The New York herald., 1878-10-25

entirely closed by midnight, while the public houses
who visited the Argyll were undoubtedly prostitutes;
two police constabes were present outside. and they
pointed out 10 the cheek ana money takers IN per-
sons who were under The influence OF drink and who
ought not 10 be admitted; there were no private
boxes inside or anything TO shelter men and women
from observation; all the casinos In London were
more Or less irequentod by women Of evil fame
BY Mr. Fritn-The rooms we're the resort. in the Of
..Do the ladies address the gentlemen without
intr0duction2" sys.... .yN.t..
Wltness--I think as a rule the ladies' addrSss tho
gentlemen nrsL Laughter.) Gontinung his evi-
dence ne said:-fhe people began TO nock 10 about
iull about haiEpast seven undoubtedly the majority
OF the women were prostitutes; some women came ~
thor broughams; they were women no wero under 4
proiection anu were fast women, he should say had
seen the majority Of the women IN tne
to ssa'S great en,en. went there every night;
could not say tnat any respectable women visited
them; had seen as many as dozen couples waltxng.
but nad never Witnessed quadriile, when she room
was tulI, danced with two couples.
Mr.. Poland-square dancing is out OF fashion now
Witness contnusd:-The rooms were conducted
license refused; Windmill street and the district
continued about as disorderly as ever.
BY Sir H. Maxwe-The rooms were not tuii AZ
nalipast ten; witness attended IN uniform ana was
accompanied BY s.ssesns; the police At - the door
aid not think he had seen any young men under The
age Of twenty at the Argyll; good deal OF arnkiEg
went on AZ tmes haa never seen apyt vulgar IN
SIR ii. MaxwsL-Do women solicit or ply thsir trade
there2
Witness-The women speak to the men, certainly,
and them, but what their conversation Was ns
--17 THE pEyKxCn OF THE Kss. nps 4
ME- Poland then proceeded 70 reply on oGnal OF
Mr. Bignel, the proprietor OF the ArgyiL He said
tnat II the gentlemen who had signed the petition
Cardinal Manning, Archdeacon jennings ana others
took strong views about the morality OF Loadon IL
was n reason why the Court should deprive Mr.. Big
LeIl or his license. which Tor somany years had been
granted hun. II the case was to be decided upon
tue grounds which those gentlemen wished II
to then. OF course, Mr. Btgnell must loae mis-
license, but the Court was consistent and would do
witndrawn thsn dozens Of other licenses must. in
justice, be withheld Nothing had occurred 70 justify
Inc Court refusing the license this year. and he asked
that the same principle which had guided tnen hith-
orto might be maintained. He begged the Court to
bear in mind that license not grained under
any sham or prelense that tho Argyll Rooms were
rooms ike Wlllis' Of the Hanover square Rooms.
Bodx,n, VINO represented Mr. Bgnel, did not seek 70
mlsreprsssnt their true character. He told tho
onsng Aa ss q s a..
aud reputation. aud the Court was not
blind TO the fact the Court granted she
the fact, and had learned from Cardinal Manning
aud Archdeaeon Jennings and others that there OK
isted In inc heart OF London place TO which women
oil evil repue wsnt and that they ought no longer 10
give their support 10 IL II had always been nsld to
be best place OF this Kind should be licensed
tnan not licensed all Gay women must 60 some
where and It was better to have them out oisght as
men who resided In the immediate q neighpor.
hood OF The rsoms. Some OF them, ne saw, lived
|
others Queen Annes gase ana unber IN Roches-
ter row. Tho petition II was evident was not
Interest generally OF public morality No single in
dependent witness had been called to say he had
sonos saa lead nj the Court 70
refuse the license. Nt.Uh1 tt
In reply 10 this, Mr. Sharp, Chairman OF the Visit
ing Committee OF the prison AZ Clerksnwe, said no
had received ottsr from the Raw J. W. Horsley, tho
chaplain OF that instu winch he desired 70 rsad
Mr. Suarp conendsd that The letter was 80 important
that he duty bound TO read II to his brother
magistratss. IL showed what direct evidence could
be obtained in prison through which upward Of
nine Thousand persons OF the lowest oi tho criminal
frequently happened, in the course OF his prison
work. tnat the name OF tho Argyll was casually mea-
toned. He could not talk long with burglar with
out the Argyh being mentioned as FAMILIAR place Of
resort wusrs opportunities were 10 be found and IN.
formation obtained 70 lead TO fresh crime. young
man mentioned The name Of = burglar who mad
told him tnat the chief reason OF his going to
say buffers, iootmsa and olnsrs-wno put MIN up TO
good burgaries. By fortunate coincidence fallen
70 indicate the reason Of his inquiry, he asxoa nsr
what place IN London she considered 70 be the most
sae,ps % ns, more uu cod 3. traced 10
that place than to any otner that us apparent re-
Speciabity made y ali the more ins'dousi and that
Mo had neard innoccut girls say, s'On, IT'S all
right because IT'S licensed" she further observed
tnat she mad known, swell mobsmen frequent tue
with genllsmen's sons aud servautG Mr.
Horsey said he lad considerable number OF friends
among the better class OF workingmen, and no con-
Indignation against such place beng licensed. Mr.
Sharp sad he had fa,in in t6s noa,lon, and
begged 70 commend TO the serious atteutton OF tne
magistrates before they proceeded 10 vote
THE DECISION OF THE kAGIsrRArEa ffl@
Some oil The magistrates then expressed tneir
opinions subject Mr.. Ritohic, M. r., said that
last yeXr 10 voted Tor arsnowal oil the cense THIS
the Csurs renewed It they would 10 great extent
stultily themselves as administrators OF puoc JUS
Court IN wnicn ,hs Keepers OF notorousy bau
IN Chelsea convicted sent TO prison or nnsd
y .ney punished psrsons VINO Keps dsoraery m saa
licenses to places which were the feeders OF them
Music and dancing At the Argyll Rooms were simply
blindG IL was not tor the purpose OF enjoyment In
dancing or listening TO the band that women congrs
gated there. 1t rather that they might meet and
make appointments with sentsmsn ana then accom-
pauy disordoriy houses which the Court
had shown its dissemination TO suppress Alderman
Crenorne Gardens had been closed dsordery
houses IN Chelsea had increased Mr. Colds
vote against the license. Latterly he visited
the Argyll Rooms Tor the purpose Of seeing how they
were ductsd. He found the place Totally different
to what no had conceived It 10 be, ana 10 what
when there twenty years ago. the Court
gave tneir license tor the purpose OF sntsrtainment
the fact that the rooms did not begin 10 hil until
about eleven O'clock although Inc '.aa co%msossd a
aucted In the ordinary soase In which they
would understand dancing TO mean. He saw
between 500 and 700 persons present. but not
moro Than tnirtecn couples ever danced at time IL
had been said that II .ns Court refused the license
tnsy Wouiu uIiVs tno prosstutss lnto houhes Wnicn
not under the supervision OF the police. That
was only matter Of opinion. A. all events, u was
yet 10 be known whether there was any other house
in London holding license similar to the ArgyH
Rooms, or Win respect 10 whion anything could oe
said IN It's favor.
Alter some further discussion vote taken, and
tha chairman, whom The papers had been collected,
said:-"For q renewal oi the license there sixteen
namss; against It thirtv-three" grN4 y3 86S lH
RuTuRR
And 50 the days oil the Argyii's prosperity will
be over The place VIII Of course still be kept open
Tor some time until the license Tor tho sale oil liquors
shall have expired. Even then the place may be kept
open and coffee, Tea ana ginger beer and lemouadc
sold; but Will be too dun Tor tho ladies, who will
seek somo other place IOr rendezvous Al present
there are score OF music halls, duly licensed by Tho
same magistrates where women congrogate; and OF
late tho Westminster Aquarium has acquired rcpu-
taon as the gathering place Of girls second only TO
the Argyll 0IGs#e 4n0 tM 4fTMNat
A gentleman remarked yesterday, on hearing the