The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-10
SETTLEMENTS WAR ON VICE.
ASKS BINGHAM TO DRIVE WOMEN
OFF THE STREETS.
one or The WOrke FRS Goes 10 Court and Sees
II or the II women Arrested Dis
charged for Lack OF Evidence -Msgis-
trate BIames The commissioners

When the proceedings in the Yorkville po-
lice court opened yesterday j. II. Hamilton
of the University Settlement. on Eldridge
street, stepped up on the bridge to watch
the way in which the Magistrate disposed
Of the cases of the women arrested on the
streets Saturday night. lie had sent a
letter TO Police COMMISSIONS Bingham
complaining Of the condition of things on
that part of the East Side in which the
settlement is interested.
The letter was turned over to Acting
Inspector Nally, and the inspectors men
and the detectives of the Fifth street and
East Twenty-second street stations ar
raigned yesterday in court twenty-seven
women. in patches of twos and threes.
Before going upon the bridge Mr.. Hamil-
ton said that New York was the only city
in this country where women were per-
mitted to go upon the streets TO ply their
trade.
The streets Of the East Side in certain
districts are worre than Paris in respect
to this evil, and it il about time something
was done to sbate il" he said. Conditions
are growing worse, and il seems that this
is owing a great deal to the fact thai the
Magistrates treat the matter too leniently.
This great lenity gives encouragement
10 this class Of persons. II has got so now
that a res pectable girl or woman cannot
appear after dark on certain streets with
out having her modesty shocked by close
contact with the soliciting women. Youths
and men are grabbed and coaxed a dozen
times 10 the block almost
Several Of the women were arraigned on
a charge of lettering and were discharged
by Magistrate Walsh. Mr.. Hamilton asked
the Magistrate II he could not deal more
severely with the prisoners.
who are you, SIR the Court wanted to
know.
The visitor introduced himself and ex-
planned the object of his visit.
Il am discharging these women because
there IL no evidence on which TO hold Them
said the Magistrate. The policemen do
their duty: the blame is not up 10 them
or up to their captain. Ii is up TO the Police
Commissioner Why doesn't he send out
men who are not known 10 these women to
get evidence? | would convict if there was
sufficient evidence. The Police Commits
siOner is the one that is responsible"
when n policeman arrests a woman after
he has seen her stop three or four strange
men on the streets and knows her character,
isn't that sufficient evidence for you?"
asked the man from the settlement.
NO: the policeman doesn't know what she
said TO them
Mr.. Hamilton said that the settlement
was ready to help the police in arrestIng
these women.
These girls would solicit your people
when they would not the policemen" re-
ma rked the Court.
Il don't mean that our young men will
assist the police by having the women
solicit them. We could not do that, but we
could haze watchers of this ~streetwalking."
The arraignments then wen on and girl
after girl was discharged. Ruth Ellis seemed
to be embarrassed by her situation. She
gave her age as 81 years, and told the Mag
istrate that she had been leading that kind
of life for only one week. She came from
Philadelphia n short time ago. Detective
Bogart of the East Twenty-second street
station arrested her when she invited him
to go TO a hotel. The M agistrate turned
the girl over to Miss Alice Smith, the pro-
bation officer. Aftera talk with her the
probation officer recommended that the
girl be sent back TO her Philadelphia home.
Il was arrested twice last night, and
! think you ought TO give me a show. I'm
arrested every little WHILE" said a young
woman who was down on the records az
Jennie First, when she was brought up
10 the railing. She was hailed out after
each arrest Saturday night.
The Magistrate committed her to the
workhouse.
Sadie Weinberg had also been arrested
twice and twice hailed out. The charge
against her was lettering. She was dis