Red Wing sentinel., 1860-11-28

NEW YORK AFTER DARK.
Col. F,rney Makes an Exploration-lIc
Sees Strange Sights and Tells Cur
iuos Stories.
Editorial Correspondence Of the Philadelphia
Press.
NEw YORK, October 81, 1850.
have been sojourning in this vast
human hive for the past several days,
and have fulfilled long-deferred
promise to make a tourofthose portions
Of the city in which the worst phases
of poverty and vice are to be witness
sed. The task has not been a pleas.
ant one. TO see whatI have seen,
and to bear up in the face of every
variety of degradation, required a
deal Of resolution; but having resolved
to go through with it, I did not blanch
or taltcr from the hour Of starting,
about eight o'clock last night, until,
tired and nauseated, l reached my
hotel at two o'clock this morning, too
glad to enjoy the necessary rcnova-
ton of bath, and sleep, refreshing, it
is true, but crowded with dreams of
horrid sights and scenes which had
just passed before my eyes. Having
secured the friendly and necessary aid
of two c1cellant detectives attached to
the admirable city police, six of us,
making the whole party eight in all,
issued forth upon our mission,
The first place that we reached was
the police s,ation-housc near the Me.
tropolitan. As we entered one Of those
sad trials was taking place that are
only too common in New York.
Two unfortunate girls were arranged
before the lieutenant Of police on q
charge Of disordcrly conduct. The
lieutenant, who acted in the double
capacity of clerk and judge, first heard
the story of the officer who had them
i'll charge. I watched this mans
cold, stony cyc-his pale, faded face
!, soon realized that familiarity with his
: occupation had wholly blunted his
sensibilities. He paid little attention
to the defense of the painted, over
dressed creatures before him, but Ell
tered their names and ages on his
book, and then with hard metallic
voice, directed the officer TO take then
below, lock them up and let then
!. have no light. ooh! for the love O.
God,'' said one of the girls, with tear:
in her eyes, rs she turned from thu
impossible lieutenant to the strange
spcctators-sfo the love Of God, no
beloec, not dorm Mere-I have don,
nothing but drink little more than
ought 10 have DONE" Her veil wa
) up. She had been handsome once
and sweet smile had not wholly Aet
from her face. Perhaps she had lcf
=. some happy home to hide her shame
, perhaps she had no family to care to
her. Alas if she is now sought, sh,
will be found probably "doecn 1eloac".
her fortune, like her cell, dark" an,
her fate unlighted, save by the mere.
of q redceming God. Her companion
was closely veiled, and followed he
into the cellar prison with silent an,
trembling steps.
We turned from this rather sorrow
full opening, got into our carriages AM
drove to the lower wards. 1t is som
fifteen years since, under an escor
furnished by my excellent frien'
Matsell, I passed along these marrow
: streets and sitting alleys. There ha
heen great change for the bette,
The Old Brewery has given way to
Mission House and sort Of home 70
children without parents. Warehoul
es and granet stores are springing u
in new and crowded thoroughiare.
= But there is yet room, heaven know!
tor still greater changes. More tha
! year ago gave you a short cxper
ence Of high hotel life in this cit,
and spoke Of the almost exact similar
y ity between the people of that time
= and the gorgeous saloons and sweer
ing halls Of those STEAMBOATS, ashore,
and the people who firted, fed an
tlattered in the large hotels Of Ne,
York, ten years before. And if I ha,
k not known that death had been bus
since my last nocturnal visits to tn
hannto Of lower lite, gathering hi
human harvest, l could have almos
sworn that the faces and fingers. tn
riot and rags, the filth and profanit
of last night were the same that ha,
saddened and startled me before
The evening was lovely one. Their
was q young moon in clear sky, an,
: 1.-THE atmosphere was soft and cool