The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-20
THEY HIRE GIRLS TO DANCE
NEW SCHEME OF ORGAN GRINDERS
TO DRAW PAYINo CRoWDS.

Children Are Coaxed from Homo and
Taught to DO Obscene Dances for the
Amusement of TenderlOln Crowds-Gcrry
Society Takes n Hand-One Girl Arrested.
The arrest on Wednesday OF a fourteen year.
old girl who had. 1t is alleged. been giving
obscene dances In the street to the accom- ani-
mont OF hand organ. IL tho beginning OF a
crusade by the Gerry Society against what they
say is ono OF the m ost perncious forms OF vice
coming under their notice in long time
Further Investigations since the arrest revealed
that regular business OF hiring young girls
for street performances Is being carried on by
lot Of organ grinders. whose profits have
been very much increased by the attraction
offered. The fact that such performances were
given In the street. with children for the audi
snce. led the Gerry Society to ask the police
for aid to suppress them. Within few days.
1t is believed. a general roundup OF the organ
grinders and dancers will be made.
According to the officers of the Gerry Society.
number OF organ grinders have been carry
ing on these performances for about two
months. The society was first led to nvesti-
gate by several letters from lawyers. calling
attention to the fact that the law was being
openly violated by these performances In
some OF the letters descriptions were given Of
the organ grinders and the children whom
hand was performance which Agent Pisnrro
OF the society saw on Broadway. About a week
ago Pisarro noticed the organ grinder in ques-
tion with two girls In front Of Weber & Fiedss
Music Hall. The girls were each about II
years old and were dressed in red dresses with
krts above their knees. They appeared at
first not to know the organ grinder. but whom
ever money was given to him. the girls would
begin dancing again. Several times muscle
dances and the couchee- couchec were given
AM one 81 the girls wound up finally by doing
Quarters and he was assignee 10 lead the cru
sa DE- against the 3, organ :@1 g grinders
determined, before making any arrests to try
and locate the gang of organ grinders and to
find ont their method OF doing business. They
were nearly all strangers. most OF them com
ing from places comparatively far away. so the
eral organ grinders with whom the agents
grinders hsdl since the evil started found it
strangers. who could hire dancing girls with
impupity. The girls were not taken away from
away only for the evenings by paying them 80
cents night; Girls playing about the streets
BY the organ grinders, and many OF them have
oontrived to get dresses to wear to make them
the more conspicuous The girls hired are
While many Of them undoubtedly have Per
mission from their parents. others, the Society
evening The organ grinders generally con-
nne their performances to the Tenderon dis
trict and presumably have reaped a good har-
vest. For the last two months. according to the
Information obtained by the Gerry agents they
have been accustomed to play in front OF
paying crowd The organ grinders receive the
money. and the girls aid in keeping up the
deception by posing as children OF the neigh
borhood who love.to dance TO music;
These organ grinders and the children have
been seen most often OF late about o'clock in
the evening. One OF them with two girls in
red dresses had regular route stopping on
Sixth avenue at Twenty-eighth and Twenty
ninth streets and going around into Broadway
Just before the performances in the theatres
begin. On Wednesday Agent Plsarro saw the
two girls, whom he had previously noticed
with this organ grinder. at Eighth avenue and
Fifteenth street.
They went into store and Pisarro followed
them. One OF the girls ran up to the roof and
escaped. The other. who said she was Ethel
MoDermitt Of 1853 West Nineteenth street. is
being held by the Society pending a further
Investigation; She said her companion was
Sadie O'Keefe and that she lived on West
sixteenth street Agentso OF the Society vera
looking for her yesterday,. The MoDermitt
girl admitted that she was hired By the organ
grinder. The latter has not been apprehended.