San Francisco's most famous madam, Sally
Stanford, was arrested and tried at least twice in San Francisco.
The first time was in the early l930's when Sally was using her
original name, Mrs. Spagnioli. She was charged with operating a
"bagnio" (bordello) in a small hotel she owned at the edge of the
Tenderloin. Sally expressed herself as being utterly flabbergasted
to learn that her tenants (all ladies) were consorting with strange
gentlemen in return for financial consideration. In the idiom of the
trade, she beat the rap. Sometime later, she changed her name to
Stanford, taken in honor of the university of the same
name.
Then, in November l949, a young woman who was
arrested for "bag-swinging" on Eddy Street, claimed that she had
worked in Sally's place.
Sally was arrested and prosecuted for
contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Sally was acquitted
again, but the damage was done. Times had changed. Sally retired
from one profession, but opened a restaurant in Sausalito and
eventually became vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce, a
Little League sponsor and ultimately the elected mayor of that
city. |