The Wages of Sin

The Wages Of Sin Ill-gotten or not, the gains of the Mayflower Madam are hers to keep. At issue was some $250,000 in book and TV-movie money paid to Sydney Biddle Barrows for her story as owner of a high-priced Manhattan escort service. Under a New York law passed to keep the "Son of Sam" killer from cashing in on his deeds, criminals cannot profit from their biographies. Barrows, who pleaded guilty in 1985 to promoting prostitution, argued that the law should not apply to victimless crimes like her own. Last week a New York court agreed. "Yea!" said Barrows. "I need the money."