New-York tribune., 1873-05-03
4 NEEDED REFORM.

pRFsEST,fENT OF THE GRAND JURY IN REGARD TO
CONCEPT s.IOoSs-oWNERs TO BIZ PROSECUTED.
The following recommendation was yester-
sav made 10 the Court Of General Sessions by the Grand
Jury:
In the course OF their duties, the grand inquest had
under their consideration the case OF useu Sei,oo @
marine who had lust arrived in this port WhO on one
VISIT parted with $40 IN what IL Known as CONVEX
was admitted by the inmates, and the only pretense OF
excuse rendered that the marine had oidereu .lu
used "a bottles OF VINE at - per 3otte III VnG & %
properly act in aid OF the punishment OF the 1lo.e
heir counsel the District % AtoIuSg, @ and
several Police Captains were before the Jury lne
result OF these efforts the Grand Jury Iespecty
with their suggestions as 10 remeuy ioI VIC
evil OF which they learn this case Is but common one
That such houses nave ceisea ron on IN Rd nav ~
Excise and no matter how mistaken that boaru % may
have the character OF the persons hey onco
give license TO. they have no power 10 re'oAe VI SuS
That when the police "pun" they call 1t, such
houses the police justices uniformly rced'C INC acou7'u
3. That neither the Mayor nor the Police Commission
ers have any power punish discontinue such abuses
or 10 close the houses when they occur. - ~,
T. That the jury advised by their law oucer, the
District Attorney, that the owners and agents ol prem
rented for immoral purposes ana heIcoy piouuro
rents respectable business can AFFORD 10 pay are
liable To criminal prosecution and punishment
The Grand Jury therefore present the ldols 10 scu
as an evil OF great magnitude in TINS CITY, ana peg 20
recommend the Court and the proper authorities sch
action upon 1t. either by the courts prosecnllnE In
owners or agents who prostitute tner properly 10 suc
ana speedy means for the overflow of tins practice
now so general aud destructive to the moral ana
uhysicai interests OF the community.
CORN. HALBREsHAw, Foreman.
Lucius COmstock, Secretary.
snperintendcnt Kelso issued General order No. III
YESTERDAY commanding the captains OF the several pre-
cincts to make list Of the houses Of prostitution IN
their respective precincts, to distinguish carefully be
tween classes to give their locality by street and number
and the number of prostitutes living in each house and
also 10 report tine location Of each concert suoon OF low
repute and the number Of waiter girls employed.
VIEWS OF THE EXCISE COMMISSIONERS.
In order 10 ascertain the views OF the Excise Com
mlssoners this subject reporter OF The TRIBUNE
called on them and questioned them relative 70 the mat
ter John r. Voorhs, one Of the Commissioners. and a
well known builder Of the Ninth Ward said that no formal
meeting OF the Board had been held yet the act under
which they were appointed prescribing the first Monday
n May the day which the new Board were 70 meet
and organize by the election OF oicers Ihe COMMISSION
ers met on Thursday and again yesterday ana ia an
informal way talked over matters relative To the
business OF the office. The outgoing commissioners nad
left scarcely any blanks satoneryOf any KIND The
licenses were printed with the year IN conspicuous
place and in large characters ana neary an tuhJ nav
been granted ont about this time, and WIZ nave To
be renewed in short time. The printer had assured
them that he could not furnish the required oi1hhS
before the end OF the coming week or early In the follow
ing week. IL safe o say therefore, that no licenses
would he ISSUED during tue c0luIus Wcch' VIZ
reference to the action Of the Board, it would be
unfair for one member to speak Ier INC rfst i
There was now before the Legislature bhl aehnlns
more clearly the powers OF the Board. The Commls
siouers WOuld probably wait FORTS passage Dcoie TAXING
decided action For himself he could say that he was
opposed licensing any place OF the character OF te
concert saloons gambling houses, ana Other 10" ana
dsreputabe haunts, demOralizng In their tendencies
and "a disgrace TO the city He believed that the Com
mssoners would act in such manner as 70 secure the
commen1atlon OF moral and law abiding citizens.
ID ID. Il. Marshall. President Of the HOMEOPATHIC Life
Insurance Company and one of the new Excise Com
m-sioucrs, in recent conversation with reporter OF
TUE TRIBUNE, said that personally he was opposed 10
the touce OF concert saloons. They were productive
of nothing but evil. ana were demOralAug IN the hlRn
est degree to young men, He believed that his col
leagues and himself would be guided IN their acgon by
desire 10 serve the best interests OF the better class OF
the community.
lanes L. stewart, OF the new Excise Commis ssiOn-
er said that he perfectly free 10 confess that he
had not get zone thoroughly into the law on tat sub
iecf aud was therefore unable and unwilling TO gave any
decided opinion.