Commercialized Prostitution in New York CityKneeland, George J. (George Jackson)
History
Commercialized Prostitution in New York City
Kneeland, George J. (George Jackson)
Prostitution -- New York (State) -- New York
There are a number of lawyers in New York City who are being constantly
employed by the owners of disorderly houses to defend their cases in the
courts. Their fees vary according to their standing. A former magistrate,
who has an office on Broadway, charges $100 for appearing in Special
Sessions. He has latterly succeeded in securing the acquittal of the
madame of a West 28th Street[298] house. Another lawyer[299] with an
office on Park Row, charges from $15 to $25 for his appearance in the
police court, and $50 altogether if he has to appear in a higher court.
A few weeks ago one of the madames was sentenced to the penitentiary for
three months. During the evening of the day on which she was sentenced,
the lawyer who had appeared for her came to a resort[300] where a number
of owners had gathered. They upbraided him for pleading "Guilty, your
Honors."
"Why didn't you show fight?" demanded one.
"Well," he replied, "there was a time when I used to walk into the court
room and make a bargain with the judges when there were three or four
charges pending against one woman. I used to say, 'Your Honors, we will
make this bargain day. There are four charges against this woman. What
will you do? Unless you are lenient, I will fight you and take up your
time.' The fine as a rule was no more than $100 for three or four charges.
At that time, the coppers used to break in a house and raid it just to get
the money for the fine. But times have changed."
As some street walkers are picked up by the plain clothes men and brought
into court, they hire by preference a lawyer[301] who lives on West 10th
Street.[302] This man agrees to procure their discharge for $50,
distributed as follows:
$10 for the bondsman to bail her out, if necessary;
$15 for his, the lawyer's services, and
$25 to go to the arresting officer for his testimony.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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