Too long neglected by the authorities and the public, the so-called levee districts of the city had fallen into the hands of grafting police officials, who, working with the lowest of degraded of men, had created an open and most brazen vice syndicate.
Without going into details, it is enough to say that conditions finally became so scandalous that all Chicago rose in horror and rebellion.

The police department was thoroughly overhauled, and a new chief appointed who undertook in all earnestness to suppress the worst features of the system.

He had no new weapons it is true, and he probably had no notion that he could make any impression on the evil of prostitution.
But he might have restored external decency and order, and he might possibly have prepared the way for some scientific examination of the problem.

But a thing happened: one of those shocking blunders we too often let happen.

The efforts of the chief of police were set back, because of that blunder, no one can tell how far.