, 1873-05-11
Sunday Morning, May II, 1673.'
TIE MLAUGHLM DENS.


the outraged public sentiment Of Chicago, and
sae breaking up Of his establishment, was
1iumph over vice. Nevertheless, thu fact re-
nains ttat thero are ecores Of other estab1ish-
'ments in this city of perhaps like character,
md that even his fourished successfully for
bsycral years. AL this shows that the victory
mas but partial one, and that crime in that
peculiar forra has not been seriously disturbed
The success Of these establishments is, however,
largely due to the very natural unw1dngness Of
parents and relatives to prosecute the creatures
rho invcigle children into these dens to corrupt
shem. Without such prosecution, the law is
powerless. Mclaughlin fed from public
ppinion* and not from the punishments Of the
nw. The friends Of the deluded children
.ho are mada victims in these places
rave SORROW and anguish enough, without
parading the whole story Of indiscretion.
lhoughtlessnesa, shame, and degradation! be-
fore tho public, to follow the children
through life. Nevertheless, the law, onght
10 be competent to treat this description Of
srime with punishment that viii fall upon the
Receiver and not upon the deceived. The cor
juption Of children is the most malignant form
ii assault to which society is subjected, and Jet
It ioa7ishes in all American cities with hardly
iny check. While the Law is defective and weak,
both in prevention and punishment, parents and
relatives are also responsible. Society welcomed
md encouraged the institution OF afternoon
amusoments, to which families, especially the
soungar members, could so and escape the an
noyance and troubles Of late hours at night. 1t
ras = wise institution it permitted the family
to attend euch places without necessarily taking
The father and husband from his business. But
these occasions have been abused parents
permit their children to attend without
my adult guardian, and upon = these
unprotected children the war is wased by men
and women, insidiously but constantly, until at
last the discovery is made that they are hahitua1
visitors Of the establishments devoted to the
traffic in children. No parent who Will person
Ally attend these afternoon performances, unless
blind to all externnl evidences, will eyer permit
his children to visit them without proper guar
dian. -" ~:: ..
case Of this kind has Just been disposed Of
by tho courts in Paris, and public sentiment
upon such questions is supposed to. be as to1er-
ant there as anywhere else. A gentleman bay
ing family found at his house q note, stating
thnt the writer was aware Of his taste in paint
inga, and inviting him to call at q place :desig-
,f Mt
that might be pleasing. This note was Enclosed
to the police, who at once proceeded to Observe
the premises. They. first noticed that large
pumber OF unattended females, fashionably
dressed, went in and ont At night: there were
frequently sounds indicating revelry in the
way in and arrest the inmates: The summons
OF the Chief Of Police was answered by ser7nnt
In livery Of blue and gold, who asked his name.
Assoonasit was known that tho police were at the
door. q general alarm prevailed throughout the.
house There was q large number OF women
i present, nu of them handsomely and some e1-
y 4traTagantly dressed. Their general appearance
was that Of attendants at an evening party. The
horse was expensively decorated. 4 book was
found containing the names OF the. patrons Of !
the establishment, male and female, including. |
many persons Of rank. The investigation proved |
that the house WIS kept by woman, who had |
male partner, and TINT thoy Ind another house /
OF the same kind in Brussels; that a large part |
Of the business was to entrap girls at the earliest
possible age, and to change these from one city |
to another for the double purpose Of avoiding
pursuit and Of giving variety to their patrons. i
Tae law Of France, in such cases., applies only i
to those women who are under age. OF these I
there we're, Of course, many who told their story 1
and exposed the operations of the 'proprietora.
The Court sentenced the two. female principals
to a fine OF 400 francs each, and two years: i'm
Prisonment; another, 300 francs and: eight
months imprisonment !; and another got: three i
years. Imprisonment. Among the inmates we're
girls under age belonging to several countries in
Europe, all Of whom had been entrapped at
hoa1e, and forwarded in due time to Paris.
What is needed in this country, and especially
In this city, is some authority to deal with crimi-
nal establishments Of this kind and thoir propri-
etors after the manner Of this French court. f.
The police can point out twenty houses in Chi
csgo which, under one disguise or another, are
made the harbors for the unfortunate children
Tho fall into the hands Of these 1ultures, male
:nd female. No one complains, and no action is
AIKEN. Society is shocked at what is called I
youthful depzayity, while it tolerates the eating-
louses, Oyster parlors, Saloons cigar~stores, and
'a1ious other DISCUSSES under which the capture |
nd degradation Of children arc carried On. The
'olice ought to have power to enter these various
laces, rescue MI persons under ago, and then
rrest the Proprietors, to be properly and
sverely punished by tho courts. Upon the
roits Of these establishments are main
lined an army Of idle and worthless male raga-
onds, who are the best-dressed men in town;
ho consume the finest cigars, drive the most
aowy teams, display The largest diamonds, and
:e at the same time the creatures who hunt up
ctims to be deeced in the gambling houses. =. .