Arizona republican., 1909-05-24
TRAP WHITE SLAVE PREY
 IN CH|CAG0's BIG STORES
PRoCURERS ALLOWED TO IN
 FEST WAITING ROOMS.
A New Phase of Vicious Trade Dis closed-One Girls Downfall
 as Example.

Chicago, May 19-(Special Cores
 pondence of The Republican)-S
 ling arraignment of the big depart
 ment stores of Chicago for the re-
 cruiting for white slavery in their
 waiting rooms is contained in a re-
 port of the juvenile court committee
 as result of careful investigation
 covering several weeks Conditions
 are found so bad that a free employ
 ment bureau for girls and women has
 been opened where they may escape
 their tempters when their empty
 purses make temptations strong.
 The report declares women are
 among the worst offenders against
 their sex and throws a new light
 upon the pitfalls spread for needy
 girls in big cities. The report trans
 mitted to the committee appointed by
 the Woman's World to conduct it's
 systematic campaign against the white
 slave traffic stated that investigation
 was confined to the nine largest de- partment stores, that during the in vestigation sixteen arrests were made fifteen men and one woman-and all sixteen convicted.
 The first thing which was noted during the visits" the report declares. was that the waiting rooms in the particularly those which were large and comfortable-were being used by a number of unemployed girls. In one of the waiting rooms at one particular time there were seen forty eight girls ranging in age from fourteen to twenty. A large number of these girls seemed to be contin- ually studying the want ad columns of the newspapers. Many girls were alone and spent the entire day with out food.
 Tn all of the big waiting rooms there was a constant stream of men, particularly before we were very well known, who seemed Go be always looking for some one. All sorts of schemes were used by them to get girls into conversation. A very com mon way of starting was to offer a girl newspaper. When you know that many girls come to these rooms | without even a penny with which to | buy paper, and sit and wait in the l hope that some one will be forgetful | enough to leave a paper which will | tell where to find work, one can cas- fly see how effective this simple | method of starting acquaintance is.
 It frequently happened that two men came together, or even three. As we learned after a time the men who were making a business. that is, he professionals, usually went in this way in order to better protect them elves. These men were usually of he flashily dressed type and not in requently affected the college boy tyle of dress. Often the pal of the smart boy was of the demure sort he kind that was just being initiated. However when these men were tried n court it was usually discovered hat the demure one had the longest ,olice record.
 By far the most difficult procurer 0 catch was the girl or woman pro- urer. only one woman of this type -ere we able to capture"
 To illustrate the work of the wO- nen procurers the case is cited of a oung girl of Is, very beautiful and yell developed, who was discovered y a Minnie Jackson, q patron of the tore who seemed to have plenty of l honey and flattered the girl by invi- ations to lunch. to the theater and inally to lunch with a young man. a swell" Then the report concludes: Three months after Margaret first ret the Oak Park swell, Inspector IcCann of Desplaines street station Dok her from a disrepUtable house { 5S Carpenter street. An effort was lade by Judge Wells, Inspector Me , ann and myself to get her away .om her new friends. We were un lccessful. After watching these stores for ; avs at a time, the following con- l usions have been reached:
 "1st. The waiting rooms of the I rge stores furnish an opportunity ( IT the prOcurers to ply their trade Id this opportunity is not being neg I cted. g "2nd. Girls are frequently taken om among the clerks, but as they ( e better protected. at least in the f aiority of the stores. by managers rough the cooperation of their floor [ alkers, this is probably less often l ,ne
 "3rd Any large public waiting I om, as for example, the railway 3 ation waiting room, is probably ,ed for the same purpose as the b ore waiting room by the girls out s
 employment, and these girls are bject to the same risk" a