Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-06-17
W. ID. WALLACH.
THE HARD WORK OF CRIME.

There may be something dashing and excl
ting in the trade Of the pirate or bandit for
those gentlemen are well fed and live easy
lives, can play the guitar and have pleasant
quarters-at least in the pages Of novels But
the poor town rowdy in America, really Aorks
harder and is worse paid than any apprentice
or hired laborer. Take as an instance of the
work he has to do, bold crime, and what one
would suppose to be a crime that paid we'll
burglary. Associates are required TO enter and
rifle dwelling; nights, or at least hours of
sieeplessness, hunger, dreadful uncertainty are
passed; exposure to cold and damp, and long
and hard work has to be endured TO saw, or
pick open doors and windows AMI when at
last the dwelling is entered and the dang FRS
overcome Of watchmen outside and n bullet or
two inside, what is secured? Some clothing. a
LITTLE cutlery, q few old spoons and occasionally
little jewelry. These things are disposed of
for One-tenth Of their value to receivers of sto,
goo1s, and each of the associates receive six or
eight dollars, which are promptly spent for
liquor, or gambled away at the card table in
s'me miserable grog shop. 1t is a common
thing TO find in houses burglariously entered
th1t the first place the poor thieves have rifed
has been the refrigerator and the closet unable
to wait for something to eat and drink, although
every moment Of delay might have cost them
their lives They are also frequently detected
by being found with clothing on their persons
W wllch IS recognized as having been stolen from
some dwelling. Who works harder or is more
poorly paid than one who takes part in doings
Ike this! And yet this is a fair average in
stance Of the crime in largo cities
Once IN while we hear Of bank safe blown
open, or an express Office or jewelers. shop
successfully entered and robbed. But these
events are of rare occurrence and / sneak of
the ordinary run Ofluck in the profession. The
small ribblo of thieves, "knucks," and elf
tcrs. ''sneak thieves, and showers ofeouu
tcrteIt money, as they are elegantly styIed
among themselves, by the police, are ragged
Ili-fed, and unsavory. A recent official work
shows that the average duration of life among
the girls who have given themselves up to a
life OF shame, is only four years, and from per
spnal observation among victims of this class
tor ten years as chaplin of Bellevue, the largest
public hospital Of New York, should iudre
that the closing year Of the four is generally
em0lttered by disease, painful consumptive
symptoms, and low fever, aggravated by the
Tree use OF POISONOUS gin. / have also noticed
among the grown up boys and half men who
1--we as stable rowdies, dock loafers, and small
hsngers on OF shoulder-hittsrs and pot house
pohLlcIaES that very many are willing to give
up their chances of life and home for Central
America and yellow fever and follow any fiji
baStering chief who will pay their expenses
out. Young lads Of this description do not
make enough at mischief to keen soul and body
together. They live three quarters of the wear
by sponsIDg upon their poor mothers and sis
tiers, who take in washing or sew; and bow
who has energy and respectability enough 10
keep steadily Mt work selling papers, lozcnres.
or peanuts, Is prince 10 them i'm character.
suceeSS and general happiness.-ReU. Dr.
CHRIHIGRSS ~