The New York herald., 1873-12-30
THE RAID ON THE BALL.
One Hundred Young Girls Marched
Through Broadway to Make
Public Holiday.
JUSTICE BIXBY DISCHARGES THEM.

The grand.raid OF the Police Department on tho
Sunday night ballroom, at the Union Assembly
Rooms, eliminated yesterday. One hundred
young girls and 200 men were paraded through
the streets, between ten and twelve O'Clock In the
day to the absolute disgust OF all we'll meaning
people.
Fifty young girls. at least, were taken from the
Fifteenth precinct station house, in Mercer street.
and marched down Broadway, escorted by .
platoon OF police, in broad light OF day.
None OF these girls were over 20 years OF age
They were children OF honest decent parents.
and 40 out OF SO OF them worked for living In one
or other OF the numerous factories In the CITY,
Some of these girls felt their degradation 50
keeny that they tainted on the way and had TO be
almost dragged along to enable them TO reach
their destination 1t may be said here that tho
policemen who had them in charge were not proud
OF their work. During the procession OF the poor
unfortunate creatures to the Tombs, broadway,
Canal and Centre stree is were lined with specta-
tors, as though some great military pageant was
about to take place. On the way sensible and re-,
spectacle men and women in stores, In stages
and elsewhere denounced the whole thing
as a scandal and outrage public de-
cency; or, as prominent merchant on Broadway
ftly expressed it, eWhy should the whole city Of
New YORK be uncovered to the raids OF thieves and
vagabonds that the Police Department might reap
little capital to itself by the arrest Of few shop
girls and working boys Tor enjoying little amuse-
ment on Sundayr'
And 1t was also queried by the shrewder ones
why was IL that SO other most vile and infamous
resorts clustered in the vicinity, and in fact under
the very nose of the Police Commissioners them
selves, were not disturbed.
Questions similarly pertinent to the foregoing
might be heard on all sides, and 1t was evident
Tho tho npuIap npad ha n
the authorities as scandal and an outrage.
Centre street. from the corner Of Leonard
mass OF people. awaiting the procession Of Sum
day nights victims to the T0mbs This crowd
could only be denominated as q h0oting, bowling
mob, and the efforts OF the police OF the Sixth and
Fourteenth precincts were unable TO preserve
woud o ou
this crowd to recognize some relative as she
passed.
When the procession reached the Tombs
great miscellaneous crowd OF eXcitable aged
women and men clamored at the gates for admis-
sion but sturdy force of police kept them back.
These people for the most part were the fathers
and mothers Of the boys and girls arrested but they
clamored IN vain
1t was close upon noon when all the parties ar
rested were in court. Justice Bixby sat on the
bench. The young women were ranged on the ieit
hand and the men on the right hand side OF the
bar The former looked for the most part
IKE innocent girls, and upon interrogating
with the exception of four none OF them had
ever been in the Tombs before, and, when com.
bail for their future good behavior, they set up
such wailing and screaming as iairly beggars
description oh my poeT Sr,ea w,
think Of me nowg'' ~ can never go home now"
another exclaimed, her eyes drenched in tears:
"Judge If you pease-oh, II you please, Judge-I
have mother and little sisters to support, and
win lose my situation; let me 60. didn't think It
was any harm in going there" To all these appeals
HIS Honor was inexorable but said that any OF the
girls who could present any testimonials OF good
Character he would release at once. Justice Bixby
future good behavior.
The defendants were represented by Counseors
Price, Hummel and oliver, who say there iB no
ground upon which they can be legally held JUS
tice Bixby while the male prisoners liver were IN
around and pick out ali ali the thieves you can ana
numerous body yclept ward detectives. and
men essayed their utmost skill and long
memory, only e one MIC man nnx was selected ed
being reputed thief. HIS name was John
Connolly, and 1t was subsequently ascertained that
he had been arraigned on grand larceny and ac-
quilted. There was detective formerly employed
at Police Headquarters whose favorlte motto was
that publicity buys nothing Whether the
to his sage advice is question for those most
deeply interested.
The morbidly curious crowd hung around tho
Tombs all day long, and not until the doors were
shut and the outer gates were barred could they
realize that the show was over. Friend after friend
Of the unfortunate prisoners passed in during the
afternoon paid the fine OF $40 and brought out the
loved one with them At little before four O'Clock
poor old silver-haired woman was interccding
with an ofcer at the gate, saying, Il want to get
my child out tonight; borrowed So, and that was
all could get" Justice Bixby nearkened TO her
tale discharged her daughter and declined to take
the proffered fine. Later In the evening Justice
Blxby, whose judicial sense and Judgment have
batch. They were so rejoced that they INDUCED
in pleasant snowfall iusillade and thanked their
stars that the whole thing ended after all SO well.