The Wheeling Daily Register

A Case of Youthful Female Depravity

Yesterday afternoon a respectable gentleman residing in Lawrenceville whose name for obvious reasons we forbear to mention, applied at the Mayor's office for assistance in his efforts to discover the whereabouts of an only daughter, aged not above fifteen years, who a few weeks ago mysteriously disappeared from her home. Circumstances came to the knowledge of the girl's parents a few days ago which led them to the suspicion that their child had taken up her abode in a notorious house of prostitution in the Fifth ward kept by an equally notorious old courtesan yclept Mrs. Brawdy. With information in their possession, the police made a descent upon the Brawdy establishment, and succeeded in finding the person whom they sought. She was placed in the lock-up, where she awaits the action of the authorities, who at the instance of the father will to-day commit her to the House of Refuge. According to report the young girl changed for the infamous den where discovered, a home where peace and plenty abounded; and nothing short of an utter depravation of both heart and mind could have prompted such a step.

The too oft repeated tale of man's betrayal is not in this instance related to mitigate the shame of this youthful, comely but we may add, hopelessly abandoned female. It would appear, from all facts, that this is a case of total depravity upon the part of the unfortunate misguided girl, and that she will return to the paths of virtue is a question which will not here be discussed. A term in the House of Refuge may for a time check a career of infamy then

There is one thing, however, may be aptly said just here; and this: The existence in a civilized community of a house like that managed by the notorious Brawdy whose name is the synonym of all that is and whose pestiferous den affords shelter to more vice, perhaps, than any similar establishment in the city is a burning and a crying shame upon those whose duty it is to maintain order and look after the moral welfare of the community. It is just such places as this that cause more than half the troubles, such as that related in the former part of this article, by sending out their agents to influence young and thoughtless girls to leave their homes for a career of shame from which there is seldom, if ever, turning back.-Pittsburg Post.