Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-04
THE MERRY -GO-ROUND RAIDED.
Girls and Women Tainted and Went
Into Wild Mysteries.

A Successful Police Raid Upon Den o
Social yice--Some of the Most sensa
tional Scenes Ever Enacted in PhiIa
delphia.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29.-Unde
orders from Director of Public Safet,
BETTER and the executive commission q
Superintendent of Police Linden ant
Acting Reserve Lieutenant Keyser, tn,
police department made the largest raic
in its history
The place chosen for the descent wa,
Applegate's caroussel, at Franklin anc
Vine streets. The scenes there enacted
when the raid was made, and during il.
progress, were of highly sensational
character. Nearly $50 prisoners were
taken from the caroussel in patro
wagons to the Central station. There
before Committing Magistrate Pole, those
caught in the police drag net were given
hearings.
The evidence before the magistrate
was deemed sufficient to hold James r.
Apologize in heavy bail on different
charges, and others who, it Ia alleged
aided and abetted In the keeping Of a
disorderly house, the harborinp OF
minors, &c. The warrants were sworn
out by Special Officer Miller of the
twentieth district, who applied for them
to Magistrate Pole.
DECIDING ON A BIG RAID.
During the day final conference was
held between Director BETTER, Superin.
tendent Linden, Captain of Detectives
Peter Miller and Acting Reserve Lieu
tenant keyser, and ii was decided to
make the big raid at precisely 10 O'Clock
at night Applegate's was In full blast
the big organ in the building was giving
out popular music, and the animals were
lying around the ring. The place was
crowded with pleasure seekers, princi-
pally young girls Of tender ages and
boys verging on the twentles. There
was generous sprinkling of older folk
and painted faces were not rare among
the great number OF women present.
There were at least 500 people in the
building. An hour before the time set
the police began TO arrive in the vicinity
OF the scene. There was the whole
reserve force, except just what men
were needed on Chestnut street. The
preparations were made so quietly that
not the slightest excit, m mt prevailed,
until every approach AMI exit of the
| place was barred by the tall and burly
| forms of the policemen. When the
news did spread, inside and out there
was a panic. The music kept right on.
but above the din of the voices were the
sounds of the frightened women and
young girls, who, realizing their pre-
dicament, began to scream. There was
avid rush for the doors, but this was
of no avail.
A PANIC AMONG WOMEN.
The men and boys in the building
took the only sensible view Of the case
and were quiet, but the women and girls
became frantic. Many tainted and had
to be carried out Unconscious by the
police into the openair There were al
one time during the progress of the raid
no less than IL unconscious women
lying on the benches and chairs scat
tered around the building, and many
more as they came to the door, and
being told that they were under arrest,
dropped right before the blue coats.
The excitement grew with each
moment One young girl pleaded with
the superintendent to let her out, and
when he kindly told her she must wait
and go with the rest went into spasms
and had convulsion after CONFUSION. II
took four strong men to hold her at one
stage of her afiliction.
The scenes outside were scarcely loss
exciting than those in the caroussel. A
great crowd had gathered and choked
the passageway at Franklin and Vine
streets so that the cars could not move.
1t was one solid block of people pushing
and showing with all their strength 10
get near the caroussel. In five minutes
from the time the police entered the
doors and presented the warrants to the
men IN charge the first patrol wagon
arrived. There was struggle before il
reached the curb in front of the carous-
sci. A big load was waiting inside in
charge of the police.
SOME VERY YOUNG PRISONERS.
They were all young girls, the oldest
scarcely more than 49, Some of them
wore fiashy clothes and others were
poorly dressed. When they saw the |
wagon three of the girls tainted and had |
to be carried out to the wagons, and the |
rest, with one or two exceptions, pleaded |
piteously to be allowed to 90.
AS the first wagon moved away after
the covers had been drawn another tool,
It's place. The crowd outside cbeered |
and hooted as the patrol moved away
with its load OF weeping, half .fainting
girls. The second wagon was filed |
with young prisoners like the first. and
a third and fourth. Then the excite
ment took on new turn.
II became noised about the place that
all the prisoners were TO be locked I'M
over night, and the young girls went
half crazy. The officers had their hands
more than full in trying to succor faint
ing prisoners. There were many curious
scenes. One mother pleaded to be
allowed freedom. She held young
child Of 13years by the arm. She told
the superintendent it was her daughter
and that she had come to bring her
home.
Several young men cluug to the arms
81 the painted checked girls they were
in company with. When asked if they
had known the girls before their answers
were that the girls were their wives.
This reply invariably caused Captain
Linden to say, Lock them both up"
Ona old, white-haired man was asked
u young woman in his company was
his daughter. mo" he answered, tive
are out for n time" He was led out to
The patrol wagon with her and the crowd
yelled harder than ever.
There were about 80 boys from the
school ship Saratoga in the caroussel,
md they seemed to think it was a good
oke. Lieutenant Keyser asked them
t they were all there, and the lads
,horused, "Aye, aye, sir"
Many of the women, in their fright,
ried to hide under the benches, and
eyeral were rash enough to attempt to