The Sun.
London, England, 1858-10-16 00:00:00

mingling with artful prostitutes and designing and dissolute
men they are easily tempted to their ruin; for these are just
the resorts where the debauchee and the procurers seek fresh
victims. The excitement of the dance, the stimulant of drink,
or if need be, the drug, afford ready and easy means for ef-
fecting their horrible object. At certain supper-rooms the
interior arrangements include a peculiar convenience, which
must be left to your imagination, for it cannot be described.
At some beer-houses a diabolical system prevails ; there, on
Saturday nights, are regularly held lotteries, attended by
young men and even boys, the prize being the privilege
of selecting one from a numberi of women waiting in an
adjoining apartment. The extent of vice connected with
public-houses and beer-houses may be gathered from
the police returns of those declared to be "irregular."
Although a full idea of the terrible magnitude of the
evils under discussion can hardly be realised from
this necessarily condensed statement, enough has boon ad-
vanced to suggest to reflective minds the pernicious influ-
ence which those evils must exercise in our social economy.
The, question thus naturally arises, why are such things
suffered in a Christian country ? Is there no law for their
prevention and repression ? and why are they not put down
by the police as nuisances ? The answer is, that they exist
in direct contravention of the spirit of the English law, and
that the police would only be too glad to act if allowed.
The mischievous effects on society of permitting prostitutes
to assemble and remain together in places of public resort
has been fully recognised by the Legislature, and the evil
as it now exists is entirely the result of that laxity with
which the police law bearing on prostitution is administered.
In the case of a notorious casino, or "hop," lately referred
to in the assizes in Liverpool, Baron Watson, in summing
up, remarked, " That no person can be allowed to bring
prostitutes together so as to be a nuisance. It is quite suf-
ficient that these people have their private residences ; but
if parties collect them by music and dancing, night after
night, and draw them about so as to become a nuisance to
yourselves or an annoyance to your families, that is an
offence indictable by law. If you collect them, and they
drink next door and congregate there, then it is an indict-
able offence, and punishable by law ; and he should look
upon law, upon police law, as sadly defective if it could not
reach a case of that kind." The result of that trial was a
verdict against the proprietor, who was bound over in his
recognisance of £lOO to close his rooms, and to keep them
closed, his lordship adding, that "the public were perfectly
justified in putting down such an abominable nuisance.
The police law is clear and explicit, if intent can be judged
by the plain declaration of the section of the act which pro-
vides that if any person knowingly permits prostitutes to
meet together and remain in any place of public resort
where refreshments of any kind are sold or consumed,
that person is liable to a penalty. In the attempt to
overrule this section, on the plea that disorderly conduct
was not proven, an appeal was lately made to the Court of
Queen's Bench. when the three jaids-cs ......imoudy de-
ciarea mat actual disorderly conduct was not necessary to
a conviction, but that the offence was constituted by per-
mitting prostitutes to meet and remain together. If fur-
ther corroboration of the intention of the law were needed,
it is shown in the reply made by the Secretary of State to a
memorial on this subject, which concluded by saying that
" the statute seems quite sufficient to warrant a conviction,
if the facts satisfy the magistrate that the meeting and re-
maining of the persons described are for an unlawful or im-
moral purpose.' Yet it has been made painfully evident
that local magistrates, with a few exceptions, have an in-
superable objection to deal with these cases, and the difficul-
ties in the way of obtaining convictions appear at present
to be almost insurmountable. Take Liverpool as an exam-
ple. Out of 17 cases brought by the police before different
magistrates, eight convictions only were obtained, although
the nine dismissed were supported by precisely the same
evidence, The police were rebuked from the bench for in-
terfering, and the prosecutor censured for bringing such
cases forward. At last an order was issued by the stipen-
diary that no more informations should be laid. The magi-
strate very properly had a discretion in judging of the facts
of the case before him ; but it remains to be seen whether
that discretion extends to a private interpretation of the
law, or whether he is justified in setting that law aside. If
individual magistrates have the power to interfere with the
due course of law, or if they are warranted in dealing with
cases, not upon their respective merits, but according to
their own private views of a question involved in them,
then it is important to know whether they are the men to
be intrusted with its administration in matters which affect
the deepest interests of social life, or whether those who
may feel aggrieved by decisions in the police courts should
not have the privilege accorded in the county courts—
that of demanding a trial by a jury of citizens. As cue
of the objects of . this Association is to elicit information
on the prevention and repression of crime, and, as pro-
stitution is one of its most fertile sources, I felt it my
duty to bring under your notice this repulsive sub-
ject, in the hope that its discussion may lead to some
practical result. Let us grapple with this frightful social
evil. Let us face it boldly—meet it honestly, with a firm
determination to deal with the vice while offering every
escape for its victims. And may He who rules all events
guide us right in the means to be applied, and dispose us
to use every effort and brave every diffieulty to cleanse the
social body from the leprosy of this foul sin.
The Rev. J. S. Howsox said, that from information he
had he was led to the conclusion that it was an undoubted
fact that a large proportion of unhappy women were not
the victims of seduction ; and it was of extreme importance
that the fact should be believed, as it removed the reason for
that leniency, arising from sympathy, which many were
disposed to. From the places of amusement frequented
by them he feared there was much indirect, unseen harm ;
many shop girls went to dancing-rooms, and the result was
an enormous amount of what might be called half-prosti-
tution. This was a strong argument for the closing of
them. Servants between periods of domestic service were
known to lead abandoned lives ; and he knew a case in
which one gentleman saw waiting at the table of another a
young woman whom he knew recently to have been else-
where. Thus the evil entered families—perhaps reached
nursery-maids, and vitiated those upon whom devolved
most important domestic duties. It was not an uncommon
thing for unwary excursionists from the country to be en-
trapped in the neighbourhood of the railway stations, taken
to secluded places, and perhaps robbed ; but many went
home with the most inflated notions of these places, about
which they talked freely. It would be well if they could
know the difference between general and local acts, and
the local acts of other places ; and they would be glad if
Mr. Caine would tell them the nature of the hindrances,
and why the evil was not dealt with. From what he
gathered, there seemed a kind of moral paralysis on the
police ; it was well they should know why. He appreciated
the suggestion of an appeal to a jury. The closing of these
places, it was said, would fill the streets, which would be
substituting one evil for another • and the question arose,
which was the greater ? Streetwalkers" were dangerous
as regarded the lower classes, sailors, and cheap-trippers ;
but as regarded the higher classes, who had receivei a cer-
tain degree of education, the evils were less. The re-open-
ing of the Argyll Rooms, London, was an enormous disas-
ter, except that sometimes the magnitude of an evil proved
its cure. They were re-opened on' the representation that
these women crowded the streets ; but those who frequented
the best dancing rooms were not likely, handsomely dressed
as they were, to take to the streets, at least not immediately.
Why could not the streets be cleared ? (Hear.) -Why
should there be a difference between us and continental
towns P. Might it not be possible to find something between
the registration of France and the absolute licence of Eng-
land ?
Mr. W3f. RATTIBONE believed there was great difficulty
in getting convictions as the law was now worded In one
case he went to Mr. Mansfield, who said, " I don't think the
law is explicit." He ventured to differ, and think it was,
and he was convicted; but the other magistrates, quite as
conscientious, were of a different opinion. Therefore, it
should not be said they were unwilling to administer the
law when they had a doubt. -His opinion was the law was
clear.
The Rev. Father NUGENT said the women were divided
into two classes, richer and poorer; and the latter, in such
streets as Vauxhall-road, Marylebone, &c., were driven to
this life by necessity, a great portion being Irish who landed
here, were reduced by evil designing men, who sought for
them, said they would take them to lodging-houses, and
robbed them, so that they were driven to the streets. He
believed the higher class was procured from manufacturing
districts, such as Nottingham. One evil of which this class
were victims was late over-hours' work, when they were
plied with strong coffee, and infamous books read to them
to cause them to work quicker, and then with dancing
rooms how could they withstand temptation. They wanted
some general means of prevention, because cure was almost
impossible. Something might be done by a large industrial
institution at the north end of the town, where girls land-
ing here could find temporary employment. (Hear, hear.)
Dr. WALTER LEWIS, physician to the London post-office,
would be sorry to treat all with severity, for there were two
classes, and many were driven to this life from the want of
proper and adequately remunerative employment.
Mr. STEEL, as a great employer of female labour in the
manufacture of cigars, said that it was those abominable
nuisances the dancing shops that were the cause of much of
the evil. The girls were tempted there at night, rendered
unfit for the next day's work, and their wages were thus
reduced. Sometimes they came in such a state that it
was evident they had been up all night, and sometimes
too intoxicated to do their work. They spent their
wages there, and deceived their parents, who had come to
him complaining that the girls were not better paid ; and he
found they had been taking home 2s. and 3s. a-week when
they were earning from 7s. to 10s., and perhaps, as some did,
even 16s. a-week. Then some parents came and complained
of late hours, while his establishment was regularly closed at
7 o'clock, except in the busiest season, when they sometimes
worked until 9 o'clock. To afford the parents a check upon
the girls he had devised a weekly time and wages ticket ;
but the parents were too indifferent to require and examine
it, so that when they came to him with their complaints he
found that for weeks they had not seen it, although he had
explained it in a letter sent to all through the post, accom-
panied by some of the best advice he was able to give.ested
Mr. KINNAIRD, in the course of some remarks, sugg
that night houses should be placed under the superintend-
ence of the police, and the closing at a reasonable hour of
all not required for bond fide purposes. Young women
needed after work hours some relaxation ; and why should
not provision be made for them similar to those made for
young men—reading rooms, &c. ? (Hear, hear.)
Mr. PAGET, M.P. for Nottingham, said that the idea
that that town was worse than other places was erroneous,
and there was no place where the wages of workmen were
so large.
The Rev. Mr. STEINTHAL read a clause of the Local Act,
and on behalf of Miss Carpenter, who took a great interest
in the matter, mentioned that girls in her reformatory had
been waylaid' and taken away from Bristol,
Mr. STAMFORD RAFFLES said that the difference of
opinion between gentlemen on the local bench arose from
words in the preamble of the bill, which those who refused
to convict coupled with the clause.
Mr. ACTON considered that wages had nothing to do a
with
the matter when it was a question between earning few
pence and as many pounds. Neither Nottingham nor
Liverpool were worse than London. The more he discussed
the matter the less magisterial would he be.
After some further discussion upon this subject,
Mr. ACTON read a paper "On ; its conse-
quences and remedies ; in which he traced the career of
the falling woman, connecting with the destitution that
followed loss of service and the absence of friendly aid, the
procuring abortion, which was not very general, and child
murder, the extent of which was appalling ; and to prevent
this crime and all accompaniments of the woman's misfor-
tune, rather than to unduly commiserate her, he suggested
the adoption of a course of treatment (such as employing
them as wet nurses) which would enable her to regain her
position in society, and punish her seducer ; and in cases of
equality the influence of masters and mistresses, instead of
being wasted in useless indignation, might be best em-
ployed in promoting a marriage between the persons, if it
would be judicious.
The Rev. Dr.-NPNEILE said it was the usual practice to
give way.to honest and well-intentioned indignation, in-
stead of the best of a bad case and endeavouring to
accomplish a marriage. Much good might be done by
careful consideration of a case when it came to the know-
ledge of a master or mistress early enough. In the discus-
sion they had bemi dealing with the lower end of the sub-
ject, but as long as seducers in high life—(hear, hear)—.
aristocratic seducers—(hear)—who had money at command
were received as patterns in society—(hear, hear) —so
long as our ladies of rank and balk% and station would