The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-11-24
New York by Gas Light.

New York to his paper, the Press, giving
perhaps, the most vivid picture ever paint
ed OF the horrors of the Five Point re
; gions of New York We make extracts a
follows:
Having secured the friendly and necessa
RI aid Of two excellent detectives attached
to the admirable city police, six of us
making the whole party eight in all, issueC
forth upon our mission. The first placs
We reached was the police station house
near the Metropolitan. As we entered
one of those sad trials that are only toe
common IN New York, was taking place
Two unfortunate girls were arraigned be
fore the Lieutenant of Police, on q charge
! of disorderly conduct The Lieutenant
who acted in the double capacity of Clerk
and Judge, first heard the story of the Of
ticers who had them in charge. watched
| this mans cold, stony eye-his pale. faded
face-and soon realized that familiarity
with his occupation had blunted his sensj-
| bilities. He paid little attention to the
! painted over-dressed creatures before him,
but entered their names and ages on his
book, and then, with hard, metallic
| voice, directed the officer to take them be-
| low, lock them up, and let them have no
! light. "Oh for the love Of God, said
one of the girls, tears in her eyes, as she
J turned from the impassionate Lieutenant
! to the strange spectators" for the love Of
! God, not 6ciDC, not d0rn Hers-I have done
nothing but drink little more than |
ought TO have done" Her veil was up
She had been handsome once; and a sweet
smile had not wholly fled from her face
Perhaps she had left some happy home to
hide her shame perhaps some aching
heart was breaking for her, far away; per
! haps she had nobody to care for her
Alas, II she IS now sought, she will be
found probably, Joara brio,g.' her fortune
like her cell, dark, and her face un-
lighted, save by the mercy OF a redeeming
God Her companion was closely veiied
and followed her into the cellar prison
with silent and trembling steps
The evening was lovely one. There
was a young moon in clear sky, and the
atmosphere was soft and cool The close
lanes were crowded with a mixed mas Of
men, women and children-not those that
surged IN and swept along Broadway, but
another race, probably as Indifferent 10
Broadway a. Broadway to them Music
was heard from almost every door; glasses
we're clinking; and above the din OF voices
the tones Of the gentler sex were heard a.
the octave flute Is heard in the full or
chestra.
Let Us enter one OF these dens Firs. is
the gin shop, with a stout woman a. the
presiding divinity who welcomes US with
no pleasant air, but vino does not refuse
admission when shs sees the protecting
stars which shine benignantly al cur
side. Next, the bail room, Not bad
copy OF other saloons with more preten
sions At the extrxme end is = baleouy.
or box. III which are q violin, a clariOnet,
and a fife. eac, with a blnated face behind
il. and the trio are producing a sort Of
drunken cotil.iou. The set is being form
ed The women are first in position. each
with her partner. generally invited by her
self The men are generally heavily he
grimmCd and bewki-kerei; and among
them two who DO not look 10 be over
ei.htcen Mo-tof these -aid our Guide.
are known 70 be burglars; and that fell
low, i, full length on the side bench is
supposed 20 have been guilty OF al least
three murders That woman has had FIVE
husbands-the last is at sea-and she Will
soon have another; and that young fellow,
with the light cap. who dances 40 grace
fully, and - dressed I'll, "a ono Of the
most expert pickporNe'> II. the country
We left the usual fe- tat were informed
that the girls could not get gjn ,ill the bal!
was over. The tigross at the bar kept
them sober on light pOtatlons TIL this part
Of their slavery vas performed These
fraIl sisters are mostly attached 20 these
houses az so many fixtures paving 80 much
Il week for their board. At least :. } which
they must earn AZ the double sacrifice ot
body and soul / heard s0mo stories OF
the WAY they are treated by their over
seers-who are to often tiends IN the
shape Of men-how they are driven out
when they yield TO the TEN Inptations around
them-how they are forced 10 submit TO
the mo-tinhuman brItalities-and how, in
their utter desperation, more than one
finds an early grave. and willing victim to
the vice she iabOred 10 resist or the long
ing for death which Is grattied by poison
or the knife. But | VIII not repeat these
details: for sooth - say. II they were Il: TO
tell, they would not bc believed, farnii.arlv
notorious a. they are here. In one of
these drns, where gin was nat prohibited
saw a child, Of not more than SIX years,
stupid with rum-its eyes half closed in
drunkenness, and its little face bloated
For Gods sake, give me some air, said
one Of our party, Il cannot stand this
moment longer