New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-08-15
OUR FALLEN WOMEN.

! PATHS OF vIRTUg-THEIR IMPERFECrr0S AND
| ,yEYPrCIEscY-" THE HONS IN wRST HOUSTON
s7RggT"-.Irs IsMATEs-THg NODE PURSUED TO
gygECT A RgFORMaTIoS-THE GIGANTIC EVIL or
! yRosTiTUuOS-THE SIX GRADES OF rsPAMg-
IYpossIBiLiTY OF COMPLETE AND SPEEDY
RRuEDY-mriGArIoy ONLY TO Is SECURED
THROUGH LEGISLATIVE ENACTMENT.
An unpretending sign on the unpretendng building
Ma % west Houstonst bears the following words IHb
Uovr IN WEST UousToS STREET" It's precise meaning is
nrobby unknown to many Of the hasy pasersby but there
!, one TO whom 1t significant and ever suggestive
and TINT class comprises the unfortunate unhappy women VINO
ns,n their brief and impure lives by the sale OF that winch
has ever been considered womans oheiest and uoost a
bue The cause fallen has too frequently been
ignored by public press somewhat perhaps on account
OF its apparent hopeesnes but mainly we opne because o.
natural but unjust reluctance deal oandidy and openly
with subject which fails to excite repugnanoe where
the deepest and most reflective commsseraon should be W
claim The vlest criminals have their share OF public COM
ment aud statistical review We do not exclude from our
Journals variations Of the most horrible barbaes involving
in detail the loss Of life and limb We have oGr Prison Asso
Citations our societies for tho ameoraon OF this or that EVIL
arising from human deprayy in numberess shapes our
divorce tals-opportunties frequently seized By the IN
sorupuous for the qualification Of morbid and sensual cnr'
osty under the gsb Of indignant reprehenson-and even
| such monsters as a wirs and Probst are not ex-
cluded from minute discussions but the Clark problem OF
woman prostitution "a either ignored entirely hastily limited
at or confined the breyity Of police reports Our laws
upon the subject appear to be only made in mere spirit OF
though perhaps for the best for they neither wise
nor efficient Even Ministers OF the Gospel with com
paratyey exceptions ard for worldly reasons but hest
alngy initiate the speaking OF our SAVIOR aud consgn
the acy nerdctcd topic to the secrecy OF vide abstraction
Yet when we reflect upon the startling fact that there
present within the limits Of this city at least 90 protested
pa but mparstiyey oa Of sight /. Certainly seems that
class possibly have more claim upon the
citizens and tho thoughtful administration o. our puoic
THE EFFORTS II THEIR BEHALF
arc almost altogether benevolent character and have thus
far accomplished almost nothing There are se,erA insia
tons FOR the eCT1 en, G gs,an & M
uaed on Eightyeight'i and under Presbyiean control
Catholic Home" on the Of Houston and Mulberry
sts and The Home for the file on West iolston's'
Beside these there are several other institutions in whose oo
scts the Of the fallen Only partially enters but IN when
a certain amount Of good ia effected.
The three establishments named appear to be all conducted
In tie way and oil supported by private con
trbaons A fcw rescued and obtain employment mostly
position made OF them aer 10 tho opinion Of the managers
their reformation has been effected
THE HOME N wEsT H0UsIoS-ST.
This Institution established last January through the
comnserating energy Of nnmber Of gentlemen. II location
- the center Of The largest and most important district
the city in which is abors are carried On It's OBJECT SIMPLY
explained in the single circular which has been issued by the
managers. a. follows:
have been led a.rly bat WHO having just entered upon M 81 vice
rot o. then 91a @ .p S q sioo' ch s sad Ph
nbroPc sao Or ,bi g e,o5s tim to the I,,e Of yIaS
We eaasy ASA aiass IN 4 e-' AID hitherto ~aeh neglected
The following gentlemen comprise The Committee
a r. wErnoEg No q ve,sy,t Rev ,: D. O. PRIME no -
Iwelnh,t ~ No 3O7 Bleeckersii H. ~ Bill
fSuanD. Ne. q wiiam.., T. L. TnovssIDer 10. Ws
Twenty anhi, J. " HArE, No % wse''t JAMES posAdhs
Mr. T. : Ely oiiciates as Treasurer and c. p Tucker
HoTty soas sepeVcn. @an many respect. a
rafeny well fitted for his duties and his WE s sof!
mates Of the II ONE under her immediate supervision
Tie Hone" may be regarded weak experiment IN the
'S'' D'SS Fo ,s:.s ID d,is yoi..ads, fortune
Tie u losing. which the weak and poor can scatter
70 ouote tie beautiful uerarce q "Ion," but the
in t. il Ia. had or q inmates in
Of which have been reformed and supplied VIII ely
in respectable households Il suhceni 70 SuoN Nna'
very little drop the great sea Of geAera reformation
alFead! effected.
THE ryMArEs OF THE HOME
There nothing compulsory involuntary in tie manage
nent OF his institution some Of It's Bmates secured 10y
independent outside influence but BY m the greater number
ssck W benevolent shelter voluntarily aud unsolicited Girls
from tAe street weary and saacd With vicious aud Impure
yes enter e portal, Of tho Home. toll their storiesand
viii villa stories Of human experience they most frequently
beg adtanoe IA the hope OF achieving redemption
10: born, lind tha, about oco Of prostitutes
are embraced utder The popul, caption OF street
the last shiny step e rcogradns ae Of female depraty
With the exception Of the hnh! ~hose stePoh the abyss
Of namCls and an infamous grave. large proportion OF
tho applicants 70 the Home are OF ts SUB class OF the great
general class There not one IN MY who does not drrk
ono temporary escape this equlyoca relief om the he'll
earth which they briefly yegeale aud they grasp the boon
a, tho drosnef giasp he sa" "heh An' a'u '"oons "a
OF course ihe stories tod to tho charitable manager,
tutes stock in trade. by long habit Of ml,fyng which
al lat become, areaIy SOY o. amusement 10 he sae
posed even while yesrnng and PRAYING Tor assistance to
uherewth bSucd the mind Of the plying ensaa
In OF knovcdge Of these fots the truth OF tho state
mcn is weighed In this light BY the Supsr and
Managers Of the Home and II is decided upon whether she
Here is na applicant young ard sl beautiful with the
vesgcs OF bygono truth and innocence still lingering IN
eyes dakened BY months OF vice and with certain aess
her which must have laughed from her baby
when she todded her mothers knee. Her story
Wild history Tong life Of criminal deprayy compressed into
the compass Of few years or perhaps Of Few months with
wages mans deception as It's hiSi cause The
Judge In this weighs the statement dsoards r mar.
gin fictitious. and finds In the balance very probably
seed truth aud sincere repentance which promises rcdemp
ton Tho girl is therefore installed In tie Home attends
regular morning and evening prayer'meong and, SIN
the repeniant mind is sooner later made
spectacle maidserva or otherwise employed 90
But lelo Is another applicant OF different gull
womin Of the town for years she Is now prematurey old.
her last drunken debauch has revived faint gmmerngs Of
r.of innocence and youth and In the temporary eontri
ton Of a mind arcay repenan aud inorose she enters
the doors Of tho Home with long maudn and elaborate
fsehood which quickly recognized as such and her ap
n e jaagc Ss, Here an
example Of de last stage OF prostitution whose only ree is
the tomb aud she depangy abandoned to the last down
ward irretricvablo step.
TREATMENT or The INMATES
the Treatment the inmates of the Homo and their dis
cpne during day there DO little complaint so far rs
we-meanng charity is concerned when girl or woman
enters the Home and darDg her probation she Is not
permitted to Qnit II unless she quits II forever.
The first consideration In tho treatment Of repenant
Magdan u.s. quote tho language Of tho Superintendent,
TO get tho out OF her" and nearly all OF them have
plenty Of that article in tOir when first encountered
Amer this they employed throughout the day In light
cations operating the sewing machine sewing by
hand homework etc. with morning and evening religious
and with leisure 10 devote to the contents VI the
library Home The characters and incnaons OF the
gs carefully studied and their respective Improvement
or retro erosion noted, with view To the future.
The library the Home IL nIndciOusy selected; mainly