The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-09-12
SoUBRETTE R0W,NOW
Petitioners, Police Officials and
Justice Voorhis in Conference.
Systematic Effort to Be Made to
Purify the Block.
Capt. Price Wrathy Over Imputa-
lions Upon His Neglect.

The police and judiciary finally began
to-day the long-deferred Investigate ton of
that mud1-com lained-of stretch of
Thirty-ninth street, between Seventh and
Eighth avenues, known as "Soubrette
Row"
Justice Voorhis retired from the bench
at jefferson Market Court when he had
finished this mornings docket, and
presently sent from his office mys-
terious notification to the newspaper re-
porters that he wanted them present in
his private chambers.
When the reporters entered, they found
the Justice at his desk with Inspector
McAvoy and Capt. Price standing solemn
ly on either side, while the room was
comfortably filled with a group of very
respectable-looking men and women.
The Justice arose and read the follow
ing petition:
To Thomas Byrnes Superintendent OF Police, New
York City:
The undersigned property -owners and persons
interested in the block Thirty-nnth street, be-
tween Seventh and Eighth avenues, respectfully
call your attention to the fact that number OF
houses and fats located the block occupied
by immoral people. and that some OF the reputed
lone OF whom has been indicted continue
to allow their premises to be occupied for immoral
purposes.
Ladies living on the block scarcely dare to
open their front doors after nightlall. and can
not sit on tier stoops or in their front yards
compelled to see repugnant sights
In one house the front shades are never raised
for fear the children will see sights In the streets
which will bear blighting marks in after yeats.
the street without coming into contact with younS
hoodlums and drunken women and with other
/ forms OF vice. drawn there by the attractions Of
Young conrregate in the street at night,
and drawn into these dens of vice. and are
seen leaving in the early hours OF the morning
Property-owners on account OF the above condi-
Ens are unable to rent to desirable ~, tenants
does not afford any relief. although we are salts
ned that he knows fully the character Of every
the chief executive orhcer OF the Police Depart
ment, and we beg you VIII correct the existing
within their power 4 the Police Department fails
longer to perform their plain duty.
New York Aug. 81. 1884
There were about twenty signatures
to the petition, and Of these the follow,
ESw Ttfe Bscf No. Fl 4sn and 40
Carl S. Loewensten, No. 2lS; William
A. Reid No. 272: NJ. Robinson, No. pa
Miss kemble. No. 224, and G. c. ster'
inspector McAvoy brought me this
petition last week, and l made up my
mind" said the Justice. addressing his
have now taken. l believe that If this
street, which Is so frequently under com.
plant, needs purging, 1t can best bt
accomplished by a concert of action be;
tween the police, those residents and
prorerty-owners who complain and my
II have thought that the best way tc
approach the matter was TO call thi.
conference Of you ladies and gentlemen
territory this morning. Now, l would
like to know who may be properly re
garded as the, leader or the first mar
Several men and women announced II
concert that their leader was ID. J. Os
good, who owns the lighthouses, go ano
In one of them. Mr.. Osgood was no
present, but message was receive.
from his wife saying that he was Il
Friday. but that upon that day he would
be glad to attend the meeting.
The Justice then said that the author
manner against the nuisanceg of tn
block without knowing specifically \
which houses the irregularities occurred
he called upon those present to give n, hin
the numbers of offending houses. Thi
proved TO be a little more than they wer
able or willing to do. , .,
dressed women and fast-l9oking me
moving up and down the block and 4
and out of houses had seen zen w Hn,GI ca a
sound of drunken fights and, orgies an
\ali that disagreeabe sort of thing bu
when It came to giving house numbers
they hestated and all confessed 70
points.
Capt. Price stepped forward with
paper in his hand, and said, with sign
sarcasm:
Il may be able to help these ladie
ana ana gentlemen to locate their con
erS and occupants Of all the houses o
the street. But l want to demand RICH
mere that help from you which you nav
Inspector McAvoy raised his hand an
'old the Captain TO stop. +.
ssioJ Iemand the right T OF an T %SeT neop
land he pointed out several OF theml wi
not help the police to clean that blocl
s My policemen have been abused and II
The Captain was running on hotl
when Justice Noorhls peremptorily con
minded him to leave off,. and enforce
ms order by talking louder and fast'
IMAM the Captain.
I'VE will go into details later" sa
you all will postpone this conferen!
SSmIl Friday, so that we can nave NJ
oSgood present"
Several of those present said that the
uiu nor complain of Capt. Price; that !
nad usually attended to all direct con
paints promptly, and that the street ha
s shisppI3Vea IN the past year. put they y
Slsttu mat there was ample room II
further reform
III came out in the discussion, Wi
which the conference adjourned. tht
: not only the tenants of houses in Thu
DOCK OF Thirty-ninth street are alwa!
tdpidly changing, but that the prope
ues themselves pass frequently fro
ohe owner to another.
Charles Moffatt, the well-known fu
hlshed-nat man. has within two montl
LSusht the lighthouses at Nos. go al
-, whose undesirable tenants were T
sthsy cleared out, The Ashton Hous
a. NOS. 226 and 22S, has also altered u
suiaracter OF its guests, according TO Il
Snp ests OF those present at the confe