New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-08
CASTLE OF VICE
NEAR FIFTH AVE.
Resort PatrOnized by
Many Well Known Per
sons Battles Police.

In reply 10 newspaper criticisms OF
his vice crusade, District Attorney
Swami said last night that he has
enough evidence against a certain re-
sort within several hundred feet OF
Fifth Avenue to make him morally GER
tain that the place comes under the
category OF "gilded palaces He has
the place under investigation, and Is
confident that evidence against it can
be obtained by watchful waiting.
81 do not charge at this time that So
called white slavery is practised there
but am almost certain that if the per
sons who conduct it could be induced
to confess several prosecutions under
the Mann act would easily follow said
the District Attorney.
This place is between Fifth and
Madison avenues, and is what is known
as cali resort. II is superbly fur
nished. and relies completely on its ef-
fcient telephone and taNlcab service.
| am reliably informed that the place
dispenses wines without License, but
evidence Of this, "a well as legal evil
dence as TO its immors character Is eS-
ceedngly hard TO obtain.
"Mv information. so far IS that u
requires more than personal acqualnt-
ance with the proprietors 70 get inside.
I am certain that one must be intro
duced by another person who has been
known for al least one year to those
inside
prom patrons Of the place in fash
ionable- yes. ultra fashionable parts
Of the city calls come in over the tele-
phone to this place, and after being
received by certain persons. telephone
messages go out from the place to
APARTMENT hotels, respectable boarding
houses. and even to some Of the best
hotels in the city In many cases J am
certain that the proprietors of these
hotels and boarding houses do not know
the nature of the business IN when
their women guests are engaged.
after the telephone has done IT'S
work the taxicab plays an important
part. All this. am informed. Is car
ried on in such manner as not 10 ar
tract attention to or to fasten suspicion
on the place. OF all vice spots the
cali place is the hardest 10 rad. am
Informed that many OF these women
who receive telephone messages from
this place have been brought 10 Ne"
York by male agents from Washington,
Philadelphia. Chicago and boston. nat
is matter, however, which d prefer
TO leave to the Federal authorities.
Mr. swami also said he has five or
six comnlaints from young women
against their employers IN the dress,
and suit wholesale trade, charging
/ that these men compel them 10 enter
tain out-of-town buyers while they are
/ in New York. .
Zone such complainant, girl OF
nineteen. has been turned over 10 the
/ Committee Of Twelve. which Will inveS-
tipate her story thoroughly said Mr..
Swsnn. "She declares that she was
I hired in Chicago last June by the wee
president Of a dress firm 10 come 10
Now York and work at SIS a week as
a model and was told that If the posi-
zion was unsati sfactory her return fare
would he paid. She said she came to
this city on the same train with TINS
man. He Is forty.
"Sevcral times during the summer
she saws. she was given TO understand
that she would be expected 10 entertain
certain buyers by going out WIN theh
10 hotels and roadhouses. and ner EN-
ployers, she says, agreed 10 turhl'h her
with costly gowns. She says she re-
fused in each instance, and a week ago
last Saturday she was discharged 9he
was without money 10 take her back 70
Chicago. so the Committe Of Twelve
composed of we'll known women charity
( workers. agreed to investigate, her
story and raise money TO send ner
home r
Mr.. Swami says so many cases OF
i,bis sort have been placed before MN
that ne hasn't the facilities TO inyest-
cate them all. The grand jury viii re-
/ sumo its vice inquiry to-day. ana TWO
indictments are predicted.