New England Watch and Ward Society. Records, 1918-1957: Finding Aid

Harvard Law School Library, Cambridge, MA 02138

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Harvard Law School
December 1994

Summary Information

Repository: Harvard Law School Library, Harvard University.
Location: Harvard Depository
Call No.: HOLLIS 601672
Creator: New England Watch and Ward Society
Title: Records, 1918-1957
Quantity: 17 boxes
Abstract: This collection includes material relating to financial and internal affairs of the society, vigilance associations in other states, legislation relating to gambling, prohibition, and censorship, the International Reform Federation, and theaters.

Processing Information:

Processed by Martin E. Hollick,December 1994.

Acquisition Information:

The records of the New England Watch and Ward Society were donated by the Society to the Harvard Law School by a vote of its board of directors on October 15, 1968.

Access to these papers is governed by the rules and regulations of the Harvard Law School Library. This collection is open to the public, but is housed off-site at Harvard Depository and requires 2-day advance notice for retrieval. Consult the Special Collections staff for further information.

Use Restrictions:

The Harvard Law School Library holds copyright on some, but not all, of the material in our collections. Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be directed to the Special Collections staff. Researchers who obtain permission to publish from the Harvard Law School Library are also responsible for identifying and contacting the persons or organizations who hold copyright.

Scope and Content

The records of the New England Watch and Ward Society (hereinafter "NEWWS") span the years 1918-1957, with the bulk of the material falling in the 1927-1957 period. The collection includes the office files of the NEWWS, alphabetically arranged and incomplete, and bound volumes comprising the minutes of board of directors' meetings, treasurer's reports and investigative reports; all of which are complete. The alphabetical office files include all financial files, membership information, incoming and outgoing correspondence, pamphlets from the NEWWS and allied organizations, newspaper clippings, federal and state bill texts, court opinions, trial briefs, internal memoranda including lists of books suppressed, bibliographies of gambling literature, annual reports of NEWWS and allied organizations, theatre playbills, and internal investigative reports.

The records relate to the day-to-day activities of the NEWWS during the height of its influence in Boston and New England. Founded as a citizens' vigilance society, the organization actively investigated crime and moral corruption in New England. The records range from active correspondence with allied organizations such as the Illinois Vigilance Association and the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, and personal correspondence with citizens to the briefs filed against Lillian Hellman's play The Children's Hour in 1936. There is also active correspondence with magazine distributors who needed the approval of the NEWWS before distribution of each issue in New England.

The records present a complete overview of a non-profit group in the 1930s. The financial records include audit reports, charitable corporation filings for the state and federal government, stock reports and treasurer's reports. Membership information is included showing dues payments, some of which date from 1906, and solicitation letters of the NEWWS.

The drawback of the collection is the incompleteness of the alphabetical files from 1927-1939. Since the collection was in use before processing, some of the original order has been lost and the researcher should be aware that correspondence is filed under an organization's name or the leader of that organization's name.

Note that two sets of photographs have been placed in the Art Collection of the Harvard Law School. The first set of photographs date from the 1930s and are surveillance photographs. The second set dates from the late 1950s/early 1960s. These pictures are available by consulting the Art Collection Curator.

Series List/Description

Series 1: Alphabetical Office Files, 1918, 1927-1939 Boxes 1 to 13 Files start with C, omit D and E, contain F through T and omit U to Z. This SERIES is arranged into 6 SUBSERIES:

Subseries A: Financial Records, Boxes 1-3 Contained therein are all financial records including audit reports, treasurer's reports, stock reports, disbursement envelopes, receipts and check stubs from the First National Bank of Boston, Form 67 Massachusetts Income Tax Law, Charitable Corporation Filings, Capital Stock Tax Returns, leases, donation information including wills, and correspondence in connection with financial matters. Insurance information is filed separately as are files from Charles F. Rittenhouse, auditors of the NEWWS.

Subseries B: General Correspondence, Boxes 3-4 Contained therein is correspondence, which is defined herein as incoming and outgoing letters, whether copies or originals, memoranda, postcards, telegrams, some with attachments. The files are arranged alphabetically then chronologically.

Subseries C: Inquiries, Box 5 Contained therein is correspondence from citizens seeking help from the NEWWS.

Subseries D: Legislative Materials, Boxes 5-11 Contained therein are pamphlets, bill texts from state and federal governments, court opinions, and correspondence regarding lobbying activities.

Subseries E: Membership Information, Boxes 12-13 Filed under Subscribers, Lists, and Miscellaneous is the various correspondence from the members of NEWWS, including dues information and solicitation letters.

Subseries F: Theatres, Box 13 Contained therein are playbills, correspondence and investigative reports regarding theatrical entertainment, specifically burlesque and plays the NEWWS sought to ban, such as The Children's Hour.

Series 2: Bound Volumes, 1927-1957 Boxes 14-17 This series is comprised of bound volumes of the minutes of the board of directors, treasurer's reports and investigations (called secretary's reports), complete for the dates cited.
Within each series and/or subseries individual items or folders are identified by box and folder number. For example, the number 5-12 corresponds to box 5, folder 12.

Historical/Biographical Information

Chronology

1878

New England Society for the Suppression of Vice formed.

1882

Henry Chase chosen as first full agent, first office opens at 68 Eliot Street.

1884

Society incorporated.

1891

Name changed to New England Watch and Ward Society.

1906

J. Frank Chase chosen as Executive Secretary to replace Henry Chase.

1920

Prohibition begins.

1926

H.L. Mencken arrested in Boston for selling his magazine American Mercury to J. Frank Chase in the famous "Hatrack" incident. Federal Court enjoins NEWWS for two years from threatening news dealers.

1927

Charles S. Bodwell chosen as Executive Secretary following the death of J. Frank Chase.

1933

Prohibition ends; the Howard Theater, a burlesque house in Boston, is closed due to the work of the NEWWS.

1941

Louis J. Croteau chosen as Executive Secretary following the death of Charles S. Bodwell.

1948

Dwight S. Strong chosen as Executive Secretary following the death of Louis J. Croteau.

1957

Society changes name to New England Citizens Crime Commission.

1967

Society changes name to Massachusetts Council on Crime and Correction.

1975

Society merges with the Massachusetts Correctional Association (which was organized originally under the name of Massachusetts Prison Association by the same founders of the New England Society for the Suppression of Vice in 1889) and changes name to the Crime and Justice Foundation. Present address: 95 Berkeley Street, Second Floor, Boston, MA (617) 426-9800.

Additional Index Terms

The following catalog entries represent persons, organizations, and topics documented in this collection. An entry for each appears in the Harvard On Line Library Information System (HOLLIS) and other automated bibliographic databases. THIS IS NOT AN INDEX.

Bodwell, Charles S.

Cabot, Godfrey Lowell, 1861-1962.

Cabot, Thomas Dudley, 1897-

Garrett, Oliver B.

Glueck, Sheldon, 1896-

Hellman, Lillian, 1906-

Huntingdon, Henry Strong.

King, Delcevare.

New England Watch and Ward Society.

Pringle, Henry F. (Henry Fowles), 1897-1958.

Sheldon, Eleanor Touroff, 1898-1972.

Strong, Dwight S.

Censorship--Massachusetts--Boston.

Citizen crime reporting--New England.

Crime and Justice Foundation.

Crime.

Gambling--New England.

Illinois Vigilance Association.

International Reform Federation.

Lobbying.

Massachusetts Council on Crime and Correction.

Midwest Distributors, Inc.

New England Citizens Crime Commission.

New England News Company.

New England Society for the Suppression of Vice.

New York Society for the Suppression of Vice.

Prohibition--Massachusetts--Boston.

Theater--Censorship--Massachusetts--Boston.

Vigilance committees--New England.

CONTAINER LIST

Series 1: Alphabetical Office Files, 1918-1994
- Subseries A: Financial Records, 1918-1940
  - 1-1 Annual Report of NEWWS, 1918/1919.
  - 1-2 Financial, 1926-1927.
  - 1-3 Financial, 1925-1931.
  - 1-4 Financial Part I (includes Audit Reports for 1932 and 1933), 1932-1933.
  - 1-5 Financial Part II, 1932-1933.
  - 1-6 Financial Part III (includes Treasurer's Reports May, Jun, Aug, Sept, Oct, Dec, 1932 and Jan - Dec, 1933), 1932-1933.
  - 1-7 Financial Part IV, 1932-1933.
  - 1-8 Financial Part I, 1934.
  - 1-9 Financial Part II, (includes Audit Report for year ending 28 February 1934), 1934.
  - 2-1 Financial Part III (includes Treasurer's Reports monthly January to December 1934), 1934.
  - 2-2 Financial Part I (includes Treasurer's Reports monthly January to December 1935), 1935.
  - 2-3 Financial Part II, 1935.
  - 2-4 Financial Part I (includes Treasurer's Reports monthly January to December 1936 and Audit Report for year ending 29 February 1936), 1936.
  - 2-5 Financial Part II, 1936.
  - 2-6 Financial (includes Treasurer's Reports monthly January to December 1937), 1937.
  - 2-7 Financial Letters Part I, 1937.
  - 2-8 Financial Letters Part II, 1937.
  - 3-1 Financial (includes Treasurer's Reports monthly January to December 1938), 1938.
  - 3-2 Financial Letters, 1938.
  - 3-3 Financial (includes Treasurer's Reports monthly January to December 1939), 1939.
  - 3-4 Financial Letters, 1939-1940.
  - 3-5 Oliver B. Garrett Newspaper Clippings, 1931.
- Subseries B: General Correspondence, 1926-1939
  - 3-6 C, 1926-1927.
  - 3-7 G, 1930.
  - 3-8 G, 1931.
  - 4-1 G, 1932.
  - 4-2 G, 1933.
  - 4-3 G, 1934-1935.
  - 4-4 G, 1936.
  - 4-5 G, 1937-1939.
  - 4-6 H, 1930.
  - 4-7 H (includes a newspaper clipping from the Chicago Daily Tribune for June 16, 1931), 1931-1932.
  - 4-8 H, 1933.
  - 4-9 H, 1934.
  - 4-10 H, 1935.
  - 4-11 H, 1936.
  - 4-12 H, 1937-1939.
  - 4-13 Hiltz, Orrie F., 1930-1933.
  - 4-14 I (inludes pamphlets from the International Reform Federation and Illinois Vigilance Association), 1929-1930.
  - 4-15 I, 1931-1934.
  - 4-16 I, 1935-1939.
  - 4-17 Illinois Vigilance Association (includes Sharer v. Yarrow, 1931, Appeals Court of Illinois);
    see also I, 1929-1932.
- Subseries C: Inquiries, 1928-1939
  - 5-1 Inquiries, 1930.
  - 5-2 Inquiries, 1931.
  - 5-3 Inquiries, 1932.
  - 5-4 Inquiries, 1933.
  - 5-5 Inquiries, 1934.
  - 5-6 Inquiries, 1935.
  - 5-7 Insurance Policies and Bonds, 1935-1936.
  - 5-8 International Reform Federation;
    see also I Correspondence, 1929-1931.
  - 5-9 International Reform Federation, 1932.
  - 5-10 International Reform Federation, 1933.
  - 5-11 International Reform Federation, 1934.
  - 5-12 International Reform Federation, 1935.
  - 5-13 International Reform Federation, 1936.
  - 5-14 International Reform Federation, 1937.
  - 5-15 International Reform Federation, 1938.
  - 5-16 International Reform Federation, 1939.
  - 6-1 J Correspondence, 1930-1932.
  - 6-2 J Correspondence, 1934-1939.
  - 6-3 Delcevare King Correspondence;
    see also K Correspondence, 1931-1933.
  - 6-4 K Correspondence, 1928-1930.
  - 6-5 K Correspondence, 1931-1933.
  - 6-6 K Correspondence, 1934-1936.
  - 6-7 K Correspondence, 1937-1939.
  - 6-8 L Correspondence (includes bibliography of race track gambling literature), 1930-1934.
  - 6-9 L Correspondence, 1935-1937.
  - 6-10 L Correspondence (includes annual report of Boston Legal Aid Society), 1938-1939.
- Subseries D: Legislative Materials, 1926-1939
  - 6-11 Legislation Bills (includes federal and state bill texts) 1926, 1928-1931.
  - 6-12 Legislation Bills, Part II, 1926, 1928-1931.
  - 6-13 Legislation, 1932.
  - 6-14 Legislation Part II, 1932.
  - 7-1 Legislation, 1933.
  - 7-2 Legislation, 1934-1935.
  - 7-3 Legislation/Miscellaneous, 1936.
  - 7-4 Legislation-Gambling, 1933.
  - 7-5 Legislation-Gambling Part II, 1933.
  - 7-6 Legislation-Gambling (includes court opinions), 1934.
  - 7-7 Legislation-Gambling, 1935-1936.
  - 7-8 Legislative Investigation, 1932.
  - 7-9 Lists-Miscellaneous (includes membership information), 1928-1930.
  - 7-10 Lists (includes books disapproved for 1927-1929), 1927-1931.
  - 8-1 M Correspondence, 1929-1930.
  - 8-2 M Correspondence, 1931-1932.
  - 8-3 M Correspondence, 1933.
  - 8-4 M Correspondence, 1934-1935.
  - 8-5 M Correspondence, 1936-1937.
  - 8-6 M Correspondence, 1938-1939.
  - 8-7 Memoranda (includes undated materials regarding ongoing investigations), 1930.
  - 8-8 Memoranda, 1931.
  - 8-9 Memoranda, 1932.
  - 8-10 Memoranda, 1933.
  - 8-11 Memoranda, 1934-1935.
  - 8-12 Midwest Distributors Inc., 1930.
  - 8-13 Midwest Distributors Inc., 1931.
  - 8-14 Midwest Distributors Inc., 1933.
  - 9-1 Midwest Distributors Inc., 1934.
  - 9-2 Midwest Distributors Inc., 1935.
  - 9-3 Midwest Distributors Inc., 1936-1937.
  - 9-4 Miscellaneous, 1930.
  - 9-5 Miscellaneous, 1931.
  - 9-6 Miscellaneous, 1932.
  - 9-7 Miscellaneous, 1933.
  - 9-8 Miscellaneous, 1934-1936.
  - 9-9 N Correspondence, 1929-1930.
  - 9-10 N Correspondence (includes journal Vigilance Record, Vol. 1 No. 1, June 1931), 1931.
  - 9-11 N Correspondence, 1932.
  - 9-12 N Correspondence, 1933-1935.
  - 9-13 N Correspondence, 1936-1939.
  - 9-14 New England News Company, 1929-1930.
  - 9-15 New England News Company, 1931.
  - 9-16 New England News Company, 1932, 1936.
  - 10-1 New York Society for the Suppression of Vice (includes a 1923 Theatre Magazine article), 1929-1930.
  - 10-2 New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, 1931-1932.
  - 10-3 New York Society for the Suppression of Vice (includes list of spies, informers and postal inspectors undated), 1933- 1934.
  - 10-4 New York Society for the Suppression of Vice, 1935-1936.
  - 10-5 Nutter, McClennen and Fish;
    See also N Correspondence, 1937.
  - 10-6 O Correspondence, 1930-1931.
  - 10-7 O Correspondence, 1933, 1935-1936, 1938.
  - 10-8 P Correspondence, 1929-1931.
  - 10-9 P Correspondence, 1932-1933.
  - 10-10 P Correspondence, 1934-1935.
  - 10-11 P Correspondence, 1936-1938.
  - 10-12 Postal Authorities Anywhere, 1933-1936.
  - 10-13 Prohibition Investigation Reports, 1928, 1931.
  - 11-1 R Correspondence, 1929-1931.
  - 11-2 R Correspondence, 1932-1933.
  - 11-3 R Correspondence, 1934-1935.
  - 11-4 R Correspondence, 1936-1939.
  - 11-5 Rittenhouse, Charles F. Auditor (includes audit report for 1935), 1935.
    See also Financial Files in boxes 1, 2, and 3.
  - 11-6 Rittenhouse, Charles F. Auditor (includes audit report for 1936), 1936.
  - 11-7 Rittenhouse, Charles F. Auditor (includes audit report for 1937 and charitable corporation filing), 1937.
  - 11-8 Rittenhouse, Charles F. Auditor (includes audit report for 1938 and charitable corporation filing), 1938.
  - 11-9 Rittenhouse, Charles F. Auditor (includes audit report for 1939), 1939.
  - 11-10 Rules and Regulations (includes City of Boston regulations), 1930, 1934-1935.
  - 11-11 S Correspondence, 1929-1930.
  - 11-12 S Correspondence, 1931.
  - 11-13 S Correspondence, 1932-1933.
  - 11-14 S Correspondence, 1934-1935.
  - 11-15 S Correspondence, 1936-1937.
  - 11-16 S Correspondence, 1938-1939.
- Subseries E: Membership Information, 1930-1994
  - 12-1 Subscribers (includes information regarding membership with index cards dated 1930 with information dating back as far as 1910), 1910-1930.
  - 12-2 Subscribers, 1931.
  - 12-3 Subscribers (includes list of subscribers with information dating from 1906 and a list of life members), 1932.
  - 12-4 Subscribers, 1933.
  - 12-5 Subscribers, 1934.
  - 12-6 Subscribers, 1935.
  - 12-7 Subscribers, 1936.
  - 12-8 Subscribers, 1937-1938.
  - 12-9 Subscribers, 1939.
  - 13-1 T Correspondence, 1930-1931.
  - 13-2 T Correspondence, 1932-1933.
  - 13-3 T Correspondence, 1934-1936.
  - 13-4 T Correspondence, 1937-1939.
- Subseries F: Theatres, 1931-1994
  - 13-5 Theatres, 1931-1932.
  - 13-6 Theatres, 1933.
  - 13-7 Theatres, 1934.
  - 13-8 Theatres (includes two briefs blocking the Boston production of Lillian Hellman's The Children's Hour), 1935-1936.
  - 13-9 Theatres, 1937-1939.
  - 13-10 Historical Materials (includes a draft of a history of the Crime and Justice Foundation, the successor group to NEWWS, copy of the directors' minutes of 1968 authorizing the transfer of files to Harvard Law School, and other items from the successor groups to the NEWWS), 1958-1994.

Series 2: Bound Volumes, 1927-1957
- Box 14 Minutes of the Director's Meeting.
  Two bound volumes, the first dated October 10, 1927 to December 20, 1948, and the second dated January 17, 1949 to December 16, 1957.
- Box 15 Treasurer's Reports.
  Two bound volumes, the first dated June 1929 to December 1943 and the second dated January 1944 to December 1957.
- Box 16 Investigation Reports
  Two bound volumes (called Secretary's Reports inside the volumes), the first dated July 5, 1927 to February 28, 1941, and the second dated March 24, 1941 to February 25, 1943.
  
  Note that the first volume is not chronologically arranged as all the other volumes are.
- Box 17 Investigation Reports, Part II
  Three bound volumes (called Secretary's Reports inside the volumes), the first dated March 1, 1943 to February 28, 1945, the second dated March 1, 1945 to February 28, 1946 and September 1, 1947 to December 1, 1947, the third dated January 1948 to December 1952.

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