- Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1910
Van Bever Maurice saloon 2100 Dearborn and 2101 Armour av h 2033 Wabash av
- “The Paris,” headquarters of the notorious Maurice Van Bever gang at 2104 Armour and “White City,” at 2102 Dearborn street.
Chicago Tribune, October 29, 1909
With the arrest of David Garfinkle, a St Louis saloonkeeper, in that city yesterday afternoon and the discovery of the St. Louis headquarters of the gang of white slavers which is said to operate between that eity and Chicago, Attorney Clifford G. Roe believes he now has captured all of the principals in the nefarious business.
Garfinkle, with Maurice Van Bever, the owner of the notorious “Paris” resort at 2101 Armour avenue, and the “White City,” at 2102 Dearborn street; and Dick Tyler, a sort of manager for Van Bever, all were arrested on warrants issued from the Municipal court at the instance of State’s Attorney Wayman. They are charged with conspiring to do an act against public morals. Mr. Roe. with officers. left for St. Louis on Wednesday and located Garfinkle yesterday. He probably will be brought to Chicago today. After long sweating Garfinkle in the evening confessed part of the charges made against him by Tyler.
Knew of Nefarious Trade.
He admitted that he knew trade in young girls had been carried on in St. Louis, that many of them had been lured into the clutches of agents of the “system” and shipped to Chicago.
He said he had allowed his saloon to be used as headquarters of the white slave traffic, that he had introduced girls to the Chicago representatives of the “trade,” and that he had assisted in sending about twelve girls to Chicago since last June.
Garfinkle implicated the persons under arrest here. He said he allowed the use of his name in telegraphing for expense money to bring girls to Chicago.
After Garfinkle’s confession to the St. Louts police and Mr. Roe the former are convinced that the traffic has become general in a way and will bend every effort to put a stop to the Importation as well as exportation of girls Detectives were detailed especially to look into the matter and report their findings to their chief, who promises that any one found connected with the nefarious business will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
May Get Penitentiary Sentence.
The statute under which the three men were arrested is an old act which Mr. Roe discovered a few days ago might be used to prosecute the white slave cases, and the penalty is a penitentiary sentence. Under the state pandering act only a fine and a term in the bridewell may be assessed.
According to Mr. Roe he has conclusive evidence that Garfinkle was the manager of the St. Louis department of the white slavers, and it was over his saloon-the Union Station saloon in Market street, near Eighteenth street-that the headquarters of the gang or “parlors” are located.
Specifically the three men are accused of bringing three girls, Frankie Grace, Grace Davis, and “Tootsie” Thomas, from St. Louis to Van Bever’s Chicago resorts. The women were brought to this city last July. Garfinkle, it is declared, came to Chicago and was paid $60 by Van Bever for his share in the work of getting the girls to Chicago.
Mr. Roe learned more of the workings of the white slavers while in St. Louis yesterday. He visited the headquarters and discovered how the game was worked there. The St. Louis members of the gang got acquainted with young women at dance halls. in restaurants and in department stores. The men told the girls of the fabulous wages paid working girls in Chicago. Those who evidenced a desire to come to Chicago were introduced to the Chicago agents of the gang.
Men Accompany Women.
Usually some one of the St. Louis gang came to Chicago with the Chicago agents and the women. and they always left the train at one of the suburban Chicago railway stations. Then the girls were taken directly to the resorts They were kept under constant espionage until they were “broken in” and never allowed to go on the street unaccompanied. Some of the women told Mr. Roe that the men hangers on followed when the girls went shopping. Threats of violence, they assert, were used to make them keep silent.
Usually the slavers contrive to loan the girls money and they were told that if they attempted to escape they would be arrested by the police. Mr. Roe declares he has instances where men in police uniform were called in to carry out the “bluff.”
It has developed also that the traffic in women from Chicago to St. Louis was almost as great as the importing of women from the Missouri city here. Often the men who brought girls took others to St. Louis on their return trip
As an indication of the absolute disregard of law that the slavers show Mr. Roe discovered in St. Louis that the gang is still at work despite arrests and prosecutions. Only a few days ago girls were brought to Chicago by members of the gang
- Maurice Van Bever’s “Paris” resort at 2101 Armour avenue, and his “White City,” at 2102 Dearborn street.
Simplified version of the map featured in the Chicago Tribune, January 26, 1936 story on the Everleigh Sisters. Published in “Gem of the Prairie” by Herbert Asbury, 1940
Inter Ocean, November 11, 1909
“WHITE SLAVER” IS CONVICTED.
Maurice Van Berer Who Brought Girl From St. Louis, Found Guilty.
Maurice Van Bever, owner of the “White City” and the “Paris” resorts, was found guilty of pandering by a jury in Municipal Judge Walker’s court yesterday.
Van Bever was accused of having induced Sarah Joseph, 19 years old, to come to Chicago from St. Louis, Mo., and enter a resort at 2101 Armour avenue about two months ago.
Counsel for Van Bever made a motion for a new trial, and sentence was not passed by the court pending arguments on this motion.
St.Louis Globe Democrat, November 28, 1909
WHITE SLAVERS SENTENCED.
St. Louis Saloon Keeper Given Fine and Imprisonment.
After overruling motions for a new trial in the cases of Maurice Van Bever, convicted white slaver and owner of the notorious “Paris” and “White City” resorts, and his wife, Julia Van Bever, alias Mme. Maurice, Municipal Judge Walker to-day imposed the maximum penalty of one year in the House of Correction and fine of $1000 on each.
David Garfinkle, St. Louts saloon keeper, the agent in in that city of the Van Bevers, was fined $300 and sentenced to six months in the Workhouse. He sold Frankie Davis, 19 years old, to the Van Bevers. Motions for new trials were denied all the defendants.
Van Bever and his wife were accused of luring Sarah Joseph, aged 19, from St. Louis and to have placed her in an Armour avenue resort.
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