Year: 1874

Police Commissioner Gardner and Cap


tain Williams Before the Grand Jury


Yesteria y-Houses OF III Fame Ex-


posed-A Number OF indictments


Found-CaptainW williams Gives Up His


List.


After several days. consideration the Grand Jury
seriously took up the subject OF the Eighth ward
nuisance OF houses Of Ill fame yesterday morning
and subpenaed Police Commissioner Gardner,
Captain Williams, OF the Eighth precinct, as well
as q number OF citizens TO give evidence in the
matter. Among these were some OF those who
had previously given their testimony before the
Board OF Education, the examination occupying
the entire day. Several OF the citizens, among
them Mr.. Fox testified that the houses of i'll fame
in the Eighth and Fifteenth wards were


POSITIVE INJURY


to the decent owners of property, who found de.
probation in value the natural result. Regarding
the effect upon the children who attended the
public schools the Grand Jury made careful IN
qulry The main testimony given showed that
houses OF i'll fame, both In the Eighth and Fif-
teenth wards, were kept so openly and so much in
defiance OF public opinion that no one passing
through certain streets could fail to be struck by
their number and pecuiarities. One witness tes-
titled to the existence of certain houses where he
had heard obscene language used and where he





names and numbers OF these houses Another
witness testified to the existence OF houses OF Ill
school, ana also school No. 10 in Wooster street.
School No. IN Grand street and the cO0red school
IN south Fifth avenue. These houses, the Witness
testified, were


so NEAR THE SCHOOLS


that the children were obliged to pass them in
going in and out OF school, so that they were
brought into immediate contact with vice and de-
bauchery and early familiarized with the worst
forms OF both. Other witnesses testified that
their children these schools smoke what tneV
had seen in the Objectionable houses and showed
that they had noticed them.


commissioner Gardner President OF the Police
Board, was then examined by the foreman OF the
Grand Jury. He said, in substance, that the TACT
that the police had great trouble with them, it
was hard TO detect them IN any overt overt act act
pubic i, peace. peace In In the Eighth and Fifteenth
wards these houses were numerous. He could
not say exactly how many there were. The police
were instructed to prevent any disordery scenes;
they were held responsible Or not doing their duty
properly in this respect: The Board OF Education
was refused the list of these houses because its
action was not considered of any practical value in
the abatement OF this nuisance. Mr.. Gardner went
on to say that there WERE he believed lever houses
OF an improper character than there had been in
times past.


Captain Williams. OF the Eighth ward police, then
took the stand His attitude before the Grand Jury
was entirely different from that OF last week be-
lore the Board OF Education. There was


NONE OF HIS OLD DEFIANCE
perceptible and he felt evidently constrained to
answer the questions put him In quiet subdued
manner He was asked for a list of the houses OF
Iii fame in his precinct and gave one, which he
said was correct as to the NUMBERS the occupants,
the lessees and the owners OF the property. He
SAID there mad been some abatement Of the null
Sance OF late but that there were Still over eighty
OF these places In his precinct, besides number
where only part OF house was occupied for illicit
purposes and the remainder respectable. The
Grand Jury after due delberatiOn found q largo
number OF indictments against the owners, les
sees and occupants OF houses OF Ill fame in the
Eighth and Fifteenth wards. These true bills
viii De MED in cour! to-day and win be acted
on immedately-the houses TO be cleared out and
the persons indicted committed 10 trial.