New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-30
APPEAL TO MAYOR IN VAIN
Women Say Vice Complaint Drew
"Angry, Discourteous" Reply.
ONE PROTEST is IGNORED
Civic Organizations Will Wage
New War on Vice in Gramercy
Park Neighborhood.

Following the acquittal on Thursday IN
the Special Sessions Court or Charles
Green, who was charged with conducting
a disorderly house in Third avenue near
18th street, II became known yesterday
that Mayor Gaynor had been specifically
appealed TO some time ago 10 remedy
vicious conditions of the neighborhood, ana
had responded with an angry and discour-
teous letter" practically refusing to 40
anything.
Both civic organizations and individuals
have been protesting for months past that
the vicious resorts in that section or the
city bounded by 10th and 23d streets. and
east of Broadway have multiplied latey
to such an extent that conditions are worse
than they have ever been before. and the
various civic bodies Of the section, headed
by the Gramercy Neighborhood Assocla-
tiCn. pledged themselves yesterday. through
their representatives. 10 cooperate in
campaign OF determination against the
disordarly resorts.
Mrs. y. J. Merrylees. who formerly lived
in the Irving Place neighborhood, but VINO
was forced TO move to the Washington
Square district because Of the increasingly
vicious conditions surrounding her ola
home. said Yesterday that with the begin
nine Of the present wave Of vice In the
Gramercv neighborhood she had sent de-
tailed complaint TO Mayor Gaynor asking
that he take steps to have the evil con-
ditions checked.
Some fifteen months ago" said Mrs
Merrylees, Il wrote to Mayor Gaynor con
corning resort in New York, giving many
Of no nj
In reply ! received an angry and dis
courteous letter from Mr.. Gaynor, refusing
f. take any action in the matter unless l
would give him my personal experience OF
the resort. This was naturally impossible.
but I had suggested in my letter that such
evidence could be obtained at any time by
detective"
Mrs. Merrylees is not at present con-
rectcd with any Of the civic bodies OF the
Gramercy neghborhood, but when she
lived there she was active IN several OF
them. She is a member Of st. Georges
Church. the rector OF which, the Rev. Or.
Hugh Rirckhead. is a member Of the execu-
tive committee of the Gramercy Neighbor-
hood Association.
Patrick f. McGowan. former president of
the Board Of Aldermen, IS chairman OF mo
executive committee Of the Gramcrcy assoc
citation. and as such he called yesterday for
"A special meeting Of the committee next
week TO consider the Green case.
Il will present to the committee the min
utes Of the Green trial" said Mr.. MCGOWAN
Yesterday. "and ask for action. ] am sorry
10 see that one of the justices who sat in
that case complained that he did not like
H. he. ~. moi
and others who appeared TO be interested
in the prosecution
Mrs Henry Marion Han, chairman Of the
HIPS Bay branch Cf the Women's Mu-
nicipal League, and an active member q
ST. Georges Church, said that conditions
have been growing worse daily, until now
they are worse than they have ever been
before.
Protests have been useless. apparently"
said Mrs Hall, land people are moving out
of the ucighborhood for no other reason
than the spread Of this lawless, open wee.
Specific protests against particularly no.
torious places have been as little needed by
the city officials OF this administration as
general protests concerning conditions in
this whole section"
Mrs Hall told Of one protest sent 10 the
City Hall concerning the open Haunting OF
vice in a particular resort, which did not
even provoke a discourteous reply. 1t was
ignored, she said. and people Of the neigh
borhood who knew of the case declared
that the owner was 80 strong" in Tam
many Hall that it was useless TO protest.
Mrs. Walter Hinman, member of the
Child Welfare Committee OF the GramerCy
NeighborhoOd Association and chairman OF
the Tenement House Committee of the
Womens Municipal League. is another for
mer resident OF the Gramercy ncighbor-
hood who was forced to move to the Wash
inston Square section because Of the vicious
conditions surrounding her old home
II am glad that this Green case. or that
any case, should result I'm bringing some
publicity to the conditions i'm that district
said Mrs. Ilinman. for ! have never seen
them as bad as they are there now"