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Story
December 6, 1888
The Evening World
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
Police raid three Wooster Street houses in New York, arresting proprietress Mme. Maria Johnson and 16 underage girl inmates from condemned dens of vice. Ten girls sent to House of Mercy; madame held on $1,000 bail.
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OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
SIXTEEN YOUNG GIRL VICTIMS.
Snatched from Vile Wooster Street Dens in a Police Raid
The proprietress and sixteen girl inmates were arraigned at Jefferson Market this morning as the result of a raid made by Sergt. O'Toole, of Supt. Murray's office, and a posse of nine officers, at the houses 223, 225 and 227 Wooster street.
These places had been condemned by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children as vile dens, dangerous to the youth of the city. Complaints had been made to Assistant Supt. Stocking that girls under the age of sixteen were kept in the houses, and that one girl of thirteen was a special attraction at one of them.
The proprietress of the three houses is Mme. Maria Johnson. It is alleged that it was her custom to take away the clothing of girls who came there and to dress them in fancy burlesque costumes.
The agents of the Society visited the establishment and learned that the girls could not get their own clothes again and were never permitted to leave the premises even for exercise. No girl was admitted who had friends in the city. Those who came from a distance were always welcome.
The madame was held in $1,000 bail for trial.
Ten of the girls were selected to be sent to the House of Mercy, Eighty-sixth street and North River.
The alleged thirteen-year-old attraction was not among those who were arrested.
Snatched from Vile Wooster Street Dens in a Police Raid
The proprietress and sixteen girl inmates were arraigned at Jefferson Market this morning as the result of a raid made by Sergt. O'Toole, of Supt. Murray's office, and a posse of nine officers, at the houses 223, 225 and 227 Wooster street.
These places had been condemned by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children as vile dens, dangerous to the youth of the city. Complaints had been made to Assistant Supt. Stocking that girls under the age of sixteen were kept in the houses, and that one girl of thirteen was a special attraction at one of them.
The proprietress of the three houses is Mme. Maria Johnson. It is alleged that it was her custom to take away the clothing of girls who came there and to dress them in fancy burlesque costumes.
The agents of the Society visited the establishment and learned that the girls could not get their own clothes again and were never permitted to leave the premises even for exercise. No girl was admitted who had friends in the city. Those who came from a distance were always welcome.
The madame was held in $1,000 bail for trial.
Ten of the girls were selected to be sent to the House of Mercy, Eighty-sixth street and North River.
The alleged thirteen-year-old attraction was not among those who were arrested.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime Story
Heroic Act
What themes does it cover?
Crime Punishment
Justice
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Police Raid
Underage Victims
Wooster Street
Child Exploitation
House Of Mercy
Mme Johnson
What entities or persons were involved?
Mme. Maria Johnson
Sergt. O'toole
Supt. Murray
Assistant Supt. Stocking
Where did it happen?
Wooster Street, New York
Story Details
Key Persons
Mme. Maria Johnson
Sergt. O'toole
Supt. Murray
Assistant Supt. Stocking
Location
Wooster Street, New York
Story Details
Police led by Sergt. O'Toole raid three Wooster Street houses run by Mme. Maria Johnson, rescuing 16 underage girls held as inmates in vile dens. Proprietress arraigned and held on $1,000 bail; ten girls sent to House of Mercy.