New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
Declares That He Bought
Whisky Openly at Many
"Restaurants'' in the
"Heart of New York;
Pastor Ready to
Give Jury Facts
Cabarets Are Frequented
by Underworld Women,
He Asserts in Sermon:
Gives List of Places

In sermon in which he described
New York as a "feverish, unbroth-
ely, overwrought, Sabbath -desecrat-
ing, God-defying, woman-despising,
lawbreaking, gluttonous monster
Without ideals or restraint the
Rev john Roach Straton last night
odd the congregation of Calvary
BAPTIST Church of shocking condi-
tons which he said he found in max
ing tour of restaurants and dance
halls in various parts Of the city.
Dr.. Straton said his statements
were supported by aAidavits cover
ing in detail the facts his tour re-
-vealed to him, and that he stood
ready to go before the grand jury
and help in any way he could to
remedy the evils he discovered.
Easy to &c. Whisky
"The vice conditions in this city
at the present time are probably
worse than they ever have been,"
said DR.. Straton. To back up this
assertion he gave the names and
addresses of we'll known restaurants,
mostly in the White Light district,
where he said he was able to pur-
chase liquor without difficulty and
where disorderly women were plying
their trade openly.
The spectacular sight of CONNER
cialized vice has been in part elm
mated" he said, "but the increase in
candestine prostitution is appalling.
The youth of the entire city is now
constantly menaced because these
places Of resort often are labeled res
'aurants' and 'cabarets,' but are really
traps to ensnare the unwary. They
are doorways to the underworld.
There Is a refinement of environ
mens, OF methods. the higher up the
scale one goes, and yet it is true that
reaching up to even the great hotels
public women are plying their trade.
respectable women now dance on the
fame floors with professional prosti-
t.tes.
New York, if she is ever redeemed,
viii have 10 learn.the lesson that the
mere gliding Of vice does not change
Us pefnlcious character"
ADVISED IN advance that Dr.. Straton
"ouio make public the names of
e"oafets and restaurants where he says
- purchased whisky highballs for 81
a"o 20 each, Federal prohibition en-
.'ecement officers were in the church
'ass night and The Tribune was in
formed will begin to-day a crusade
against these places.
Not Surprising, Says Smith
informed last night of the revela-
i'oas made ia Dr. Stratons sermon,
"shstant District Attorney James 4.
''h''n, whose vice investigat ton before
ne grand jury has resulted in the in
u's'ment Of Two detectives OF the Po-
ice Department and Deputy Police
n'mn Missioner, told Tribune reporter
'a' .he minister's assertions did not
e4spnse him in the least.
g.. Al the places mentioned by Dr.
S'rat"n, in which he rays various
is PINS Of vice are fourishing, are in
n'minicA Henry 4th inspection Dis
~N'' said Dir. Smith. 81 have been
saxlng for the last two months that
,rAuNions in Inspector Henrys dis
MN' are rotten and what Dr.. Straton
mere merely corroborates me.
me -. Nicholas Dance Haii, one of
~ piAceg complained of by Dr.
~nat'n, is within three blocks Of In
,pse,'r Henry's headquarters. ~ il
ia NOT been for the efforts Of Third
DDepusf Police Commissioner Augustus
rum Porter indicted by ,ne for neg
~ c' nuty and subsequently removed
Pm tne Police Department by Com
%',s&sonsf EnfIght. this resort would
,.'s ha"e been able to get "A license 10
ysta". Inc ilcensc mar granted over
.t protest and Colonel Porter vas re-
spe,sioIe for this action
~ Stfaton'g sermon iE interesting
~ ~ coes not tell me anything tha1
pA'e nor known for several months. >"
~ Mentioning the dance hall in his
Namon as,n Or. Straton said:
nnen ne visited this place II was
,sImated by experienced people in my
trA~< |"~' dDoUI 1,VV1 peTscnS, Tor tn~
par young men and young women
,,~f of them yery young. indeed
is mere. ] do not believe H. IN an
y.@xxefation 10 say that there wcre
l,'fs J,ong men and women contested
re ZEN places of sinful amuyencnt
s'.@n ne visited On one Saturday night
g"h attended all of the lrotNsfant
,t,.sfsHss on Manhattan lsland com
..sh ,.. 'on The following Nunday rnoyn
Calls Dances Indecent
hhsy we're gurxin9 up and down the
~ large dance floors in ths closest
~'.< 1am1aps1 - ~ 1v~