The New York herald., 1872-11-17
IN THE FOURTEENTH PRECINT.

The <SCanterbury," sOriental,'' "Ncw
Idea'' and sAssembly Rooms'' Raked.
Passing down Broadway the first Of these dens
met with Is the Canterbury, No. 632, kept by
Elijah Gregory. 1t is monster affair, in fact the
largest institution Of the kind in the city, ex-
tending, as 1t does, clean through from Broadway
to Crosby street, and having frontage OF twenty
five feet. Within its tawdriy gilded walls hung
here and there with lascivious paintings, fine
drapery and magnificent mirrors nightly assemble
from three to
FIVE HUNDRED MEN,
who spend their time drinking, smoking and
carousing with the halfnaked girls. or these
latter there are constantly employed in the "Can-
terbury from twenty five to thirty and it is safe to
say that more lewd, vulgar and highly indecent
set OF females cannot be found IN the metropolis.
With but two or three exceptions they are wholly
destitute OF even an approach to beauty, while
their staggering carriage and filthy expressions are
quite sufficient to disgust any respectable man.
The scene in
THIS DEN OF MFANY
just previous to the appearance of the officers
last evening was one of exceeding animation
There were probably three hundred persons there
assembled, all chatting and laughing, and smok
ing and drinking, while the girls fitted briskly
among the tables, dispensing whiskey, wines,
lager and vulgar grins meant for killing smiles.
The band played merrily; the BIRDS hanging every
where on the walls, twttered their pretty songs,
glasses jingled innumeraole little clouds of blue
smoke ascended to the ceiling and permeated the
entire atmosphere, while
CHAMPAGNE CoRKs POPPED GAyLY
on every hand. In the midst of all this the tall,
manly figure of Captain Clinchy, OF the Fourteenth
precinct was seen entering the door, closely iol-
lowed .by fifteen or twenty officers in citizens
dress. The doors were at once closed and not
soul allowed 10 enter, while every male biped in
the front OF the saloon was quietly, but firmly,
shown to the sidewalk. Several officers pro-
ceeded to the rear OF the room and intimatcd
to the men that they had better vacate, and their
advice was instantly taken. Gregory, the pro-
prietor now began to see that something unusual
was up, and hurrying over to where the Captain
stood began entreatlng that officer to withdraw.
II did not take long, however. to convince him that
Withdrawing at that stage OF the game was quite
out OF the question. He seemed
FRIGHTENED NEALY TO DEATH
and for a few moments rushed frantcally back
ward and forward, but finally partially subsidized
when the bartender intimated that he had better
have the girls hand their checks and money in. Up
to this time everything In relation to the pulp
had been conducted 80 quietly and effectively that
ooea
the crowd began to thin '' out pretty
right, and when one OF their number recognized
Captain Clinchy and announced his presence to
the the doos both 'front.' and rear Il was
however, and soon the unfortunate but shameless
creatures got to look the matter over calmly, and,
indeed. quite phi0sophically or course each one
wanted her Harry Billy or Charley sent for and,
OF course, 1t was not done. The great majority OF
them laughed.
ARTICULATED MoNSTEROUs OATHs
and filed the air with filthy and disgusting utter
ances One or two cried and tried hard to faint,
but it was no go, while low-browed lecherous
looking beast jumped into the middle OF the
noor and danced genuine Irish Jig, amid the
shouts and applause OF her companions.
The work OF handing In the checks and "stampsn
was now begun and occupied nearly half an hour,
in the course OF which q small army OF those dis
gustng individuals known as ''oversn besieged
the door and vainly tried to get word with Cap
tain Clinchy. The money and checks disposed Of.
the girls soon threw on their wrappings, and were
hurried on in :wos to the station house.
While these scenes were being enacted at the
Canterbury, like ones were transpirng In the .New
Idea," No. 59S Broadway, the Oriental. No. G26 and
the Assembly ROOMS" No. 636 Broadway. Stimuli
taneous with the decent on the Canterbury, the
officers in citizens dress, quietly filed into each OF
these places, and with no more excitement or dis
tnroance than was created by the squad headed by
Captain Clinchy IN person, drove out the men and
arrested the women and the proprietor.