The Columbus journal., 1888-05-02
Houses Of Ill Fame.

An unusual number Of citizens were
present at the council meeting last We'd
nesday evening and many OF them stay
ed to hear the discussion Of the social
evil, as presented for the consideration
of the council in the reports OF the COM
mittee on police, on Councilman SPECIES
resolution that all houses of prostitu-
ton within the city limits be suppress
ed. The question being on the motion
of Gluck that the majority report of
| Segelke and Schneider stating that after
diligent inquiry they were unable to as
| certain that there were any such houses
in the city, and recommending that the
resolution be indefinitely postponed,
Councilman Speice took the floor, and
in a speech to which no report could do
justice, gave his views OF the matter.
He expressed the greatest surprise that
MI. Segelke and Mr.. Schneider should
make such a report. Surely their in
| quiries had not been rightly directed.
| II they have failed to find that there are
| such houses here, or such a house as is
commonly known as the White House,
| they are far duller and more stupid and
know less about the morals and cOndi-
ton OF the city in that regard than many
of our boys ten years old who stand On
the street corner and point to that
monument of lust. l would like to have
any councilman here get up now and
tell me whether or not he knows of the
existence of these sinks of pollution. If
any man of ordinary intelligence who
has lived in the city six months would
tell me hat he did not know Of the ex-
istence Of this blot Of shame, 1 would
certainly tell him he was not an observ-
ant man. 1 know that every man of rs
knows the situation, every official Of the
city, nine-tenths of the people, not ex-
Guiding ladies' OF the city. There is no
use in beating around the bush" in
this matter. Shall the laws of the state
and the ordinance Of the city be enforc-
ed according to the wishes of a large
majority of our good people OF will We
disregard their petition in the face Of a
lot Of harlOts? Are we afraid Of those
rotten excrescences OF bestial lust?
1t seems to me the duty Of this coun- |
Gil is very clear. The state law..is plain,
our ordinance is definite and the SUI
preme court has held that the only evil
dence needed is that proving the gen.
eral reputation of these houses. Con-
sidering all the circumstances, If We do
not do our duty We will be Justly repre- |
hended, as
He that dallies is a bastard,
And he that doubts is damned"
Mr.. Gluck then took the floor and
said:
1 have given this question in the last
fed in my mind that there is quite con |
siderable prostitution going on in this |
city. I have learned that there are a |
number of professional prostitutes here, |
but their number is small and insignifi- |
cant compared with the number Of pros
titutes that we have who carry on their |
business privately, in single and double |
file. I have also learned that there are |
in our community male strumpets who
move in good society and are classed
among the good people of the town. 1
don't claim to have any proof Of any of
these things, but I am Satisfied in my
mind that they do exist and if the DO
lice is directed to act as spies on this
class of crime, then let them be instruct
ed to do their whole duty, no matter
whom it strikes. 1 am satisfied that the
evidence can be obtained. I do not pro-
TESS to be a pure Christian gentleman
myself, but I know that We have some
ladies and gentlemen in our city who do
claim to be good Christians. Why don't
some of those good and pure people try
and reform some Of those o~utcasts of 60
ciety? They have no friends, no advo-
Gates; their sins have been found out.
and I don't believe that they would re-
ceive from the professional advocates of
social purity and morality in this city
az much refuge and comfort, as would
be given q stray dog, who is hunting for
food and shelter. II they live here,
they must necessarily live a life of
shame; We can of course drive them out
and into some other community but will
those heroes of morality by doing 90, |
succeed in driving them out of the bust
ness they are engaged in? Not until 90
ciety shall forgive them, as it forgives
greater criminals than those poor crea-
lures, such as murderers, highway rob-
bers, ETC., and not until Christianity |
shall treat them as Christ treated Mary
Magdelen when he said to her: "Go forth |
and sim no more"
want to be impartial and treat the
women who are social outcasts With the ]