NEWS EXCERPTS - 1900s PROSTITUTION IN LOGANSPORT IN

 I feel the need to begin this post with a disclaimer. The language contained within the text of the newspapers of the time is not considered politically correct in today's society. For example the use of the word "negress" when describing an African-American woman. I am going to copy and paste the article as in written in the 19-teens and 1920s and ask that the reader not hold me responsible for the language of the day.

Also, the images posted here are for interpretation only.

August 14, 1915 Logansport Chronicle:

"Four perfectly lovely ladies of color recently came here to participate in a jubilee on East Wabash Avenue, and the police butted in, and thereby, be it known, some white folks were disappointed."

February 9, 1925 Logansport Pharos Tribune:

SEVEN WOMEN HELD ON CHARGES

"Seven women, charged with operating houses of ill-fame, and four women charged with statutory offenses, will be brought to trial Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock, in police court. The women were arrested on affidavits sworn out by Effie Penny Schilt. The Schilt woman, who formerly was a resort proprietor, informed the police that she was "going to clean up the avenue." Those arrested included Maud Jones, 40, negress 510 East Wabash Avenue: Madge Leverne, 42, 508 East Wabash: Florence Hatch, 38, 500 East Wabash; Florence Smith, 29, 619 East Wabash; Daisy McFarland, 46, 622 East Wabash; Eloe Hoke, 26, 534 East Wabash; Jessie Johnson, 45, 612 East Wabash, all charged with being keepers of the houses; Jackie Cooper, 25, negress, of Detroit; Ruth Chambers, 23, Nora Anthony, 25, and Caroline Merriman, 29, of New York charged with being inmates of the houses."

May 27, 1923 Logansport Morning Press

POLICE RAID THREE HOUSES OF DISREPUTE ARREST TEN PERSONS

Two Boys Taken at One House Give Ages at Less Than Eighteen.

NUMBER OF OTHER ARRESTS ARE MADE

Local police last night started a determined campaign to stamp out the houses of ill fame in Logansport and as a result three women are slated at police headquarters with operating houses of ill fame and seven persons are charged with statutory offenses. Several houses have been raided within the past two weeks. Two of the three raids made by the police last night were on East Wabash Avenue and the third was on East Melbourne Avenue. Dolly Wade, Marie Anderson and Ethel Huffman, of Chicago, are slated with keeping houses of ill fame and Marie Heilman, Wm Johnson, Charles Cooper, Edward Nelson. Robert Johnson, John Doe and William Johnson, “the second’’ with public indecency. Two of those arrested were boys under 18 years of age. Rose Blake paid a fine of $10 and costs in police court yesterday morning for operating a house of ill fame and fines of $5 were assessed Carl Stewart and John Walsh on statutory offenses.

Until next time.....

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