Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-12
VICE RAID STRIKES
PANIC INTO DINERS
Man and Woman Sightseers in
Chicago TenderIoin Cafe
Quizzed by Officials.
PERFORMERS AT CABARET
!, SHOWS MADE TO TESTIFY
Admit Songs and Dances might
Be" Suggestive Suicide Of
= white Slave" Told.

CHICAGO. April 12-Agents of the Illi-
nois vice commission late last night and
early today brought CONSERVATION to the
fashionable guests of two downtown res
taurants-Rector's and the States-against
whose regulations there rested no ques-
ton except the nature of their cabaret
entertainments.
From these cafes only the managers
and members of the cabaret shows were
subpoenaed. They were questioned by
the commission as to Objectionable songs
which are alleged features of cabarets.
From the tenderloin man and woman
sightseers out stunning were gathered
and brought before the commission. One
woman. in hysterieal fear of disgrace,
tried TO jump from window when the
invaders with their subpoenas reached
a restaurant in the vice district Another
fell on her knees and wept. A man
damned a roll of bills into the hands of
an oficer. Take this, for Gods saze!'
he cried, land let my party go. You
don't know what this means
Removed in Automobiles.
The officers kept the rushing mob.
some weeping, some laughing hys-
terically, from the floors, and finally
restored order. Then they were bundled
into automobiles and taken down town
From some Of them the senators drew
reluctant admissions that few of the
songs and dances might be" suggestive.
and perhaps had a bad effect upon
the diners. A girl singer, crying as she
testified, asserted she never would sing
I'm My Harem." a song Lieut.. GOV.
OHara was particularly 1nqulsltlve
about.
The manager of well known restau-
rant said the restaurant business had
degenerated into a vaudeville SHOW, and
he didn't know when 1T would stop
After investigators and members OF q
.slumming'' party said they had heard
an improper song in a place on list
street the commission voted to recon-
men dto Mayor Harrison that the care
license be revoked and will call the at
tention of the states attorney to the tes-
timony of the manager, who said nothing
indecent went on.
Saw Young Girls intoxicated.
Senator Beall said he saw girls not
more than fifteen or sixteen years OLD
imbibing mixed drinks in the cafe and
some of them were more or less intoxi-
Gated.
Mrs. Maude Joseph described the sing
ing and dances at a downtown restaurant
She said in one dance the performer
might just as we'll have had no skirts al
all" She stated that girl did an
oriental dance. wearing pink tights ana
sort of a skirt of black clinton She
thought the dance was suggestive Juus-
ing from the remarks made by male din-
ers at nearby tables She said couple
combination between
the tango" and the apache.
WAS 1t art or suggestion? asked the
lieutenant governor.
There was no art IN IT.
Lead Free-for-An Dance.
She said such a dance might not nave
any effect upon young women. but she
wouldn't want to risk 1t. The perform
ers then led a free-for-all dance on
space made by clearing away tables.
There was one girl about nineteen who
danced peculiar kind of a dance for a
public exhibition she said. Her part
ner held her at arms length and at IN
tervals would suddenly embrace her. No,
there was not any art in it.
The professionals who led this free
for all dance said they had tried to elimi-
nate anything which might appear OBJ
iectionable in their act, but admitted they
might not have been entirely successful.
art others might see vice." asked Mr..
O'Hara-
Il guess it appeals differently. but 1
don't see anything obscene about it
Songs "Have Gone Too Far"
o. B. Simpson, manager of another
downtown restaurant. asserted the bust
ness had drfted into a show. but he was
compelled to put up a first class cabaret
to get the trade. He was of opinion
that some popular songs have gone too
far and said he didn't allow I'm Ny
Harem' to be sung in his restaurant. He
said guests did the bear dance in the
aisles between the tables, but that they
never got raw.
An entertainer in this restaurant said
there was nothing out of the way in the
song "Al Night Long"
Its all in the way you sing it," she
stated. Some people are so weak mind
ed they will take up anything
At 2 o'clock this morning the hear
ing adjourned until 10 O'Clock.
Mayor to Revoke Licenses.
When the vice commissioners reassem
bled today the effect of their nights labor
was visible in heavy eyes and an inclina
ton to rest their heads on their hands
but they cheered up when they received
a Telephone IhcSSdSc 1iOlu -0dyoi
son saying: This looks like a good day
TO revoke some licenses
The mayor referred to unsavory res
taurants which survived when the ole
segregated district on the south side wa.
closed several months ago. He said ht
had made up his mind to close two place:
as a result of testimony at the night SEES
sion of the commission. and would inves
tigate others.
Frank Benent, manager of Dream
land where the dancers number from
800 to 1000 a night, testified that NJ
liquor was sold there and that dummy
dancers hired by the management mingled
with the crowds to prevent suggestive
dancing.
Testified Against Dreamland.
I'VE could not make money If we sole
liquor or permitted lewd actions" sale
the witness. IF the dance halls of Chi
cago want to ma money they shoult
work in harmony with this commission.
Girls at previous sessions have testified
that 1t was at 'Dreamland" they mad
acquaintance who led them on their frs
steps downward Benent admitted tina
his spies had detected some women ped
ding their cards to man dancers, but sal,
they were Immediately barred from tn
hail.
A pitiful story by Tollen Of tn,
suicide of a sweetheart under stress o