Houses of Ill Fame in Defiance

 

Defiance was not alone in its struggle against the houses of ill fame (i.e. bawdy houses, houses of ill repute) that settled in its neighborhoods.  Early newspapers of the 1880s to the early 1900s mentioned Deshler, Oakwood, Montpelier, Paulding, and others as joining the fight to purify their towns.  But it was hard, even with town ordinances to help.

In January, 1889, Defiance passed an Ordinance to "Suppress Houses of Ill Fame."  It stated that those who kept a house of prostitution in the city would be fined $10 - $50 and court costs.  But, whoever visited such a place of ill fame should be fined $50 and costs. Later on a punishment of work in the stone yard was added as a deterrent.  Newspapers stated that the men often gave fictitious names and paid their fines quickly.

Where were these houses of ill repute?  Throughout Defiance, it seemed.  

The town's newspapers kept the citizens up to date:

"A midnight raid was made last evening by Officers Ross, Seibert and Hummer on the house of ill fame conducted by Pearl Gardiner known as the 'bad lands,' located near the street tracks in East Defiance, resulted in the arresting of three fallen women, Pearl Gardiner, Louisa Bennett and Nettie Bennett."

A house on Perry Street, "a few doors below Second Street" was often mentioned with the proprietresses, Emma Hartman and Ida Dennies.  A house on Perry Street, commonly called the "shot tower," was run by Mary Taylor with her employees, Ola Kelley and Hazel Dean.  It was rare that a particular address was given, except for the colored house of ill fame located at 539 Holgate Avenue.  After all, that might seem like advertising their locations.

In North Defiance, a mention of a house at the foot of Clinton Street was well-known.  On May 25, 1891, the Defiance Daily Crescent reported this:

" SOILED DOVES

AN ALLEGED HOUSE OF ILL FAME IN NORTH DEFIANCE PULLED BY THE OFFICERS

TWO VISITORS PLEAD GUILTY

For some time the officers have had their weather optics on a house in North Defiance which is inhabited by Clarinda French.  The officials became pretty well satisfied that the conduct of the house was such as to warrant their making a raid upon it, accordingly Sunday morning about 2 o'clock, nearly the entire police force descended on the place, capturing the females, Clarinda French, Fannie Fraser and Laura Williams.

It appears the ladies had some visitors at this unreasonable hour, for a search unearthed Andrew and Joseph Williamson, who were ostensibiy spending the night there.  The men were taken in tow by the officers and placed in the city cooler to stay until this morning when they appeared before the mayor and pled guilty to visiting a house of ill fame.  They were fined five dollars and the costs for which they secured.

The females were not taken into custody as they gave bail for their appearance at court.  Mrs. French is charged with keeping a house of ill fame and the other two with being inmates of a house of ill fame.  Their trial has been postponed until Thursday at 1 p.m. It is understood they will employ a lawyer and fight the case."

In the subsequent case, Clarinda was found guilty "of conducting a disreputable house," and she was fined $20 and the costs, the whole amounting to $47.65.  Since there was no ordinance at the time relating to those who were inmates in the house, the other two women were released.  It was thought that the city would remedy that oversight.  In a later case, the inmates were fined $5 and sent to the stone yard to work off that amount.

Connections with these houses could often become the reason given for divorce.  On December 9, 1904, Philip Stork filed for divorce based on his wife's involvement in a house of ill fame.  As reported in the Defiance Weekly Express:

"A petition has been filed in the probate court by Philip Stork praying for a divorce from Elizabeth Stork.  Plaintiff says that they were married in December 1885 and that a result of this union, three children were born, now aged 18, 16 and 14 years.

He alleges that since 1896, defendant has continuously kept a house of ill fame in the city of Defiance and has kept company and consorted with lewd and immoral men and women.  That prior to that time, she was guilty of gross neglect of duty and refused and neglected to take care of their house and home and refused to properly perform her household duties..."

Many were outraged by the existence of these places in their cities.  Marriages were broken, women were cast aside from their families or disowned by husbands, men were shamed.  Writers to the papers protested the "protection" these houses seemed to have. When would it end?

Next - a look at the life of Clarinda French, notorious proprietress of one of the houses in Defiance.