New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-12


the city.
GEhTEEL LoAFERs, GAMBLERS AND PIcErocKETs.-
Every afternoon may be scattered along the
promenade side Of Broadway any quantity of those
ekoraiiers dindastrte known as gambler pickpock.
cts deCOyducks and thmblerggers. There they stand
in squads Of two three four for hours together on
the corner Of Canal street Howard street, Spring
street ard all along shore, looking out for game"
Their appearance is that Of finished gentlemen and il
is but seldom that they any familiarity with each
other firing Of one place, these gentee loaer move
about from corner to another, shifting their posi-
ton three four times in the of afternoon.
Now you see them, now you don't Sc them and Ike
betting which thimble the little joker is under, Il
would be risky for any one passing up Broadway Ia
bet where he would see these chevaeIs on his return
down town. Here stands one on this corner, a tai
man, wbsker slightly red and trimmed Ia mllitdre,
glossy silk hat aud black clothes. He seldom speaks
to auy one in the street, AID always looks serious.
Here comes another down the sreet-mddling
hight, musache, curly black hair, glossy black hat,
fancy vest, plaid pants, and new pG:enteather
boots, light yellow gloves and small cane. Number
three-a dapper little man-gossy silk hat, rather
low crown with broad brim dark clothes and an i'm
meDse strut This will suffice; for they all appear
alike; they all have regular hang-dog look, and not
one Of them will meet you eye TO eye, but sink
away at a penetrating glance.
Ere long, however, these genteel oafers will be
driven entirely from Broadway, where they have long
been an eye.sore 10 respectable citizens compelled
TO move up and down. The corner of Canal and
Broadway Las recently undergone sach change that
these fellows cannot loaf there The proprietor of the
shop on the northwest has placed strong iron
railing at the edge of his sioOp which, with the con-
slant attendance of of the Reserved Corps at that
point, has had the effect Of driving away the oungers
to another quarter.
The rum.shop on the corner above has vanished,
and in its place store Of some description will short
" be opened. This corner has long been q fivorte
resort of gamblers ard other birds of that feather but
the "place that knew them once will know them no
more"
The building on the diagonal from the above,
once occupied by Bill Poole drinking saloon, has,
since the death of that individual, been tenantless.
The structure wears condemned look, and the cor
Fer will probably never be occupied until n new build
ing is erected on the site. Stanwix Hall, the place
where Poole was killed. Notwithstanding its change of
name TO the Revere House, never recovered from the
blow It's prosperity received on that fatal night.
For month or more past il has been tenant
lcss, and with bill "To Let" hanging in
the window. The place seemed haunted, and
with its dismal look has long been stunned At
last however some enterprising shopkeeper has hired
II, end workmen are busy celebrating all traces
of the saloon where the bloody tragedy was enacted,
and converting it into store This was once great
loungng place the fancy but like the City Hotel,
the place that knew them shall kRoV them no
more. The breaking up of these old haunts is pro-
ducing good effect and these gentee ioaters, who
always wear good clothes but never be seen doing
anything honest will be driven from the street Sew
eral shopkeepers on Broadway where many of these
fellows were in the habit of spending the afternoons,
had great difficulty in getting nd of them and 1t was
only by perseyeng in the matter that they could clear
them away.