New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-05-04
PLEADS GUILTY TO
SALE OF GIRLS
levinson, Who Sold Two, Prom
iSes to Help Investigation
by Telling Truth.
CLEW TO YOUNG VICTIM
District Attorney Worried About
Fate of Eleven Year Old Child
Alleged to Have Been with
Negro Woman.

Harry Levinson, one of the three per
sons indicted by the Rockefeller grand
iury. pleaded guilty yesterday to the
charges in two of the indictments found
AGAINST HIM He acknowledged having
placed Ida Greenberg and Gussie Ehrlich,
both under eighteen years of age. in the
custody Of George A. Miller. one Of Dis
rr1ct Attorney whitman's white slave"
Investigators. for transportation to a dis
orderly house in Seattle.
Levinson pleaded not guilty to the in
dictment charging him with receiving
$40 for the two girls He said that he
vas ready 10 tell all that he knew about
The traffic in girls for immoral purposes.
The District Attorneys office was
rrsti6ed by the plea. and Mr.. Whitman
homes that Levinson will supply further
clezrs to be followed up by his agents.
An attempt will be made next Thurs
dav bv Karlin & Busch. the attorneys
for Belle Moore and "Aleck' Anderson.
the others under indictment, TO force the
District Attorney to reveal the names
of his witnesses. including the two col
lece women who have worked in the
District Attorney Reynolds.
While pleased by the developments in
the Levinson case. District Attorney
Whitman did not attempt TO conceal the
fact that he was worried about the fate
of the eleven-year-old girl who, accord
ing TO Miller, was in the possession of
Belle Moore In the course of the day
he sent for Inspector Russell, head of
the detective bureau. and urged that
every effort be made TO find her
Search for Missing Girl.
Inspector Russell assigned several men
60 look for the girl. The girl, Belle Moore
told Miller is known as Helen Hastings
She is white not more than eleven years
old. about { feet 6 inches in height, with
short. curly brown hair, dark blue eyes
and good tYth.
At the time Of Miller's first visit to Belle
Moore's fat, in West 41st street, three
weeks ago, he saw the girl. She was
sent for, and arrived al the house in
about ten minutes. She wore a short,
blue skirt. a faded checkered waist,
black stockings, black laced shoes and
light blue veil She constantly chewed
gum.
Mr. Whitman and Mr.. Reynolds both
resent any criticism Of Miller for not at
once taking the child from Belle Moore,
who said yesterday that she never
showed any such child to Miller.
Mr. Whitman and Mr.. Reynolds be-
lieve in Miller. They say he has been
working night and day TO find the
missing girl. He said yesterday that
when he called the second time, under
MIR Reynolds instructions, TO get her
at any price, he was told that she had
been hurt and was being cared for else
where.
THE child was not the only one under
the age of sixteen that our agents found
in disorderIy house in this city said
Mr.. Reynolds IF he had seized her we
would not have been able TO prove any
thing against Belle Moore and others.
Sought Child at Amy Cost.
The agent informed me within
tpenty-four hours. and was instructed
10 get the child at any cost. He had no
reason TO believe she would not be there
when he returned, and he is still search
ing for her.
IF he had stopped TO rescue every
white girl of tender years that he found
in -black-and-tan' joints We would not
have got anywhere with the efforts to
get at the root of the traffic in these
girls We fully appreciate the serious
ness of the position in which this child
is and are doing everything in our
power TO locate her" To this Mr.
Whitman added that there was abso-
Intel, no information in his possession
10 indicate that the girl had been muir
Gered
Detectives searched the houses near
Nc 34S West 41st street, where Belle
Moore lived for five years, and said that
they had learned that girl answering
the description of Helen Hastings had
been seen in No. $50 up to four days
sgo. They were still at work early this
morning.
In accepting Levinson's plea Judge
O'Sullivan warned him that he had been
assured Of no immunity from punish
ment IF the court is satisfied of the
truth of your statements. and you do
all in your power to assist the people in
this matter he added, much good may
accrue TO you"
Leyinson was then remanded TO the
Tomls to allow of further examination.
He has already said that he pretended
to be a pedler of raincoats among dis
orderly houses, and. using that business
as a cloak, negotiated for the exchange
If women between houses. The maxi
mum penalty for his offence is three
wears in state prison or fine of $4,000,
or both.