New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-10-30
PHILADELPHIA IN SLICES.
sltetIII.-.TnE RowDr CIrs

be 10 BE- the result Of misrepresentation and cAumny
And yet such i the fact These who are familiar with
the process Of -akils 'esTlpos know how naturally
il for the unthinng subs Of the daily press indulge
In sneers Al the Affairs Of rva cities and dist0rt
occurrences for the purpose Of attaching odigm %
whole classes and communities for the scts ol few
wicked individuals. whose types sre abundant IN every
city - 4 has been with Philadelphia The Fircmen.
the authorities. and the city itself haye acquired
reputation tor rowdysm and brutality altogether IN
deserved simply from tte atrocities Of gangs Of ruf
fans and rowdy apprentices who do no; regularly be-
long 20 the Fire Compsne. AZ AL and for the part
are not citizens Of Philadelphia Nine ienihs Of those
whose rascaites have made Philadelphia so unjusty
notorious live In the dens and .hsates OF lse suburbs
and are a. much detested BY the Firemen as by al
other good citizens
u mustse remembered that the Cry Of Philadelphia
extends only from Lombsris street on the South 70
Vine street on TIE North and from the Delaware the
schuylkill Within this space riots and mob.
unknown and even disordery scenes OF the mildes,
character extremely Beyond the city the North
are the immense suburb. or districts OF spring
Garden Northern Liberties. Kensington and Penn
Township. and on the sO1sh Southwark and Moyauen.
sn- Zach OF these districts has lie own separate
municipal organization and elects IL own corporation
technically Commissioner p and al subordinate
ofrcers-has 10 own Police water gas &c. SC. and
]. entirely independent Of the corporate authorities
Of the City Of Philadelphia These districts were be-
fore the Native American exctements entirely and i'm
movsbly LocoFocoish and hose who know how that
party manages snf ssses power will readily under
stand that in their hands they have become infested
with Of the most gracesss vagsbonds and unniii
gated ruisns tolerated by thu authorities because their
vote, were necessary to keep them in Office. That
most odious and disgusting OF all Characteristic
Bhoy-with which the stage in New York and Phila.
dephis has recently achieved its GROWING disgrace
inevitably fourshed under this state Of things, and
has actually lower and more thorough development
Of debs.emcnt in Philadelphia than in New.York The
districts especially of Southwark snd Moyamensing,
swarm with these losfers who brave only IN gangs,
herd together in squads or clubs, ornamented with
such ouilsndish titles as Killers" Bouncers Rats
singers" Nighthawks' Buffers" SINNERS
Gumballs" smsshers." whep.' Players and
other appropriate and verminous designations which
may be in any Of the suburbs written in chalk or
charcoal every dead wall fence and stable door
These clubs possess kind IF barbarous organization
and hold nightly conclsves the OF by streets
or in unoccuped building lots, snesking about behind
the rubbish heaps and perhaps and then venturing
to assault unprotected female or knock down
lonely passenger. One OF heir favorite tricks il TO
raise false alarm OF IRE ana then make rush for the
engine houses-pushing ssid, the regular hremen and
assuming their places =; tn, ropes. In this way they
gradually usurped control OF two three engines and
apparstuses and finally drove away the respectable
members OF the companies who chose rsther to give
up their property than to Incur the disgrace Of such
rr,r- sh.la ne. fhra
transmitted and strengthened by any number Of Ou,
siders either side, have arisen the innumerable
fights and atrocities from the odium of which Phils
delpha has 80 much and Justly suffered Two com
panies in psrticular-whch, however, cannot name
wiihou, endangering the verr walls OF the Tribune
Budings"-have rendered themselves for years infa.
mously conspicuous in these proceedings Previous
TO the Mexican War and the shipping of large numbers
OF these rowdes vounteers,-lits All III wind that
blow. nobody good D-eyery few nights these compa-
mics would contrye 10 out upon false IRE alarm,
and 20 through with tlelr devili.h orgies-throwng
brick bats .panners and paving stones about in all
directions and yelling through their detes,sble fire
horns" q. II satan and all his journeymen had come
up to do little spreeing altogether too disgusting to
be permitted IN their native regions. Frequently these
scenes were prolonged all night driving sleep from
Of old grannies and women Of both with terror
and despair But after all the only thing really fright
fu about them wa. the Internal noise. The loAers
generally took good not 10 hurt one smother and
with the exception Of some too spectators now
and then hoored By stray missile, these affairs were
mostly quite harmless. Sometimes pistols, and even
gum. were fired but they were guiltless OF lead and
the adventurous youths who discharged them took
good care 10 turn away their heads they pulled the
trigger 90 as not to get scorched with the printing On
the whole alter investigate thoroughly the origin and
character Of these riots very strongly impressed
with the opinion that enths OF them were got up
merely for good Joke and principally with the design
OF frightening quiet citizens. The rovdes are I'M
mensey ambitious. and as vain as woman ana the
minute and detailed notorey which the reporters nard
run for subjects conferred upon these riots IN the
newspapers exactly the kind Of fame they coveted
Recently these have become much less frequent
and we begin 10 hope we may latter ourselves that
they have ceased altogether
Sometimes however, the brutal passions OF these
people have become excited with their mock heroes
that they have actually done serious damage and the
records OF the Courts will testify that In ie" cases
human life has fallen victim 70 this fell spirit Of
ruianism. One two Of the worst Of the clubs are
known 10 generally 90 armed, either with POCKET pis
tolls knives or those horrible inventions known "
slung shot" We have last been examining a, the
District Attorneys Office regular museum OF arms
Including specimen Of the sung shot, which have
been taken from the clubbers arrested 81 various tmes
The pistols generally poor rckety concerns, quite
a. likely injure the shooter a. anybody else But
the slung shot Is indeed fearful weapon. 1t i, ball
OF lead weighing about half pound with hole
through the center through which Is passed q buck
skin thong attached 10 piece Of strong cord about
eighteen inches in length the end of this cord Is
twisted round the wrist and the lesden bal concealed
IN the closed hand until ready 10 be thrown. Thus
armed the ruaAn gets into the middle OF crowd and
sy. sbou, him right and left dealing his blows
and clearing space where be can show of and re
ceive the homsg. Of the younger members OF the club
who look upon aim with feeling Of ave and rever-
ence and scarcely dare hope that they may ever emu
ate his glorious example
These clubs are principally composed Of young aP-
preprces from fteen TO twenty years old OF regular
ana professional loaiers and strong infusion of those
most obscene wrstches the fancy men, who live on
the pensions granted them BY their mis,resse. and
which they earn by promiseuous and indiseriminate
prostitution The members u the clubs seldom indulge
in theft or burglary although they have been known
-. 80, for uuruosa Of eating M a