ments in tenement houses in the city of New York. Over two hundred of these tenants were removed under the new Tenement House Law which went into effect July 1, 1901. Authentic reports reached the Committee that many of the tenement-house prostitutes were retiring into private houses of prostitution. It is certain that the houses of prostitution are not flaunting their wares upon the streets in the manner of a year ago. Street-walking is also far less frequent. A number of the more notorious dives have either changed hands or have closed their doors. The most widely known proprietor of houses of prostitution in New York City is now serving a term in prison upon evidence secured by the Committee of Fifteen. The proprietor of several of the lowest dives is at the present time a fugitive from justice, having forfeited his bail. Three police officers who were shown to have been in partnership with vice have already been convicted, and a half dozen are now awaiting trial. As a result of the whole movement the prospect for a reasonable control of the Social Evil in New York City is more favourable at the present time than it has been for many years. cases where corroborated evidence was secured by the Committee. There are no trustworthy statistics in existence covering the general question of the Social Evil in New York. CHAPTER I THE EUROPEAN MOVEMENT IN the body of this book frequent references are made to the international conference held at Brussels, and many of the illustrations are taken from the discussions in that conference. Shortly after the first edition of this book appeared, a second conference was held, of still greater significance. It seems, therefore, eminently desirable to give some more information about these important conferences. In order, however, to explain their origin, it is necessary to revert to the great struggle in England which was indirectly responsible for them. In the body of this work' several references are made to the English episode. As this has now been to a large extent forgotten, we shall attempt herewith a brief recital of the facts." 2 A good account of the movement is found in Benjamin Scott, A State Iniquity: Its Rise, Extension, and Overthrow. London, 1890. For the full title, see the Bibliography. A briefer work is A Short Summary of the History of State Regulated Vice in the United Kingdom. Compiled by the Friends' Association for abolishing State Regulated Vice. London, 1900. Cf. also in especial Personal Reminiscences of a Great Crusade. By Josephine E. Butler. London, 1876. |