The Washington times., 1895-05-05
Marriage Almost Unknown in
Many of the city's Alleys.
REMARKABLE REVELATIONS
Startling Confederation by Male and
Female Missionaries of the State
ment That In One Alley Live Sew
enty Couples ina State of Lawless-
ness-Plans for Remedy.

II Christ Were TO come 10 WaSh1ng-
ton to-day and walk into any OF its alleys,
He could probably repeat to nine out of
He said to
the women of samaura: lyon have truly
said you have no husband. But you have
had five husbands, and the man you are
living with now is not your husband"
That was vivid and Startling story told
In few words in the police court, Friday
last. by an officer Of the law, that there
were more then seventy five people living
together out o wedlock In one small alley of
Washington. Itwould, perhaps, be impos
sible to tell the story more graphically or
to paint the picture in more sombre moral
tonesthan in the way otthe policeman.
Several pilgrimages with a mission have
been made by The Times into these alleys
in the interest of charity and health. That
there Were precincts that were badly tainted,
that the moral air was almost as bad as
the physical atmosphere, was pretty gem
orally known. but it is only in cases like the
present when the scum is broken on the
pool, or some one looks through the cloak
of negligence, or mantle of charity, that
hassolong covered these esouyenirs of Sodom,
reebing iinmoralities and crimes appear.
MISSIONARY WORK NEEDED.
There has been no rafting up of the
dry bones in these valleys of vice since
emancipation. when the colored folks were
advised to marry and be like white people.
The blast OF The Times was heard in these
devious places yesterday and there will un-
doubtedly some good come of 1t. What
The Times had TO say on the subject was
commented on very fayoraby.
There is a general opinion caught from
those who talked on the issue yesterday
that there is ample room for good mis-
sionary work IN the line of putting asunder
those whom Death has joined right here
in Washington.
The effort yesterday was directed to
d scoyering W neither there was eXag-
geration in the officers statement Quite
number OF people were seen and inter
viewed.
A prominent minister on G street north
west said that while it was the custom Of
some or the churches To hold open-air
meetings in these alleys, yet they knew
practically nothing OF the infamies of the
inside. 1t was the missions of the city, he
said, who were principally familiar with
the facts.
The w. c. T. o., he said, had done
splendid work in these places, and among
them he mentioned Mrs La Fetra He
was very glad to see The Times enter
into the question and hoped the exposures
woul dbe continued until bitter shame
would secure private decency.
Mrs. La Fetra. who has been working
among the lowIy for years. was not at all
surprised at the revelation. The pre-
valence of this class OF vice was known to
the workers in the alleys, but there ap-
pears to be no law to enforce, even IL an
attempt were made TO enforce it.
There could be only one sentiment on
the subject and that was that the condi-
tion as existing should not be permitted
| to continue.
But she said, sit is not only the col
ored people who are amenabe to the law
in this respect. There are Others in better
classes and conditions of society"
The Y. NJ. c. A, white and colored, it
was learned yesterday, have no organiza-
ions rcommittees working exclusively, or
| directly in their interest.
The Central Union Mission has Rev E.
B. Bailey. The president OF the board of
directors. said that The Times was en-
gagged in very laudable work in this
relation, and that the field was ample.
MORAL LEPRosY.
''I am not only shocked now at the ex
tent OF this moral leprosy in the alleys,
our workers first went into these sIums.
I have not the slightest doubt that the
policeman's numbers are approximately
correct
NOW, what do you think of this in
stance. We investigated each case and
know everything to be absolutely true.
In short alley there are twelve houses.
In all of them there are families and in
oIfsy one of them are the father and mother
of the offspring married.
This, perhaps, is an extreme case,
but in every alley the percentage is high
enough TO present an alarming state OF
morals. The church tries to reach these
people in its way and / have reasons TO
believe that the colored pastors are do
ing good missionary work"
The charity organizations, of course,
know a great deal about this kind OF liv-
ing. Mr.. Emery, of the associated char
tiles, said that his organization was
in the best position of any III the city, or
of any other source of information, TO be
conyersant with the subject.
1T is all true" he said. There is no
question that thousands are living together
utterly regardless Of the sanctity or even
obligations OF marriage. They like to
live in bonds that are as easy to unmake
as they are to make"
Mr.. Emery regards this prevalent loose
ness of morals as relic of slavery. Mar
riage was the vaulting over broomstick,
and meant, perhaps, nothing more stable.
WILL TAKE YEARS TO ERADICATE.
1t will require years, he said, to create
better, a higher moral tone in this
low class which has inherited great deal
that was bad in the old traditions, and has
not been yet truly civilized.
The vice of this character, according to
thinking aud able colored clergyman, is
much greater in washington than elsewhere
because of the freedom there from the
restrictions of the more elevating neigh
borhoods.
The Rev. Mr.. Dyson, at No. 226 D street
southwest, said that he had noticed the
agitation and was glad it had been COM
menced. 1t is inteTspread, be said, like a
disease. Il don't lthink,' he said, that
the traditions Of the colored race will
account for II. II remember how busy we
were kept after the war SO solemnizing
marriages which were mere forms before
the war. A note ofconsent from the slaves
master or a Here, Lacy, you can have Jake, ,
was all that was sufficient.
Il think the colored people as O general
rule have as high regard for marriages as
any other race, but there is no denying that
there is an awful lot of living together in
tbeunweddedstatefn Washington. haven't
One of the ladies connected with the
pastors church said that 1t was well under
stood among the church-going people that
these places were filled to overf1owing
with tho ungodly and the vicious,
I'VE know she said, "that they are
living in haFds like cattle, without feaI
of God or man. / sometimes wish that
that the Ten O'clock law was again In
force, and that the streets and parks were
emptied at reasonable time at night.
lone Of the fruitful causes of it all is
LIVING IN HERDS.
the constant appearance at night and at