New-York tribune., 1910-06-29
CLEANEST LARGE CITY,
WHITE SLAVE REPORT
No Organized Traffic Found Dur
inu Six Months Close Search
by Special Grand Jury.
CHARGES FAIL OF SUPPORT
Judge o'Sallivan Says Slanders
Are Refuted and Baseless
Attacks Repulsed-Some
Recommendations.


The presentrnent of the Rockefeller grand
Jury. giving the result of its investigation
of so-calIed white slave traffic in this
CITY for the last six months, was made pub
lie yesterday. Judge OSullivan. Of General
Sessions. in placing the document on file.
oomplimented the grand jury its work
and retracted the criticism made at the
previous session Of Assistant District At
torney James Bronson Reynolds.
Information has been conveyed to me
from which / am convinced that instead Of
criticism he is entitled 10 much credit for
HIS services 10 the grand jury" said Judge
O'Sullivan regarding Mr. Reynolds. whom
lie had accused previously OF sensational
ism.
The grand jury reported that il had been
unable 10 find any evidence Of organized
traffic in women for immoral purposes, but
stated:
Traffic Carried on by individuals.
at appears, on the other hand, from in
dictments found by US and from the testi-
mony Of witnesses that a trafficking in the
bodies Of women does exist and is carried
on by individuals. acting for their own in
dividual benefit, and that these persons are
known 20 each other and are more or less
informally associated
After the presentment was flied Judge
O'Suilivan received the grand jury in court
and dismissed it. Previously the grand jury
had held e two-hour session, in which As
sistant District Attorney T Channon Press
had examined several witnesses summoned
for the further inquiry directed by Judge
O'Sullivaa last Thursday
William C Jones. of publication carry
ing many advertisements of massage and
manicure establishments. was one of the
principal witnesses. Nothing new was de-
veloped by this inquiry, and the grand jury
SO reported when it came into court
in general the presentment covered the
ground outlined in The Tribune last Sun
day It was summed up by Judge o'Sul-
hvan in discharging the grand jury from
further service.
Slander on Cieanest Great City.
Now that your service TO the county is
about TO terminate said Judge OSulli-
van, permit 10 express my personal
appreciation OF your labors. To men Of
refinement, they could be nothing but ,In-
pleasant. To men Of important business
affairs, they called for much personal sac
rifice. But in return for it all you must
have the pleasing consciousness that they
were given for a city in every way worthy
main question submitted to YOU is a merit
I'd rebuke to the slanderers of the clean
est great city of the world
Referring to the published statements
concerning so-caIled white slave traffic in
New York City several months ago, the
elimination of prior publications Of SINH
lar import, purporting to set forth that in
this city such traffic existed. to the ex-
tent that II had become the centre of the
traffic. Judge O'Suliivan said 10 the
grand jury:
You have beer engaged in this investi-
Eation for a period of nearly six months.
1t is apparent from the record of your
work submitted 20 that YOU have ex-
hausted every possible source of informa-
lion concerning such ar alleged traffic. You
have even made a public appeal to the
citizens of the city for information which
might aid you.
SeandaIous Attack Refuted
The witnesses who. by training and oh
servation, were competent to give you in
formation on the subject-for instance, Pro
fessor Jenks, ex-Commissioner Bingham
and Mr.. Lindsay of the Ch.ldren's So
ciety. were unanimous in the belief that
no organized traffic in women existed il
this city.
You have had before you the author Of
the most scandalous attack upon the city
He admitted under oath that his article
was overstated and deceiving. He wa.
compelled under oath 10 admit that he hat
no evidence-not even hearsay-to suppor-
his statements. q.
Your report is that no organized traffi;
in women exists in this city The pains
taking discussion in your report concerning
vicious conditions which exist in this cit,
in common with ali large cities of tn
world is further evidence to the extent II
which you carried your Investigations TIL.
fact that, as shown in your report yo;
were able TO uncover only isolated instance
Of vice. as We all know existed demon
strates 10 my satisfaction that your conclu
sion is correct. and that New York City doe
not harbor an organized traffic in women:
bodies"
Prefacing its report. the grand jury quot
"a from Judge O'Sullivan's charge, an,
gave long list Of organizations and indi
viduals examined during its investigation
relative to the subject. After disposing o
the suggestion regarding organized trafi,
in women for immoral purposes, il states:
Clubs Profting from Vice.
We have also found tha- association.
and clubs. composed mainly or wholly o
those profiIing from vice, have existed, ans
that one such organization still exists
These associations and clubs are analogou.
10 commercial bodies in other fields whici
while not directly engaged in commerce, ar
composed Of individuals. all Of whom as IN
dlvidUals engaged
TIE incorporated syndicates' and inter
national bands referred 10 in published
statements we find to be such informal re
laticns as have just been spoken Of. while
the international headquarters 'clearins
houses and pretentious fclubhouses' men.