New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
w hite Light
District a Hive
OF Vice--Straton
Continued from page one

- We saw the 'hoochi-koochi' and
,he .shimmy-shske' and the cheek to-
cheek dances upon these floors. On
sr,rv side were tables surrounded by
usn and women. Many of them were
IN indecent postures and were indulg-
: ,nr in indecent familiarities with each
other.
"Approaches by women were made to
~, in this place and we we're given to
understand that there were many in
structresses who would, for 25 cents,
dance three times with a man, and we
we're told by waiter that these in
structresses were girls who would
make engagements to meet the men
dancing with them in their apartments
il this was desired.
Il am told by those who have investi-
gated the records of these so-called in
srue.resses in the dance halls that
they are in many cases professional
Tor teaching III these places is to date
Nm men for immoral purposes"
DR.. Straton told of visiting Peters
Restaurant, in West Ninety-seventh
Street near Amsterdam Avenue.
This place is near some Of the best
residential sections in the city," he de-
clard. The only outside announce
ment of il is long electric sign con-
tanning nothing but the name, Peters
Restaurant Perfectly innocent young
men or women, visitors to our city, or
even your own sons and daughters,
night 60 into this place when hungry.
but if they did they would be mixed
up with lawbreakers and professional
prostitutes.
AT this restaurant two young women
came to our table and seated them
selves with us. bringing along with
them their bills for us to pay for drinks
taken before we entered the place.
rot only acted al the table as public
women would be expected to act but
give US their addresses with view 20
having US call upon them for immoral
purposes. Those in our party purchased
whisky st this place. and this was de-
lvered TO the table in glasses.
Air Heavy with Smoke
The air was heavy with cigarette
smoke and the fumes Of whisky. which
was being drunk on every side. The
conditions on the dance floor were
utterly disgusting.
young women who were tipsy and men
wno were dead drunk and hilarious.
In the wash rooms there were men so
drunk that they were lying in the cor
ner and were practically carried out
b. their companions. In front Of the
restaurant some of the young men and
women were noisy and boisterous, but
no policeman came to the stop the dis
order.
We next went to a resort in West
Forty-eighth Street, in the heart of
the Broadway section. Here we saw
indecent dancing and women who were
badly underdressed Our waiter assured
u nat the only reason we could not
~ liquor was that there had been
raii little while before and that the
vard had been passed through the
,nderloiI 70 cut ont the drinks
despite this, the waiter took the
coat check from one of our party with
TIE understanding that he was to try
70 get bottle of liquor for us. This
was to be placed in the coat Of the
enc holding the check. However, we
did not remain for this to be carried
out"
Dr.. Straton told of visiting Healy's,
Sixty-sixth Street and Columbus Ave
nue., where he said conditions were the
worst the party had encountered. The
minister and his friends were given
what he described a a "ringside" table
on the dance floor.
Several Of the young women as they
passed our table" he said, would stop
and in some cases make vulgar remarks
and give US a special exhibition of vul-
table by young women, and two of them
told +hoy- do cf,.,,C
.fesses at the Roseland Dance Hall, in
Broadway.
They said that when this place
Closed al / o'clock they brought along
with them the pupil that happened to
De the most afluent financially. They
SAID they did this each night, remain
ing at Healy's until they were ready
to 60 home. They said they were
generally accompanied by the pupil
they had selected
Served With Highballs
One OF the young women who came
TO our table at Healys said that she
vas regular getter' and that be-
cause she mad 'her man with her she
Deferred to get other girls for US.
IS girl told US that she was a book
eper employed in the Office Of q
Efse hrm IN Fifth Avenue, and gave
Us the telephone number, which we
lcr verified.
At Healy's we bought liquor-both
scotch higabails and straight whisky
sad this was served at the tables by
ne regular walters and in the pres
Gee O. everybody. We we're o. KID
% me waiter when we entered by
leans OF his double wink. The young
heH Of our party knew the ropes