The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-16
WICKED WASHINGTON WAYS.
The. Perits Of Pretty 1oung Lady
Department Clerks.
Washington Letter to New York starl

The. Perits of Pretty Houng Lady
Department Clerks.
Washington Letter to New York staEl
The prevalence of immoral men in
public life in Washington has always
been subject of comment. The recent
statement in the Evening Critic that a
well-known Southern Senator had &C.
complished the ruin of a young girl at
an assignation house, which is the scene
of frequent orgies of men in high sta
tion, was not therefore calculated to
startle the public mind, except as ii
promised an exposure. 1t seems that a
gentleman who holds high position in
one of the departments was informed
that young lady friend had been seen
going to certain house on Eleventh
street, which, except 10 the initiated,
bore the reputation of being boarding.
house, one of the kind common in Wash
ington.
The official used means of his own to
watch the place and learn if the story
about his friend was true. In his search
for information he learned much more
than was of personal interest to himself.
About the same time a week ago the
police were given warning of the charac.
ter of the house, but the police of Wash
ington very seldom do any thing which
would Inconvenience public men of in
fuence.
The story is that woman who knows
the ways CT the world has been acting
as procuress for the house, and through
her acquaintance with several young lady
clerks in the departments has been en-
abled to entice them to the place where,
under the seductive influences of wine
suppers, their ruin has been made possi-
BILE.
The prominent instance mentioned in
the critics article is that of young lady
who was made the victim of Southern
Senator's desires. The Southern Senator
alluded to has had very unsavory repu-
tation in this regard for few years past,
and on one or two occasions, it is related,
very narrowly missed what would have
been not only an exposure but bodily
harm. He is man who stands promi-
nently before the country as a represent
ative Southern man in politics. In this
last case it is said that although the girl
has made confession to her, friends,
nothing of public nature will be done,
as it is thought no good can come of any
such proceeding, but much harm to the
young lady. .
Here is story which is often heard in
Washington. There are in the city many
young women who come here to get
Office, and, being away from home in
fuences are the more easily led astray.
The story as first published, that the
procuress was employed in the Treasury
is found to be untrue on in
vestigation. She is woman who has
been known by those we'll up in Wash
ington secrets as very dashing adven-
turess, beautiful and quick-witted. She
is often seen about the Capitol, and
knows how to turn a good point in
the lobby. There are many of her kind,
but not many who hold their own so
we'll as she does.
There is one gallery at the House
which is daily occupied by these wo-
men, and in the ladies' reception room
off from the floor of the House they are
frequently to be seen with members, for
whom they have sent in their cards. A
young, handsome and rich member from
the West recently told how he was ap-
preached by pair of these women. Their
cards were sent in, but he did not recog-
nize the names. However, he went to
the reception room, and there found
middle-aged woman, accompanied by a
younger, pretty-faced girl. The elder
woman said that they had formerly lived
in his district, story which is of COM
mon usage; that she had held place in
one of the departments, but losing that
she had been left helpless, &c.
The girl, she said, was her daughter.
She wanted help-something to do bv
which she could earn bread and meat for
herself and daughter. In vain the men,
ber protested that being Democrat he
had no infuer ce in the departments and
after many moving appeals the elder
woman asked if he did not have some
copying-some work at his rooms which
her daughter could do. The daughter
wiped tears from her eyes. and the moth
er, sobbing as if her heart would break,
said that if it must come to the awful
result the daughter would be a compan-
ion for him. The two acted their parts
we'll, but the member being aware of the
wiles of the reception room, withstood
the appeal and learned afterward that
the two were sharpers, and were, In fact,
not related to each other at all. Incl
dents of this character, going to show
the immortality surrounding public life
in Washington, could be told by the
hour. ......
Gov. Foster of Ohio, who probably
more than any other man secured the
defeat of the fillibusterers at the time of
the Electoral count, told me one night
during that exciting time of case
which shows how strong in their infu-
ences are the secret lives of men in Off
cial position. Two or three nights before
the count was completed Democrat
who had been voting with the fillibus-
terers came to Foster and said he had
proposition to make. He said that he
believed that Hayes would be counted in
any way, but that he wanted to make
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