The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-07-17
RUNNING YOUNG GIRLS.
A Horrible State Of Affairs which Is
Said 60 Exist I'm an Uptown Beer
SalOOu-Girla neliberRteIY RuIneh.


A Horrible state of Affairs which IL
said 60 Exist in an Uptown Beer
saloon-GirIs Deliberately Ruined.
A most heartrendlng scene occurred in
the Office of Justice of the Peace Lewis 1.
0'Neal some days ago. Mr.. James Gardner,
of Vermont avenue and II street, hard
working and highly respectable man
walked into the Office with his flfteen-year-
old daughter, Alice.
He first made bitter complaint about the
bad character of beer saloon and summer
garden, where ho said his daughter had
been ruined. He was informed that the
police authorities were the proper authori-
ties to apply to in u case Of this character.
He then said no had gravcr matter to
deal with, and his stern face bore evidence
of his troubles. lie told the Justice that
bis daughter, Alice, who was only fifteen,
had been
Ruincd by Young MAN,
ard he wanted to compel tho young man TO
relieve her and her family of the disgrace
TO some extent by marrying the girl.
Miss Gardner, who is very pretty girl,
then told her story. She said that she had
been ruined in n beer saloon at the corner
VI GtNCuIu anu " blTCclS, htpb ~ pTcScuJ
by George Swcitzer and formerly by one
Farnkoop. Her story was to the effect that
she, with several other girls about her own
age, were in the habit of going to this
place, where they met crowd of youths
and young men and drank together. After
getting under the influence of liquor they
would
Use the Place for Improper Pur-
poses.
She said the young man who was respon-
sible for her condition was James Jones, a
young man about Is years old, who prom
ised some time ago that If she would give
up her other acquaintance aud keep his
company exclusively he would marry her.
This she did strictly, and now he refuses to
keep his word.
Mr.. O'Neal put her through rigid ex-
animation to find out the true nature of the
care. She admitted that she had boon
criminally intimate with three other boys
previous to her relations with Jones, but
he knew this, for she admitted it to him,
and promised that If she would be true to
him he would marry her.
This Statement wns Made Before Her
Father,
who was very much affected. The justice
told the father that there was no law in
the District to compel q man to marry
NOIlhu. Dub III NltW VI tuc otulCuCuJ vi
the girl, even II there was, he would not
advise the young man to marry her.
The scene was very touching WHOM the
stern father broke into tears and appealed
| to tho magistrate.
"My God, what can ?" said he. "My
wife says my daughter will have to leave
| the house or she will leave. l can't drive
my daughter out OF my house, now above
| all other times"
And the Heart.BrOken Father wept
bitterly.
| He said his wife took this position because
her presence in the house in her condition
would have bad moral effect on the rest
Of her small daughters.
. Mr.. Gardner then started across the street
with.-bis daughter to lodge his complaint
with Major of tho Police Dye, and the
| public will wait with interest the action Of
the police. The report to the effect that
Miss Gardner was going to shoot Jones on
sight was circulated and he was notified
of il.
He is learning the printing trade, and
has been at work Mt an Office on Tenth
street, near the Medical Museum. 1t is
said that he was working with his back TO
a window that looks out on Tenth street,
and after hearing tho report he was
noticed to be very nervous, and his back
being to the window, he was noticed to
| jump as If he had been struck in the back,
| and then look out Of the window as if he
| expected to see some one on tho outside
who Meant Him Harm.
He would not work any longer until his
| position was changed. The girls statement
| 10 Justice O'Neal was to the effect that she
was in the habit Of visiting the place for
two or three years, and consequently could
| not have been more than 10 when she be-
l har 1ifa pf ehapa Har fa thar said
when asked If his wife did not suspect
something was wrong when she would stay
| out nights, that he was out OF the city and
| her mother could not control her. This Is
only ono of the hundred places of tho kind
where innocent children arc corrupted
daily, and the institutions arc increasing
| with alarming rapidity.