Committee of Fifteen
Encyclopedia
The Committee of Fifteen was a New York City
citizens' group that lobbied for the elimination of prostitution
and gambling
. It was established in November 1900. The Committee hired investigators who visited city locations where prostitution
and gambling
was alleged to have taken place and filed reports on each site. The investigators visited bars, pool hall
s, dance hall
s, and tenements during the year 1901. The investigators posed as clients to determine the locations where prostitution took place.
The Committee disbanded in 1901 after evaluating the investigations and reporting to Governor Benjamin Barker Odell, Jr.. It was succeeded by the Committee of Fourteen
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
citizens' group that lobbied for the elimination of prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
and gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
. It was established in November 1900. The Committee hired investigators who visited city locations where prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
and gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
was alleged to have taken place and filed reports on each site. The investigators visited bars, pool hall
Pool hall
A billiard/billiards, pool or snooker hall is a place where people get together for playing cue sports such as pool, snooker or carom billiards...
s, dance hall
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
s, and tenements during the year 1901. The investigators posed as clients to determine the locations where prostitution took place.
The Committee disbanded in 1901 after evaluating the investigations and reporting to Governor Benjamin Barker Odell, Jr.. It was succeeded by the Committee of Fourteen
Committee of Fourteen
The Committee of Fourteen was founded on January 16, 1905 by members of the New York Anti-Saloon League as an association dedicated to the abolition of Raines law hotels. -History:...
.
Members in 1901
- William H. Baldwin, Jr. (Chairman)
- Edwin R. A. Seligman (Secretary)
- Charles Steward Smith
- Joel B. Erhardt
- John Stewart KennedyJohn Stewart KennedyJohn Stewart Kennedy was an American capitalist and philanthropist.-Biography:He was born near Glasgow in Scotland, received a scant education in school, studied in his spare moments as a clerk, and at 20 was sent to America by a London iron firm, in whose branch house in Glasgow he worked for...
- Felix Adler
- George Haven PutnamGeorge Haven PutnamGeorge Haven Putnam, A.M., Litt.D. was an American soldier, publisher, and author. He married classical scholar Emily James Smith Putnam...
- Charles Sprague Smith
- George Foster PeabodyGeorge Foster PeabodyGeorge Foster Peabody was a banker and philanthropist.-Early life:...
- Jacob H. Schiff
- Andrew J. Smith
- Austen G. Fox
- William J. O'BrienWilliam J. O'BrienWilliam James O'Brien was a U.S. Congressman from the third district of Maryland, serving two terms from 1873 until 1877....
- Alexander E. OrrAlexander Ector OrrAlexander Ector Orr was a prominent businessman in New York City and was influential in the building of the New York City subway system.-Personal life:...
- John Harsen Rhoades
Further reading
- Committee of Fifteen Records, 1900-1901. Compiled by Melanie Yolles. New York: Manuscripts and Archives Section, New York Public LibraryNew York Public LibraryThe New York Public Library is the largest public library in North America and is one of the United States' most significant research libraries...