Volcano weekly ledger., 1856-03-29
Richard Kicker.

Or, as he has come down to ms, Dcky Riker,
as Recorder of the city of New York, has
recorded his name among the names that the
people will not willingly let die. The good
things he said, and the better things he did,
80 -. among the legacies of the public; and
every now and thesa ID Tue newspapers tell them
over and over, as they are called up by the
passing events of our own days. He is the
father OF an expression often used without
reference to its paternity; but there are many
still living who have heard him addressing
many prisoner in such words as these:
Young man l am sorry to see you here:
think have seen you here before: must
send you up. The fact is stealing is vice
which is becoming altogether too common IN this
community must send you up for at least
six months"
At one time the Recorder himself was "upr
at Blackwell's Island, on one of these Junk
etlng excursions in which the City Fathers
often indulge even in these days Of no liquor
and reform. In the old times, when Dicky
Riker reigned, they used to stay all night
there and have "a regular time of it." linger-
ing two or three days, and taking the matter
quietly. On one of these occasions the Re
corder needed the services of barber to put
smooth face on his Honor before he re-
turned to the city but unhappily there was
no knight of the razor on the Island except
the prisoner who did the shaving for his fel-
low conyicts. To him the Recorder was
therefore obliged to submit himself, but with
some misgiyings. He took his seat. shut his
eyes, and the white foam soon lay like snow
on the hills and wales of the Recorders face.
The criminal barber now took bis customer
gently by the nose, and with the other hand
raised the razor to commence operations.
The Recorder opened his eyes, and as they
rested on the face of the Island barber. a
flash of dim recognition for an instant light
ed them up, and, in his blandest tones, he
said:
My friend, what unfortunate circumstance
has brought you herey'
The barber scowled savagely, and with
prolane expression for preface, he replied
with great earnestness and spite,
No unfortunate circumstance at all Sir:
you sent me here. A man stands no chance
at all in your hands; but you are in mine Just
aolo.'
And us he said this with quick move
ment he dipped the razor into a cup OF hot
boiling water that was standing on a stove
at hand and drew the hot back of it, with
all his might, across the bare throat Of the
Recorder, as it lay tcmptingly before him.
Murder? murder!" roared the Judge, as
he sprang from the chair, gathering UP the
towel close about his neck and sinking down
again, in the full conviction that he was
dead man. His shout had raised the house; :;
the prison officers and aldermen came rushing
in to know what was the matter.
Don't you see the bloodr family Casped
the dying Recorder, as he pressed the linen
more closely to the gaping wound to stanch
the crimson currentl His friends loosened
his grasp, removed the towel, and assured
him there was some great mistake, for his
neck was innocent of blood. Sensible at last
that such was the case the Recorder slowly
let the towel fall, recovered his breath, drew
his hand lightly across his throat to assure
himself that it was all right, and then. while
the rest indulged themselves in q hearty
laugh, he solemnly said to the barber.
You took me by surprise. | was not
quite ready to be murdered; jests are good,
but such jests as these should not become too
common IN this communityr
This ANEcDoTE of our ancient Recorder re-
minds us OF a revolutionary incident, not
written in any Of the books, but admirably
Illustrative of the spirit Of those times when
boys as well as men were heroes, and the
spirit Of patriotism burned like that of mar
tyrdom in all hearts. The British army were
in possession Of the city of New York Pet
ty tyranies were, of course, not unusual. and
sometimes they become very capricious and
intoerable. An officer entered BARRIERS
shop, where only boy was in attendance.
and after deal Of clustering and swearing
because the master was out, he drew his sword
laid it on the table with much flourish, and
thus addressed the lad:
Now, my boy shave me, and, by the lord
Harry, If you draw one drop Of blood on my
face, with your laundering work, viii run
that sword through your body: you hear, do
you; and now take care how you work"
The lad proceeded deliberately with his bu-
sness, and shaved the officer as well as he
could, and fortunately without nicking the
skin of the elegant Englishman, who survey
ed himself in the glass, and again addressed
the youngster:
Now tell me how You dared to shave me
at ALL after l had threatened to kill you if
you cut my face?'
Because" said the boy, al knew / had
the advantage of you; for if had been so
unfortunate as 10 mex your cmn would have
cut your throat from ear to carp
The cold sweat broke out on the officers
brow at the thought of his own escape, and
he marched ont of the shop vondering ~ tba