Yes, I was confused too. But because there were a lot of people moving about, it was probably safer to pick someone up there. I wonder if they used some sort of signal to indicate they were interested?
The group had been under surveillance for some time, ever since someone reported to the police that there were odd, round holes in the walls of the public lavatory at one of the railway stations. Said holes were at hip levelβand I am sure we can all understand what they were used for. The men in question were mostly upstanding men who ran various small businesses.
One was a printer, another traded in paper of all qualities, and Ernst Frank himself was an errand boy. Ernst Frank admitted he had been paid for his services. Quite a lot, actually, making far more money through his sexual services than his normal job.
One of his customers was actually the one who shopped him, this despite having been with Ernst Frank at least twice. Maybe he avoided prosecution by throwing the very attractive young man into the arms of the police. He came from a poor home, his father had abandoned the family some years back and his mother was an alcoholic. By selling himself, Ernst was able to move into his own living accommodations.
The police were somewhat horrified: such a young manβa mere child, reallyβand already so doused in sin. You see, in the last few decades or so of the 19th century and a decade or so into the 20th century, people flocked to theatres to see female impersonators, i.
