Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-09
MANHATTAN HOTEL
EXPOSED AS DEN
OF FLAGRANT VICE
POLICE COMMISSIONER AGENT
FOR NOTORIOUS RESORT
Appontee of Mayor Arthur c. Harper
Collects Rents for Owner
OF "Wide Open"
Place
From yesterdays Los Angeles Express).

Trom yesterdays Los Angeles Express).
If the agent of Ballerino of crib fame
IN the earlier stages of vice in Los
Angeles, and the collector of his rents
had been appointed to the honorable
Office OF police commissioner in the
City of the Angels by Arthur c. Harper,
mayor, would 1t have made any differ
ence in the conduct of the infamous
business in which he was engaged?
If it had been an agent of Bal
lerino, who once conducted a haunt of
shame of a degree which ranked with
the immoralities Of the Latin quarter
of Paris, the Whitechapel district of
London, the degraded Port Said, Clark
street of Chicago, the Bowery of New
York, and the infamous Barbary coast
of San Francisco, who held the office
of police commissioner, a position given
him by Mayor Harper, what would
have been the effect upon Ballerinos
property and the uses to which it was
put?
What is the effect of H. w. Lewis as
police commissioned office to which
he was appointed by Arthur G. Harper,
mayor Of Los AngeleS-collecting rents
from j. E. Dunno, otherwise known as
'Chowder House Jim for his lease of
the Manhattan "hotel' at lis East
Third street?
God only knows-and the phrase is
used with no thought Of sacrilege.
Thomas Higgins owns the building
and H. w. Lewis, police commissioner,
appointed by Mayor Harper, collects
the rents from it from Dunno and
whether that this is the house that
Jack built combination of business in
terests has anything to do with it or
not, the result is a weird house of de-
pravity.
Such a business,
It makes no difference what you do
in the Manhattan fthnfnP' if have
the money to pay for it.
Not even the most confirmed sybar-
lite could offer any objections to its
luxurious degradedness.
1t is called by men who have trav-
eled all over the world and who have
delved more or less deeply into the
intricacies of the haunts Of vice, the
closest place in California
1t admits no suspicious characters
it caters not to those who are likely
to "peach''-it wants no "squealers'
among it's patrons-it appeals only to
the consistently, depraved.
If one is curious and wants to visit
the Manhattan "hotel' it is better to
go there with a lady as the estab-
lishment primarily was erected for
that purpose and the architect certain
ly knew his business.
Anything from beer to champagne
tied only by the ability to buy and tip.
Drink after drink is bought, the
change always being given to the
wise" Japanese boy and finally the
liquor causes hunger. A private din
ing room is requested and the adjoin-
ing room obligingly is thrown open,
disclosing table wherein another red
light is burning, and where every
thing is ready for the feast.
When the pleasures" of the feast
and the drinks are beginning to pail,
and the common women who are will
ing to visit such q place are trying to
reconcile their near-stupor with the
desire for money that they never,
drunk or sober, seem to forget, perhaps
they will suggest a change to an even
more private apartment.
A few doors are passed in the search
for more private apartments, and at
last a vacant suite is found. 1t is fur
nished pleasingly with beds and chairs
and has bathrooms attached, and is all
that one would expect if Ballerino, in
stead of H. w. Lewis, police commits
sioner, appointed by Mayor Arthur G.
Harper. We're collecting the rents from
"Chowder House Jim Dunno for
Thomas Higgins, owner.
And with the male patrons of the
Manhattan "hotel'' for which H. w.
Lewis, police commissioner, collects the
rents are women of the kind who paint
their faces and parade Spring street
night after night, waiting for some
man to accost them.
There is nothing which cannot be
had in the Manhattan hotel" except
decency, and nobody goes there for
that.
After visit there, always provided
one is philosophical and inclined to the
analytic, 70 matter how his brain may
be whirling the thought again and
again obtrudes itself upon his merri-
ment-
What kind of place would the Man
haitian "hotel' be-or would it be at all
or would it be the least bit different
IF Ballerino, of crib infamy were
collecting the rents from "Chowder
House Jim Dunno for Thomas Hig-
gins, owner, instead of H. w. Lewis,
police commissioner, who was appointed
to that position by Arthur c. Harper,
mayor?
II you want to go east. {. Eaydock Agen,
III nois Central lls W Si1An street.