Year: 1872

ers and merchants VINO are suspicious Of
their partners or clerks very frequently en-
ploy detectives to md out the truth OF
places detective win 20 TO for the purpose Of be-
ginning his work will be the concert saloon. he
VIII take the woman into sort OF half confidence
and she will become his willing tool In no time.
The presence OF such number OF these dens as mas
lately sprung up on the prominent thorougnfares OF
among all classes Of citizens. They are carried on
with the most open effrontery and are not only
disgrace to the CITY, but an insult to the community
The police some time ago made an effort to stop
Them but the propretors again fung open the doors
and the business assumed its old aspect. The au-
thorites since the raid seem TO have settled down
to the belief that nothing could be done for public
morality with these places and SO the thing has
gone on, getting from bad to worse until at last
II has grown to be


A PUBLIC NUISANCE


Certain rumors are ahoat to the effect that the
and some people go far as to affirm that block
OF these houses sends some one an envelope con-
understanding Of being let alone One thing
Is quite certain: they have been let most
severely alone for long time past, but what the
inducement was to procure such peace, OF course.
no one can now find out. During the session OF the
last Legislature, and just previous to the expira-
ton OF the time prescribed for the introduction Of
matter for the action Of the House, Represent
alive Mckay, OF New York. submitted bill looking
70 the S ene o. e taor tss qe1
lar course was referred to the Committee on Cities
and Villages, OF which Mr. Rush G. Hawkins was





PRODUCTION OF the bill young man sustaining
it. and who was asserted to hold the most
intimate and confidential relations with the
committee, presented himself to one. of the
propretors Of the Canterbury Hall and offered
ior o, the sum OF sl5o to put stop to any eg1s
among the concert hall proprietors $76 were paid
this young man and the balance was promised at
the end OF the session. meeting of ali the concert
hall propretors In the city was then held In the
Canterbury Hall, and II was proposed to take up
ftscu
this plan was abandoned and q committee Of three
was appointed to go to the capital to see what
THE MEETING HAD COMPLETED ITS ARRANGEMENTS
and the concert hall men were about to disperse,
self and declared he had been mistaken In the
amount necessary to effect legislation In favor OF
the saloon keepers, and that s, GOO would be re.
man was listened to by the committee and dis
missed, with the assurance that he shouds be at
tended to at Albany. In the meantime the COM
mittee made up their minds to start for the capt.
tai at once and they accordingly set out that night.
While the committee OF concert saloon men were
making the above arrangements committee OF
inquiry had had been been appointed In Albany to come
of concert Saloons Both committees started on
the same evening, passed each other on the road
and arrived about The same time, one in Albany and
the other In New York. When the saloon Keepers
found the committee OF inquiry had arrived in New
York they were seized with CONSERVATION. One Of
Broadway capitalist, obtained from him s2,5O0 on
good security, and despatched special agent with
tne amount 10 Albany. Strange TO say, the CON-
mittee OF inquiry turned up In that city about the
same time and


THE ACTUAL STATE or THINGS EXISTING


In the concert saloons was for the moment left un.
inquired into. About this time Hawkins resigned
and Representative Budd was appointed to Ill his
place on the committee Some days after this
change a telegram was received by one Of the prin
cipal saloon keepers, saying "The bill will go
through If not properly taken care Of" In answer
to this despatch was sent back to the effect that
proper attention would be given to tile measure IN
Albany. Proceedings were at once opened
with the proper parties in the capital,
the requisite sum was placed In the hands
OF the proprietor OF prominent hotel, and
the celebrated measure that was meant TO sweep
these disgusting dens from the face OF the city
was never more heard Of 1t may be that the time
of the legislators was too much taken up Mt that
late hour OF the session to attend to such minor
matters; but whatever the cause was the bill died
natural death. The question Of these concert halls
is now being thoroughly discussed, and the people
dsgraceful dens In their midst The Board Of EX-
else commissioners recently refused to grant IL
censes to several OF them, and contend that the
greater number OF them are now running without
any authority. The Captain OF the Fourteenth pre-
cnct says all the concert saloons In his precinct
and their books certainly show different state
OF things. From the evident desire to shift
the responsibility there Is certainly some
blame for the continuance OF the disgrace, and 1t
Is undoubtedly the duty OF the police to sweep them
from the face OF the city unless they wish the
apparent on the surface. The Commissioners OF
Excise express themselves anxious to assist to the
utmost OF their ability In this matter, and 1t Is to
be hoped the police will come boldly forward and
show that the interests OF the people are the first
objects OF their solicitation.