The Great Acceptance: The Life Story of F. N. CharringtonThorne, Guy
History
The Great Acceptance: The Life Story of F. N. Charrington
Thorne, Guy
Charrington, Fredk. N. (Frederick Nicholas), 1850-1936; Poor -- England -- London
Did you see anything come of the looking?--No. I did not see that
anybody took notice of them. I may say I saw one walk away and sit
down beside a gentleman and get into conversation with him. That was
the only case I observed. I cannot say I observed any of the
undergraduates who have been spoken about. Beyond the case I have
mentioned, I saw the women do nothing except walk about. The lady who
went downstairs turned back. I cannot say if she saw me when she
turned back. I cannot say if this is the reason she turned back.
Nobody spoke to her. My impression was that she was a prostitute. She
never solicited me--none of them ever did. The contents of the
decanter the lady brought down might have been sherry: it might have
been toast and water. I cannot say whether I said in my report that
the decanter contained brandy. I saw the lady in the place earlier in
the evening. She did not have the decanter then. She did not solicit
anybody as far as I saw."
Several members of the Committee stating they did not wish any more of
this class of evidence.
Mr. Charrington said he wished to call the responsible manager of the
Empire.
Mr. George Edwardes was accordingly examined by Mr. Charrington, and
stated that he was responsible manager of the Empire. They did not
knowingly admit prostitutes to the Empire. They turned away ten or
twelve every night. An inspector of police was stationed at the
money-box to refuse them admission.
If a member of the committee says he has been there, and has seen
fifty or sixty prostitutes, you would say he was a liar?
The Chairman suggested that Mr. Charrington should not put such
questions.
Mr. Charrington: If a gentleman went into the Empire and said there
were seventy or eighty prostitutes there, you would say he must have
made a mistake?
Mr. Edwardes: I should ask him to go with me and point them out. I
deliberately say we do not admit women into the Empire if we know them
to be prostitutes. The same applies to brothel-keepers and bullies. We
keep a large staff of police and detectives to stop that.
Mr. Charrington: We know all about the police. We do not want any
evidence from them. I do not think I need ask you any more. I shall,
however, ask the police to come forward and swear, probably as usual.
Several members warmly protested against this as an insinuation
against the police.
Inspector Burke was then called, and stated that the report to the
Commissioner of Police was that the house was well conducted. He
testified that, in his belief, every effort was made to keep out
prostitutes. Prostitutes might be admitted, but they were women who
were not known as such.
Mr. Davis, who said he was interested in the welfare of the people of
London as any member of the Council, said he went there one Saturday
night and found the place well conducted. He was not accosted there,
although he was when he got into the street.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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