The New York herald., 1878-10-25
LONDON. Oct. IL. 1873.

were known TO congregate, Is not quite clear. The
Argyll, being old offender, had but little chance Of
escape
THE QUESTION OF TIE DUKES
The Argyll Rooms have long been standing dis
grace 70 London. or this there can be no question.
II we'll conducted enough SO far as
the rooms themselves wore concerned, but after
closing hours, when ths den used 10 vomit its
scores whited sspulcnrss into the Hay market the
corner of Pail Mall and Regent street, the orgies
began The mart at the Argyll Rooms indeed
closed, but the open air bourss thsn commenced in
good earnest. At nalfpast twelve, all public bars
being closed In the region, the youth Of the period
made his way to tho nsghborhood OF the Criterion
odalisks OF the Dukes, from the Aquarium
and from score Of other places assembled-and the
many dirty streams Of degraded humanity uniting
made tho entire region howl with their orgi es.
Every night the region which we have described
crowded with prostitutes and men from midnight
until after one, when the streets gradually became
quiet, the women leaving with their companions for
Chelsea and other classic neignborhoods.
THE ARCHBISHOP AND THE DEAN.
Well Mr. Poland aud Mr. Godln appealed on behalf
Of Mr. Bgnell fer renewal OF the license usc and
dancing to the Argyll Rooms, Great Windmill street,
Haymarket and Mr.. Firth said had been instructed
by the Messrs Baxter TO appear and support petition
against the renewal OF The osnss signed by Arch
bishop OF Westminster, Cardinal Manning and many
Others, and prayed Court "not renew tho Ii.
cense 70 tho Argyll Reoms tns ground that IL was
place OF meeting ana resort Tor prostitutes OF The
large num0srs seldom arriving before eleven O'Clock
at nRnt tnat after tho rooms were closed the streets
In the neighbOrh wsro ful of prostitute that
language OF an indecent character was used. In the
interest Of the pubic a. large renewal oftns license
ought 10 be refused, for the rooms were q
to the neighborhood and Disgrace 10 the metropolis
generally" There was also . petition siEnsd by
and other parishes THO pestioners aIteu.
tion had been called 10 the Argyll Rooms ana 10 the
evidence which the police hao gwen respecting them.
IL had been admntsd BY an ,nspc that rooms
were irsquentsd BY loose women, although they
erod incentive TO morality ana a snare, a scam
da ~ society and direct encouragement to vice,
nswed. Against this tns cisrk oa the Sessions
read petition numerously signed by the parishoners
TO the effect ,nat the Argyll Rooms had always been
coauuctsd by Mr. BigAeI IN proper and resp psctabs
manner; that tLe visitors 70 ths rooms arrived ana
aug any disturbance annoy anse, and that they ne
pstonersl were dsslrous that renewal OF tho losnss
should be granted. &NE Ms.l
FOR AND AGAINST.
Mr. Firth tnen proceeded 10 STATE his case agains
the removal OF the license. The petition which no
had tho honor TO present was signed by number OF
gentienen OF position, some living wiinin the inme-
date district OF the rooma ana Others PROBABLY mile
them. These gentlemen weIo OF opinion
that the existence Of The Argyll Rooms in their pres
ent character and for ;heIr present purposes d.
reoty contrary to the spirit Of the o Parliament;
that hey were gross breach oil public morality andR
disgrace to the metropolis generally THOR existsnco
was made notorious by occurrences in almost every
police cour ana his clients prayed tho mag
act IN aecordanse with the law and refuse me license
Inc act passed III the twsntyht year of George H.,
section tS52L especially provided for the suppress
sion Of such places OF entertainments as gave
agemen and temptation TO thefts and robberies and
passed order TO correct tue habit Of idleness
winch then prevailed Under this act magistrates
ne maintained they could very well apply it
In the case before them IL would not be
ol the petition. ior the evils Of the Argyll Rooms
we're iilustratsd IN the police courts and tho ses-
sions houssA Major Lyon had said truly that the
Court and the Argyll Rooms It's trial, aud
he trusted tho magistrates would gauge properly the
responsibility which rested upon them mat tney
ana that they would no longer sanction the exist
once OF place which the police had admitted 10
be the resort Of prostitutes and OF class against
whom Parliament had always endsavorsd 10 legs-
late. II was serious question whether the Argyll
was q place OF entertainment at all; whether u
had at Toast fuinlied the requirements which tho
Court laid down when they renewed Its license. or
consres.iss and pi,ea sheir calling. Il had been
urgea over and over again that Mr. Bignell had OF.
ssa 70 be fico 900. at anotnsr ths deco.
rations; but his clients considered that hts monay
ground The place ought TO receive the support OF
the Bench. The learned gentleman then procesdsd
10 call evidences, whicn ave beiow:-
TnK kvIDExCE
Inspector Hume, one OF tns inspectors OF the dis
trict, said tho VISITED by the police thrice
thor duty to how tho people onducled Ihsm-
selves and 70 make confidential reports afterward;
been SIX years IN the district ana had been 10 the
Argyll some hunarsas OF tmss--preDably aity times
durng Tho last year. went there about eleven O'Clock
generally because al nins there were 30 lev people
prescnt; the rooms would hold GOO OF 100 per-
sons when they were iuii; tne price o admission was
two shiilings; at Ten minutes 10 twelve The people
generally began TO leave aud oy midnight tue place
was closed persons danced premsnadsd listened 70
tho music ana drank ~ the bars.
Mr.. Frth-what was the opject OF the persons go
Ing thsrsf
Mr. Poland submitted that the object OF persons
could not stated by an inspector vi police. That
was going beyond what was strictly legal (''Hesr,
heafl'J
witness continued: Tho women sat and walked
about or spoke TO the men u they spoken TO;
would not say that last womep, as rule. danced IN
tho rooms, put he mad seen them dancing; a great
number OF iders congrsgasd IN ths srset 70 tbc
women leave; the streets werc decidedly crowded,
persons at that hour leaving ths
Alhambra, tho Criterion and tno theatres; no
had found that prostitutes who visited the
Argyll Rooms went away anu did not re-
main IN tho streets; they went away aisne or accom-
panied BY gentlemen; as rule tnsy left the NOT gh
bVrhood ontirsiyj generally upward OF ono hundred
ana twenty women OF the GLASS he had mentioned vis-
tied the Argyll nightly; could not gay where they
won't to; they mgn. return 10 BeIgrsvi,, ST. Jonn's
Wood or Chcisea IN all cases he mad pay
on entering tho rooms; could not say whether the
dancers were paid; thers was q Mr. Dyer, q watcn-
maker IN Regent street. and ne might one Of tue
petitioners; thcrc was, no DOUBT great deal oi noise
in tue neighbour ood but he certainly could at
tribute IL ali TO the Areyll Rooms
MORALITY VS.. InsoRALirY.
Mr. Frith-Is IL IN tho iu crest OF public morality
that the license should be tenewcdf
The question vas objected 10, and IL was not
pressed.
represent the poce tho inspectors each otner's
reports; had never seen any disorder want OF pro-
ptiety In the rooms: on tho contrary, he mad been
surprised 10 witness the good order and proprisy
ina, had been maintained more; women went ia In
tbcir bon nets and shawls and those VINO liked 10
dance could DO SO, AMI others could remain and