Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-08-13
From the St LO4is Republican.
Social Evil Statistics Of St. Louis.

Two facts have been ascertained from
the social evil statistics complied by the
police, which were not generally known
before. The list of depraved women
have been completed so as to include all
those who reside in the city north as
Chatrau avenue, and from them it s
gathered that the number of these wo-
men in st. Louis is small as compared
with other cities, and that the ma ajority
of them commenced and follow their
career of shame at their own free will.
or "by choice" in the words on the list.
The number residing within the above
boundary, which includes all the most
prominent haunts of view in the city, is
about 652. OF this number, 3l7 have
written opposite their names in the
column headed "Reasons for becoming !"
&c, the words "By choice" Here is
something for moral reformers to medi-
ate over. 1t is very common for people,
particularly of her own sex, to view each
fallen woman as the victim of villains
arts whereas, in St. Louis, very nearly
one-half of the total number, 80 far as
ascertained, declare their course of life
deliberately chosen by themselves.
Besides the one mentioned, the lists show a
variety of other reasons alleged. Seduction is
against eighty-one Names and this is the next
| largest to those who only accuse themselves
| for their fall Among the other reasons to be
seen. there are some as suggestive OF human
weakness as of human sorrow and temptation.
| Here are sorrow wretched girls who assert
that they owe their miserable career merely to
dlsinclination to work or in their own words,
| Hl,o To 1oI hov
who lay the blame on "bad associations" and
"love of dress" We find also women who
were once honored wives boldly proclaimed
that their downfall was caused by neglect of
husband" all treatment Of husbands"
"domestic trouble" and such like. Some are
also to be found who seem to have been unable
to answer the question of the police specitical-
ly except TO say "no one TO care for me-"
But glance over these lists suggests darker
thoughts OF human wickedness than anything
yet mentioned. In not few cases, the un-
fortunate cyprians answered the officers with
horrible c0ndor They implicated in the
course of their downfall not only members of
their own sex who tempted them on to ruin,
but even their parents and other near relatives.
Revolving as the social evil" is in the aggre-
gate it is not possible TO Iook into the work.
ings and collect statistics Of its causes without
revealing details even more unsightly and dis
caedtable to humanity. Another question
addressed to these women in the preparation
of the list is, why they continue life of vice
The answers are various, but the one convey
ed in the words "by choice" is altogether the
most frequent. Among other reasons given
are, nowhere 10 CO." ASHAMED to go home"
''no other means OF living" &c. The cases in
which desire is indicated to get away from a
life of shame are not many. One feature in
the new system will be, that in such cases
measures will be. taken by which the unfortu-
nate will be enabled to separate herself from a
course of vice if sincerely anxious so 10 do.
The list so far as prepared are not in posses
sion of the Board of Health and together
with the record will be kept strictly for the
private inspection of the Board and the few
others authorized to have access to them by
ordinance, They have been drawn with
great care and neatness by the police authori-
ties and in their systematic arrangement lndi-
cate that the matter is being proceeded with
ljudiciously and in business-like manner.
|