The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-05-26

4
tious in forming acquaintance, or IN selecting
places whereat TO remain either for shorter or
/ longer period There are a set of land sharks, who
hover about each vessel on its arrival-and not
frequently board it some distance down the river
and mportune the passengers 10 take up their
residence at the different hotels or houses they re-
present, with other intention than that of grossly
imposing upon them, or, It is to be feared worse
object, which is not found out until il is TOO late
TO be remedied, and the unfortunate parties have
lost their all or ltstrangers in foreign land,
without penny, and not unfrequently without
| friends to assist or advise Them The mode OF pro-
ceeding adopted by this set OF robbers, is to ad-
dress themselves to the passengers on their arrival
representing themselves as landlords or owners OF
certain houses OF a highly respectable character,
which they get either one OF the crew OF the
vessel perhaps another OF the passengers, or else
some disint9ested stranger the deck at the time
| TO vouch for, at the expense OF a dollar or Two;
! Terms are agreed upon between the parties, ana
every pains is taken by the boarding house Keeper,
| or his runner, 10 get possession OF the luggage,
| which ~ speedily removed, and placed. not unfre-
quently, In some out OF the way place, where Inc
owner but seldom IT, and can only get at II
with some difficulty. In d day or Two, or when
the unfortunate stranger Is desirous OF settling tor
his board, Nc, he finds the demand made upon
him some fifty or hundred per cent greater than
what he originally agreed for and that the parties
with whom he originally agreed were not the
landlords owners OF the house, but merely run
ners, persons empoyf for the purpose OF decoying
! strangers to these dens OF roguery and lmpo-
siton. Upon application to the landlord, he
is Informed that he knows nothing or the
parties with whom the terms were inade and that
if he does, he (the landlord) Is not bound any
agreement statements made by his servants, and
impudently lHtimates, that unless the account rem
| dered be settled forthwith, additional charge
will be made tor storage of luggage, if il has not
been beer already done Under such circumstances
what the unfortunate Stranger do; by some
means another the state of his finances and cir
cumstances ascertaned by the harpies around
him; he, perhaps, is about to start, and PAID his
passage for some distant part by the railway or
steamboat; or, if more fortunate, about to enter
upon situation which requires his immediate pre-
sence. The demand now made upon HIM IS such
as to almost deprive him OF every dollar, and quite
equal to what would have been charged by most
respectable hotels in the town, with far superior
accommodation, board, NC. In vain he states all
this not jOt title OF the charge will be re-
duced, and he may think himself the more tortu-
nate if he is not grossly insulted or Ill used by the
same landlord, or some Of his myrmldons, as we
| have known to have been done, while protesting
against such gross imposition To settle this de.
mand the last dollar is not untrequently paid and
| the unfortunate is perhaps obliged to part with
some of his remaining property at great sacrihce
to carry him further, or tor his future support Nor
is this ALL In his anxiety TO remove his luggage,
he iorgets negects to examine it, to that ii
IS all right. But short time after shows him his
still greater folly IN This respect Tor he soon lnds
that some OF his most valuable property is missing
IF he applies to those In whose charge he had
trusted It. he is told "they know nothing about the
missing articles" that they don't know that he
| ever brought such property into the place.; that
| if he did there were other bsarders who had re-
| course TO the store where the goods were depo'
sited, and were likely to take them as par
| ties belonging to the establishments and, If
the importantly becomes rather troublesome
| the part of the sufferer, it not unfrequently
happens atrecourse is had to hre dts and violence
to get ria Of what they term troublesome Gus.
| what a stranger do in strange land, or even
in his native land, without money or friends! Be-
Sides if he was inclined to apply to the authorities
for advice and assistance under such circumstances,
and no doubt it would be promptly inquired into
and the parties looked after-peo.le, particularly
strangers, very reluctant to step forward in such
matters even if previous arrangements and circunl-
stances did not prevent them, considering that the
| first loss and trouble was quite enough.
This, we know, Is no uncommon way OF pro-
ceedlng by some parties in this city; but for the
| honor of America can say, that they are gen.
orally kept by natives OF the old country, and II is
upon their fellow countrymen that they more fire"
quenty prey, in the shape OF wolves in Sleeps
| clothing There are several establishments OF this
description in this neighborhood, who employ four
| or five runners-a Jew, an lrishman, native OF
| Wales, an Engishman or two, who always manage
| to make 1t appear that they come from the same
part ct the country as the sranger-and one or two
| natives. These are employed 10 decoy such par
ties from the different parts they themselves are
more particularly acquainted with. Thus the ma
tive of the Emerald Isle assalled by the barney OF
| his countryman the Jew by its being shown to him
how far his interest will be promoted by his So
lournng where one OF the tribe resides; the native
OF Wales is also induced to go from desire to
speak IN the ancient tongue OF his country with
stranger at some thousands of miles distant from 1t
| and the Englishman from love of talking and
being with those from or near his own native place
| But the poor dupes soon find that they have to
pay dear for their whistle" and the result is,
nine cases out OF ten, as before stated.
Much might be done by captains OF vessels to
prevent their passengers being thus imposed upon,
l hy their nnf IN Ohara Cfe for how
| are well known to them, to come on board In
deed, there is little doubt but the property lying
| about the vessel would be much safer if they were
only to prevent them coming into contact with it.
1t is to be hoped that the authorities also will deem
this evil worthy of their notice and attention. The
placing OF an officer or two at the different slips
upon the arrival of vessels with emigranis, would
| do much IN preventing these harpes from Imposing
upon and insulting strangers arriving In this coun-
try; and, besides preserving the peace in very
many instances, it would give the stranger much
better idea OF our desire to protect him when on
our shores, than at present he can possibly have.
| LETTER FROM THE MAYOR TO BISHOP HUGHES.
The following is copy of letter sent on Friday
| by Hon. James Harper, Mayor of New York, to
| Right Rev. Bishop Hughes, in reply to his commu-
nication published on Monday morning last:-
| MAYORS OFFICE,
49, New York, May 2sd, lsA.}
| To THE RI. Rev. BrsHoP HuoHEs =
Rev AND DEAR sn-My attention has been directed to
letter. bearing your nae and addressed to me- in the
columns of the Courier and Enquirer If there had been
any thing in it requiring an answer from you would
doubtless have thought proper to send copy before
publication and as you did not, right, probably, in
supposng that your exclusive object address the
public.
perceive, however, in the first paragraph, that you
have been threatened with personal injury by whose
name is not withheld iromlyou. This is matter properly
falling within my cognizance and have to request,
therefore, that you will favor with such information
and evidence be in your power available Tor my
official action in the premises
have the honor to be-
Very respectfully, your obdl servt,
JAMES HARPER.
The THREATENING LETTER TO BISHOP HUGHES
From the reply to Bishop Hughes letter. by Mayor
Harper, which we give in another column, it will
be seen that all possible means will be taken to as
certain the writer of the threatening episte alleged
by the Bishop to have been addressed to him by a