The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-12-05


counted thirteen women - homeless crea-
lures, who had there al: saeI,er Some
were asleep, and those who walked
drew their shawis over their bare heads to
avoid the gaze of the visitors, One held
in her arms child about two years old,
whose little pale face indicated that the
sands of its life were fast running out, and
that Providence intended to rescue it
from the fate Of the poor wretches around
it.
Outside of the small and close cell, on
benches, We're stretched other women Nc.
few of their couutenances showed past
beauty Of no ordinary character The
black, glossy hair of one. her white teeth,
and hnely-cbiselled features were evidence
that, young as she was, she had Haunted
her brief day as queen among her class
But she, too, was not long for this life
At the end Of the corridor was roam
somewha; Iarecr occupied by the men
lodgers Here the degradation was more
apl aren't. The bruised and bloated faces,
the >hoci,>s feet, the filth. and noisome
smel! tha; exi aled from their bodies, crea-
ted a sensation of indesc,ibahIe nausea.
Thy w-rr pa,'ei in ,go herring, AL with
| out excel puou, the victims cf drink and
lis attendant vices and crimes.
Down stairs were the cells in which the
prisoners of the night were confined sen
fenced on various charges; some for drum
kenness and others for theft ard burglary.
On one oS the hard paic woman was re-
posing. She reused " at our approach
and began to weep and moan in the most
heart reuding manner. Next door to her
was mother with Il child in her arms.
One cell contained three men Ny atten-
tion was called to one of these, an aged
man, who came forward and protested that
his companion was killing him. " He has
beaten me-" said the man, " for the last
two hours am here for nothing | have
committed no crime; | have seen better
days. For the sake os humanity take me
out of this place His appeal was sus-
tanned by the appearance Of his tormentor
"a young and stalwart lrishman, with a
hideous face, who poured out torrent of
protane vituperation upon the old man.
The officer kindly released the latter, amid
the most earnest expressions Of gratitude.
The station houses seemed superior to
those Of Philadelphia. The Accommodations
for the officers are neat and convenient; the
hail itself large and we'll ordered, and the
whole economy Of the place admirable.
Most of the lisuteuants are men of educa
tion and character. and the discipline Of the
rank and file Of the police seems Ia be ex-
| act and severe \ record is kept of ali
those who are lodged and confined; their
| ages sex, occupation and residence The
majority of the guilty and the poor seemed
to be males, but the proportion Of females
was frigh,fully large.
he adventures Of these uniOrtunate-
would furnish a startling commentary upon
the scarcity of temaie empl, yment, and The
inadequacy IF female wages Attracted to
New York, they run q brief career, after
as brief resistance to the allurcmeutS Of
yicc, and die an early death
| he history Of young girl from an ai-
jacent village was told TO Us She was cx-
trcaiely lovely; but, fond Of dress and al
mratio1, vas induced oa one occasion to
pay visit to New York, by man who
represented himself as u merchant. aud
prove! 10 BE- gambler. She never re.
turned 10 her happy home, bat became an
Inmate of one OF the Mercer street houses,
where she remained for some two yeas.
Al the end "f this time she had contriycd
10 save some fifteen hundred dollars, and
then resolved to change her course Of life,
aud to live upon her little fortune Nj
that moment the tempter again appeared.
in the person Of her sejucer She loved
him ardently, and, with woman's conf
ience, surrendered to his keeping her
money on the promise it Should BE- repaid
five fold She never saw him more. " aud
now" said the officer. she is almos. a
nightly occupant IF one of our cells
| Those who have read the works Of Dica-
ems will remember how he delinea.cs the
mystery Of thieying in all its varieties; the
skill aud dexterity of the London burglars
the utter degradation, even Of children Ct
both sexes, reared amid cvil aSsocia
tons, and the difficulty of detecting the
really guilty New York connot Of course,
equal london in this respect, but it has
many representatives worthy the pen Of the
i!lustrious Boz Anecdotes are related Of
boys of ten years, who make the circuit oI
the city, day and night, with violin and
tamhorine, and return with considerable
harvest, taken from the pockets of theil
audiences. all of which, il turn, is counted
over to their leader, who exercises bra
tai tyranny over his youthful followers
The na;ionalites ct the habitues of the
part OF New York that we visited are
American, German, and Irish Ok course
American rowdyism is there represented
in lis worst phases. but the fondness 70.
liquor seemed TO show itself less among the
Germans Those vino resort to the Ger
man dcnS prefer lager beer, while in Other
quarters We noticed that gin, whiskey, anC
other poisonous decoctions we're the favo
rite beverages
i Our next and last visit was to the negr(
headquarters Down stairs stable. the
second floor coffin warehouse, the third :
ballroom aud bar The contrast VA
entirely In favor OF the coloed ladies AIT
gentleman. The room was cleaner. ,h,
females better dressed a..i hett.r b hayed
and the men l9ohing healthier aDd NOR:
,lar- 4 l,r,., - =,