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The Committee of Fifteen was a New York City citizens' group formed in November 1900 to address issues of prostitution and gambling. Established by prominent members of New York’s upper class, the Committee aimed to expose and eradicate vice within the city, particularly where it intersected with police corruption and political influence. To achieve this, the Committee hired private investigators to survey and document activities at suspected locations of vice. These findings informed their report to Governor Benjamin Barker Odell, Jr. in 1901 and ultimately influenced legislation targeting urban vice. The Committee disbanded later in 1901, its efforts later carried on by the Committee of Fourteen. In 1902, the Committee's investigative findings were compiled in a published report, The Social Evil With Special Reference to Conditions Existing in the City of New York, which provided a detailed account of New York's vice landscape and advocated for continued reform.
Formation and Purpose
The Committee of Fifteen was established amidst mounting public concern over urban vice, police corruption, and political complicity in New York City. A group of wealthy and influential New Yorkers, including financiers, scholars, and publishers, recognized the need for independent action to confront these issues, which they believed posed a threat to the city’s social fabric and reputation. In 1900, following Bishop Henry Codman Potter’s exposé on the “red-light” districts of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Tammany Hall formed a Committee of Five. However, this committee's efforts were widely perceived as insufficient and marred by internal corruption. In response, the Committee of Fifteen was created as an independent citizens' group with broader resources and public backing.
The Committee’s founding members included prominent figures such as William H. Baldwin, Jr., Edwin R. A. Seligman, George Foster Peabody, and Jacob H. Schiff. With a mission to "clean up" New York, the Committee viewed prostitution and gambling as significant social evils exacerbated by police complicity. By collecting evidence and exposing the conditions within these vice operations, the Committee sought to pressure public officials into enforcing existing laws and passing more stringent regulations.
Investigative Methods
The Committee of Fifteen’s approach to reform centered on thorough and clandestine investigations, using private investigators and native informants to infiltrate areas where vice activities were concentrated. Investigators, many of whom had backgrounds in law enforcement, posed as patrons within gambling houses, brothels, saloons, and tenement buildings. This approach allowed them to gather firsthand information on the nature of operations and identify key players involved.
Reports from investigators were meticulously detailed, documenting the locations, clientele, and any observed exchanges with police officers or political figures. In many cases, investigators filed reports noting police visits to vice dens, highlighting instances of bribery and extortion. This data was not only crucial to the Committee’s findings but also served as a resource for journalists and reformers aiming to expose and critique police corruption. The Committee’s investigators mapped out known areas of vice, creating what became known as the “vice map.” Concentrated areas of gambling and prostitution, such as the Tenderloin District, received particular attention, as these districts were notorious for their connections to political corruption.
Police Raids and Public Response
One of the Committee of Fifteen’s most high-profile tactics was organizing police raids on vice establishments, beginning with a large-scale raid on February 26, 1901. This raid targeted numerous gambling and prostitution dens in the Tenderloin District. However, despite efforts to conduct a surprise operation, police sergeants reportedly alerted the vice establishments in advance. This allowed operators to hide evidence, effectively rendering the raid futile. The *Collier's Weekly* article on the raid described police officers going door-to-door in advance, informing establishment owners of the inspection to give them time to clear away illegal paraphernalia.
Justice William Travers Jerome, who had aligned himself with the Committee of Fifteen, personally led some of these raids to ensure enforcement, but the influence of corrupt officers often compromised his efforts. The public response to these botched raids was mixed: while many applauded the Committee’s bold stance against vice, others saw the failed raids as indicative of deep-seated issues within New York’s police force. Despite these obstacles, the Committee’s commitment to documenting and publicizing these activities intensified calls for police reform and accountability.
William Travers Jerome
Justice William Travers Jerome played a pivotal role in the Committee of Fifteen’s activities, lending his legal authority and reformist zeal to their mission. Jerome was a notable advocate for Progressive Era reforms, and his collaboration with the Committee underscored his dedication to eliminating police corruption. Known for his hands-on approach, Jerome led several raids personally, issuing warrants and supervising law enforcement’s role to minimize the potential for police interference.
Jerome’s public stance against corruption resonated with New Yorkers frustrated by police inaction, and he became a key ally for reformers within the Committee. His insistence on judicial oversight and transparency helped legitimize the Committee's actions, and his partnership with the Committee of Fifteen cemented his legacy as a prominent Progressive Era reformer. However, Jerome’s career faced challenges as he frequently clashed with Tammany Hall-backed political figures, who resisted his calls for reform.
Eugene Philbin
District Attorney Eugene Philbin also worked closely with the Committee of Fifteen, using its investigative findings to build cases against vice operators and corrupt officials. Although not an official member, Philbin provided crucial support to the Committee by utilizing its gathered evidence in legal proceedings. His office's prosecutions of individuals involved in vice activities highlighted the critical role of legal allies in the Committee’s efforts to challenge entrenched corruption.
Philbin’s involvement with the Committee illustrated the importance of collaboration between civic organizations and government agencies in the fight against urban vice. His actions bolstered the Committee’s influence, as his commitment to pursuing cases based on their evidence underscored the credibility of their investigations. The partnerships formed with Jerome and Philbin were instrumental in legitimizing the Committee’s mission and creating momentum for lasting social reforms in New York.
Legislative Impact and Social Reforms
The Committee of Fifteen’s efforts culminated in legislative changes aimed at curbing the spread of vice. Through detailed reports and public advocacy, the Committee pushed for reforms initially proposed by the Tenement House Commission. One of the most significant achievements was legislation holding landlords accountable for illegal activities within their properties. This 1901 legislation, which imposed fines and penalties on negligent landlords, represented a breakthrough for reformers seeking to address the structural issues enabling vice in New York City.
The Committee’s findings led to broader public support for stricter laws regulating establishments such as saloons, gambling houses, and brothels. The legislation targeted “Raines law hotels” as well, exploiting legal loopholes that had previously allowed these establishments to operate as quasi-brothels under the guise of selling alcohol. These laws became a foundation for subsequent reforms pursued by the Committee of Fourteen, which continued the fight against vice in New York.
The Social Evil Report
In 1902, the Committee of Fifteen published its report, The Social Evil With Special Reference to Conditions Existing in the City of New York. This extensive document outlined the depth of prostitution and gambling activities in the city and recommended further legal reforms to curb vice. The report highlighted not only the prevalence of vice but also the role of police and political figures in protecting these activities.
The Committee’s report was influential in shaping public opinion and inspiring continued reform efforts. It served as a call to action for civic groups, inspiring the creation of organizations like the Committee of Fourteen, which focused on prostitution in Raines law hotels. The findings in the Social Evil report underscored the Committee’s impact on New York’s public policy regarding vice and corruption.
Legacy and Historical Significance
The Committee of Fifteen is remembered as a pioneering force in the Progressive Era reform movement. Through their investigation and exposure of vice in New York, they set a precedent for addressing social issues through public engagement and legislative advocacy. The Committee’s work influenced urban reform movements across the United States and contributed to early efforts to hold police departments accountable for their relationships with organized crime.
While the Committee only existed briefly, its legacy persisted through subsequent reforms and organizations inspired by its mission. Historians view the Committee as a crucial example of how private citizens, through strategic collaboration with the judiciary and law enforcement, could influence public policy and shape urban governance.
Members in 1901
Source:
- William H. Baldwin, Jr. (Chairman)
- Edwin R. A. Seligman (Secretary)
- Charles Stewart Smith
- Joel B. Erhardt
- John Stewart Kennedy
- Felix Adler
- George Haven Putnam
- Charles Sprague Smith
- George Foster Peabody
- Jacob H. Schiff
- Andrew J. Smith
- Austen G. Fox
- William J. O'Brien
- Alexander E. Orr
- John Harsen Rhoades
See Also
Further Reading
- Committee of Fifteen Records, 1900–1901. Compiled by Melanie Yolles. New York: Manuscripts and Archives Section, New York Public Library
- Fronc, Jennifer. New York Undercover: Private Surveillance in the Progressive Era. University of Chicago Press, 2009.
External Links
- Committee of Fifteen Records at the New York Public Library
- The Social Evil in Tenement Houses in The New York Times (March 25, 1901)
- ^ "Committee of Fifteen records 1900-1901". The New York Public Library. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
- Katz, Elizabeth. Prostitution and Morality in New York City, 1890-1920. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
- Beckert, Sven. The Monied Metropolis: New York City and the Consolidation of the American Bourgeoisie, 1850-1896. Cambridge University Press, 2001.
- McCormick, Richard. The Progressive Movement in New York City. Harper & Brothers, 1956.
- Pascoe, Peggy. Relations of Rescue: The Role of Women in New York's Urban Reform Movements. University of Chicago Press, 1990.
- Burrows, Edwin G., and Mike Wallace. Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898. Oxford University Press, 1999.
- "The Tenderloin, New York’s Vice District". Bowery Boys Podcast. October 2009.
- Fronc, Jennifer. New York Undercover: Private Surveillance in the Progressive Era. University of Chicago Press, 2009.
- "Exposing Vice: The Committee of Fifteen's Police Raids in the Tenderloin District". Journal of American Social History. 1901.
- Burns, Sarah. Inventing the Public Enemy: Prostitution and the Progressive Era in New York. Yale University Press, 1989.
- Burrows, Edwin G. (1999). Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898. Oxford University Press.
- "Tenement House Reform in New York". The New York Times. April 1, 1901.
- Committee of Fifteen. The Social Evil With Special Reference to Conditions Existing in the City of New York. New York, 1902.
- Campbell, Robert. New York's Progressive Movement: The Fight Against Urban Vice, 1890-1915. University of Chicago Press, 1983.