Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-01-22
From the Philadelphia Gazette.

ment.n
from the Philadelphia Gazette.
Capture Of Brandy.
That degraded specimen of humanity known
as Chunkey Gilman, the patriarch Of the wharf
rats, occasionally INDUCED in a tour of obser
yation. That is to say, he donned greasy
great-coat, the collar of which rose above his
ears, and q broken beaver, of an indefinite age
and promenaded Delaware avenue, for the com.
prehensiye purpose of "seeing what he could
see" and with the special object Of spying out
objects for the exercise of the peculiar craft oi
his apprentices. At such times Chunkey was
particularly careful to keep out of the way Of
dren, of whose iniquities he was the snperin
tendent, were compelled to show him that they
were wide awake and busy.
On q certain afternoon, while Gilman was
taking the indulgence mentioned above, he was
actually delighted into hoarse laugh by see
ing the stevedores engaged in depositing a
cargo of Cognac brandy on one of the wharves
He passed and repassed. His rheumy eye
fairly strove to sparkle, and his dirty hands
rubbed each other, SO intense was his satisfac-
ton. To hunt up Mat and a few more Of his
"likely" boys was the occupation of few
moments. They received their Instructions,
and then the wharfrat parent returned to
Mother Mickey's to communicate the good
news, and prepare for nights willing wor-
ship Of Bacchus.
AS usual, operations were postponed until the
light Of day was withdrawn. But, on this occa-
sion, the young wharfrats were determined to
commence the work of plumber as soon as the
owners or superintendentso Of the brandy had left
the wharf. About twenty yards from the ave-
nue. end OF the pier was one OF those narrow
alleys Of which we have before spoken. This al
leyh ad two branches, still narrower than itself,
which struck off about its centre. In these
branches, concealed behind old shutters and
cellar doors, were about dozen boys and girls,
over whom Mat Gilman had somewhat of the
authority Of captain. Each one Of the children
carried mug or vessel of some sort, whole or
broken-Mat himself having an old iron tea
kettle.
4 Somewhat to the confusion Of this maraud-
ing party, the sun had scarcely sunk in the
west when the crescent moon appeared, smil-
ing down the avenue dreamy light This in
creased the difficulty Of the work before them,
exposing them to the eyes of the watchman,
even if he were at the distance of square
from the wharf. A brief council of war was
held, at which Mat proposed scheme worthy
of the reputation Chunkey Gilman had given
him as "smart boy" He said that he would
pretend to be lost, and engage the attention Of
the watchman while the others bored and plum
dered barrel of the brandy. He then gave
one Of the boys short auger which he usually
carried, made them all promise to hurry through
their work, and stole down the alley to the ave.
nue..
The watchman was to be seen walking lei
surely along upon the pavement. Mat i'm
mediately strolled towards him, crying in a
most piteous style. The watchman happened
to be a native Of the emerald isle, naturally
good hearted, and disposed to. make the most
Of any incident which relieved the solitary
walks Of the night Of course he asked for
the reason of Mats crying, and the boy spun
out q most lamentable story Of his having
wandered away from the home of his parents
at the lower extremity of Southwark, and not
knowing where he should sleep. The conver.
sation was continued as long as the artful
little rogue could induce the watchman to stand !;
and then the Hibernian, somewhat melted about
the organ of impulse, took hold of the boys
hand, and said he would get him place to
sleep. They walked together towards the end
Of the next street leading up from the Della
ware. AS they approached it, Mat quit sob
bing, and jerking away from the watchman,
cried, No, indeed, won't go with you; you
useless for the latter to protest against any
such Interpretation Of his designs; Mat disap-
peared along the avenue. In few moments
the crafty rogue was with his little companions
in the alley, delighted to find that they had
the mugs and kettles filled. To get out of the
alley and beneath the roof of Mother Mickey's
grogshop was leisurely worked, and the rob
berry was safely completed.
Mankind have very different conceptions of
the place appointed for the residence of de-
hnquents in future state. They rack their
brains, and on horrors head horrors accu-
mulate," in striving to reach the idea. But
those who have been accustomed to move in
spheres Of purity and refinement, need but have
visited Mother Mickey's den that night to have
perfected a conception which could never recur
TO the mind without giving frightful thrill to
the heart. We will not attempt to picture the
scenes which might there have been witnessed
Suffice it to say here, that they were but the
counterpart, in most Of their horrid and dis
gusting features, of those which may be seen
in many such places not far from the wharves
OF this city. Men and women, boys and girls,
all supposed to be endowed with souls, stagger
ing in their brutal drunkenness, making shock
ing oaths and indecent behavior their contin-
ual delight, and combating with the remorse-
less ferocity of wild beasts. Oil ye of mis-.
sionary hearts, forget the heathen afar off, until
the horrors Of the heathenism within the scope
Of your daily walks no longer insults God and
degrades humanity
MONUMENT TO GENERAL PUTNAM.-The peo-
pie of Windham county, Conn.,, are making
an earnest movement for the erection Of a suit
able monument over the remains of this brave
and honest old soldiep whose history is part
Of the American revolution, and whose fame is
a pride to every true son of fConnecticut. AT q
large meeting of the citizens of Windham
county lately held, on association was formed
10 cnrru the object into nffact IL nortn;nlu