Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-10-23
SAW LIES SEAMY SIDE
Seven Christian Women In Chi
cago Went Summing.
THEY MADE AN OFFICIAL TOUR.
Representatives Of the woman's Christian
Temperance Union Visited Gambling
Houses aud Other Shady Places Under
Police Protection.

representative OF the WomAn's Christian
Temperance Union Waited Gambling
Houses aud Other Shady Places Under
Police Protection.
CHICAGO, Oct. 23.-Seven members OF the
Woman's Christian Temperance union
made the rounds of the gambling dens and
gilded palaces Of vice early Sunday morn
ing. They were under police protection,
and their object was to secure evidence and
information on which to base an appeal to
save erring sisters. Their Investigations
were confined to that portion of Darkest
Chicago" known as the "Levee" district.
The seven women are completely pros
trated by what they saw.
1t was the first Summing experience
of the majority of them. and the dreadful
realities of the sin smitten district struck
them with appalling force. AS they pro-
ceeded they sought TO do missionary work
among the fallen and besought charity of
the wealthy keepers.
The party was made up Of members of
the Indiana Woman's Christian Temper
ance union. They were Miss Mary Hay of
indianapolis, Mrs. f. l.. Calkins of South
Bend, vice president of the union; Mrs.
Ella Moore of Lakeville, Miss Emily Tomp-
kins Of Elkhart, Mrs. Addie Fields and
Miss Leonora Ayers of indianapolis Eand
Mrs l.. Mendenhall and Mrs. Gertrude
Fulton of Richmond They were escorted
by Detectives Trehorn and Niggemeyer of
the Central station and Charles l. Stevens
Of the Levee and r. s. Fulton of Rich
mond, Ind.
To Observe Moral Conditions.
The desire of the temperance women to
investigate ChicaSo's slums grew out of
the congress just closed.
During the session which was attended
by women Of note from every land, the
moral condition of the great cities formed
one of the chief subjects of discussion
Tales of crime and vice were told by the
leaders which Mortified those less accus-
TONED to the scenes of city life, especially
after night. Some of the scenes described
were Of n character that could hardly be
believed
The seven Indiana women. all of them
intensely interested in public charities and
in the rescue of the fallen, had never Wis
tied the slums Of a great city, with the sin
gle exception of Miss Hay, whose slum-
ming experience embraces New York and
London. They discussed an expedition
which would bring them in contact with
1.-THE other half Of the world" aud decided
that Il trip through the district inhabited
by these people would give them n more
correct idea Ct what they had heard and
read.
II what they had heard proved true, ON
forcibly to impress their sisters with the
necessity for more vigorous work among
classes whose rescue had scarcely been at
tempted by the sisters of the Salvation
Army.
Accordingly they invited Charles l..
Stevens of the LeVee office, Chicago, and
X. ). Fulton, husband of one of the wom-
en-, to act As escorts. On Saturday night a
call was made upon Lieutenant Haas of
the rsal station and nafpPfiyns Trahnrr,
and Niggemeyer were ordered to meet the
party ut the Harrison Street station at l
o'clock in the morning.
At the appointed hour the detectives led
the way down Harrison to Clark street
and then south through the Levee.
The first stop WIS at al Clark street.
Admittance here was denied
There are so many prominent men here
tonight" was the objection, that the par
lars are full. Call again early tomorrow
night, and I'll be glad TO see YOU
No. ALB was then visited.
Followed by IA Crowd
When they emerged, they found their
presence had become known, for a crowd of
curious persons had assembled to greet
them and dogged their steps as they went
from place TO place throughout the I.evee-
down even to the basement resorts near the
Chute under the Twelfth street viaduct
In each place visited the women secured
stories from the inmates with which to en-
tighten future audiences regarding the
ways in which women fall.
In one place a man who was under the
influence of liquor, catching one of the
party by the arm, said, Come and have
a dance with me-"
Detective Trehorn interposcd, These
are Christian women, and you should treat
them as SUCH
Il 't,care if they are, was the answer
They can dance just the same" Trouble
was avoided only by the flash of the Of
ficer's star.
Miss Hay said afterward: Il have been
through every part of New York, and
must say that Chicago does not equal the
vice of the eastern metropolis. 1t is bad
enough, however, and the visit has extend
ed my knowledge of the worlds ways. 1t
was an experience which the ladies who
We're with me will never forget. and from
which two of them will not recover for
many weeks. They We're shocked by
the scenes that their condition borders on
nervous proStration.
Il saw but one of the ladies today and
on inquiry learned that the others had not
slept at all that night. l have no doubt
but they are dreadfully worried over last
nights experience
1T is an entirely personal matter under
taken by the ladies for their own informa-
ton. Many OF them are active pubic work
ers, and they sought to learn The truth for
their own benefit alone The union had
rothing to do with the investigation"
viii she information gained lead to
crusade against the gambling dens and
houses of il! fane:"
Il think not. or course the ladies con-
cerued may bring the matter before tine
union. but don't believe ley Will. The
union cannot cover too wide a field OF &C
ton 1t is now taken up with the temper
ance work"