Milton-Freewater Through The Years: Remembering Those Bawdy Houses

Article and Photos Courtesy of Marcia West Akes

By Gerald Stiller

Did Freewater have a Bawdy House or Houses? The Common Council of the
city passed an ordinance on October 19, 1903 which made it unlawful for
any person or persons to open, set up, or keep a Bawdy House in the city.
  “Every house or place used for the purpose of prostitution or
fornication shall be taken and deemed a Bawdy house….and any person
residing in such a house with knowledge of its character shall be
presumed conservatively in any prosecution against such person or
persons for setting up and keeping such a house.”
  Those found guilty would face a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more
than $50.00 or by imprisonment not to exceed 30 days or by both a fine
and imprisonment. Imprisonment time would be to pay off the fine at
$2.00 per day. The ordinance was signed by Mayor J.A. Ayres and A.S.
Pearson, Recorder.

Where were these Bawdy Houses? One hint came in another ordinance passed
at the same meeting. It clearly stated that no female person other than
a proprietor's family members be allowed in the established place of a
saloon business. Could it be that a lady of sin was doing business in a
saloon?

The Oregon Washington Railroad and Navigation built its railroad to the
Freewater area in 1881. The railroad also attracted dance hall ladies to
entertain the lonesome and hard-working railroad men. One such
establishment was The Palace Saloon operated by “Paddy” Ireland.  An
area of the saloon was used as a rooming or boarding house. Many
railroad workers used these facilities. Perhaps these boarding or
rooming house rooms were also used by the ladies. This was possibly the
reason the Common Council passed the ordinances.

In 1902 when Freewater was incorporated the following saloons were
affected by the council's action. The O.R. and N., The Boozerino, Ole
Kentucky, The Palace Saloon, and the Gallon House operated by Hezekeah
Keys and Jack and Jess Kelly.

I have searched here and there and asked people about any knowledge they
could share about any Bawdy House in Freewater. Since that ordinance was
over a hundred years ago, I found little success. One oldster's voice of
wisdom, “They may have prohibited those houses of sin and driven them
underground where they operated in secret.”

A Josephine “Dutch Joe” Wolfe was a madam of a brothel or Bawdy House in
Walla Walla. Josephine came from Germany in 1852 and settled in Walla
Walla in 1859. She was in business until her death in 1909. One finds
that she bought a plot at the Mountain View Cemetery where some nameless
and first name markers are located and surrounded by a larger center
marker. This area is called “The Ladies of the Evening.” It is believed
that some of her friends, girls, and customers may be buried there.
Josephine was buried in another plot marked by a large monument. Besides
being known as a brothel owner, she was very generous in donating large
sums to charity.

The state of Oregon passed a law at the turn of the century that
disallowed a player piano to be used in Bawdy Houses and some other
establishments. A music salesman in Walla Walla had to repossess pianos
from his main customers in Oregon who were madams of Bawdy Houses. This
was sometime around 1909.

During World War II the “Wild Times” associated with Freewater brought
some Air Force Military Police from Walla Walla. Sometimes they had
eight M.P.'s on duty in order to keep things quiet and peaceful. At
times some places were off limits to the airmen and at least one time
the entire town was off limit. Were there some underground brothels in
existence?

In 1947, Raymond Vincent Borleske became Mayor of Walla Walla. He was
most often known as “Nig” Borleske. He quickly set some rules for
prostitution. There would be only three houses allowed, every woman
would be required to have medical examinations on a regular basis, and
if one leaves or a new one arrives they must be reported. The idea was
to maintain control over and keep such houses sanitary.

Once I asked Greg Rhodes about the old Milton Hotel. He recalled his dad
commenting on a couple of ladies from Portland who asked to visit the
upstairs rooms. It seems they spent a bit of time up there visiting and
reminiscing about some things in the past. Who knows?

In 1960, the first manager for the City of Walla Walla acted to close
all houses of prostitution. The Union Bulletin's headline read: “Red
Lights Go Out In Walla Walla!” The move wasn't popular with some
businesses because “those girls spend a lot of money!” The farm groups
also opposed the move as those “Red Lights” helped bring into the area
the labor force needed to harvest local crops. It is said that one Madam
simply purchased a large home just out of the city as a retirement home
for “her girls!'

As far as I can tell, not many know or are talking; and the true mystery
of Bawdy Houses in Freewater remains a secret!

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1881.
Jacob Betz owned and operated the Star Brewery in Walla Walla from 1874 to
Palace Saloon building indicates that this picture was taken around 1880.
apron on.)  The Jacob Betz Star Brewing Company advertisement on the
The Palace Saloon in Freewater, Oregon, owned by “Paddy” Ireland (man with

picture was taken around 1880. Jacob Betz owned and operated the Star Brewery in Walla Walla from 1874 to 1881.
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