. One who knows how to massage or one who is willing to learn

gator received the following lette

r Mr

any position yet, would

pect

ned)

nt, procured through the landlord. With a little prodding, the garrulous madame resumed her confidences, exp

ir associations, and their victims are all equally notorious. It is idle to explain away the phenomena on the ground that they are the results of the inevitable weakness of human nature: human weakness would demand far fewer and less horrible sacrifices. Most of the wreckage, and the worst of it, is due to persistent, cunning and unprincipled exploita