Mrs. Wolf's (Wolf Den)
2012-02-03

business > bawdy house
1862-08-20
1862-08-20

The National Republican reported that the Superintendent of Police decided to "put a stop to the outrageous indecencies which are perpetrated in this city. Accordingly, he gave orders to his sergeants to clean out the pests." One of those visited on the Tuesday previous was Mrs. Wolf's, also known as the "Wolf Den", at No. 483, Ninth St., between D and E. Mrs. Wolf was no longer running the house; Mary Taylor had replaced her. The police arrested: Mary Taylor, Ida Smith, Ellen Smith, Elizabeth Roby, Annie Johnson and Mary A. Thompson. They also arrested four men, "among whom was a colonel of a certain regiment." A "darkey woman" was also found "in the parlor with the `other ladies,' as grand as any."

The cases were tried on August 20, 1862, before Justic Walter. He sent Mary Taylor on to criminal court. The home owner, Julius Hennault, was "arrested on the charge of renting a house for [tear in newspaper] purposes." That charge was dismissed, but he was fined $20 for "selling liquor without a license." At the end, he dismissed all of the others arrested.

"Breaking up the Bawdy Houses,"National Republican, August 21, 1862.

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