Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-12-17
Low Life in New York.
BY WRIT SKIES.

I =
dressed in the ordinary garb of respectable.
ty, some of the more degraded localities OF
New York. became evident that to see the
low life fostering there in its normal condi-
tion, disguise was necessary. In your ordi-
nary garb, you are out of keeping with the
scenes in which you mingle-l target for all
eyes. The wretched people with whom you
converse will not act naturally. Some put
on hypocritical airs of religion, whimpering
semblances Of misfortune and worthy dis
tress, who are the most arrant rogues i'm
aginable. Beggars practice upon you their
| customary arts. Thieves will draw long
faoc and pirate, and pick your pocket mo-
ment after. For the most part, however,
you will be met with rebuffs.
/ In pursuing, therefore, Investigations in
| the lower strata of city life, it has been my
custom to adopt disguise of rags and out
| ward untidiness; in some cases the garb of
the red shirted fireman. When thus equip
| ped, neither beggars nor rascals hide from
me their natural proclivties, nor disguise
their customary manners.
1t was a furious night when / turned out
| of Chatham street into Roosevelt, on my
way to Bilkcrs Hole. The wind blew a
| gale, and the snow fell in binding sheets,
| with thin, brittle flakes, and contrived to cut
| the face, but did little towards obstructing
| the walks, or covering them. As an indi
yidual, | found it most uncomfortable
| night to be out; as an author, however, 1t
was perfectly acceptable to me. If con-
suited comfort in the pursuit of information
regarding New Yorks after-dark aspects,
should stay at home altogether. Tonight
| was disguised in q red flannel shirt, cot
| ton ncckerchief, slouch hat, a long over
| coat, heavy boots and uprolled trowsers-
and was accompanied by gentleman thor
| oughly acquainted with the by-ways OF the
city.
We paused before little shoemaker's
| shop adjoining the blind alley leading in to
| Biker's Hole-or Hall, as it is sometimes
| called-and went in to make some inquiries.
| To nv surprise, the two shoemakers-one
young and intelligent Irishman. the other an
| old GermaA, of most hideous aspect-pro-
| fessed utter ignorance of the whereabouts of
Biker's Hole. They had heard of it-cer-
| tainly-but where it was they could not tell.
informed them that it was right here-the
building actually joined their shop.
Sand what dye want of it when ye'ye
| found 1t p asked the Irishman.
| Whereupon thought best to confess my
| disguise, and told him that was going To
"write it up
| This announcement created profound
sensation, The German Immediately laid
| aside his last, and volunteered to accompany
| us.
"Do you know. any of the inmates y |
asked
"Mc? Nav! naw." he replied, with a
sort of enthusiasm of disgust. " bees re-
spectacle man--ncfer look in derc since |
vas alive!"
He followed us out into the storm in his
shirt sleeves to advise us to look out, II we
were going to venture in there, and, point
ing somewhat exciledly with his knife, sug--
| gested dozen places in the vicinity that L
ought to vist-"dey bees so low, so dirty,
so poor" Nevertheless, his own home was
as low, as dirty as the majority; but the
pride of industrious poverty is q strange
manifestation sometimes
Notwithstanding the good work-good
| though temporary-that Jack Frost had
done for the alley, or court, leading to Bill
ker's Hole, the stencil was fearful. we
penetrated to the lower end of the court,
and paused moment to survey the build
ing. Black and gloomy in the night, BIZ
ker's Hole reared its brick walls to Storm the
saddest imaginable specimen of dlapidstion.
Up sort of rude ladder of steps that leaned
against tho building we mounted and e. ter
ed an open door. All was darkness. l. felt
along the ragged walls-my fingers came in
contact with rusty iron staple. wandered
along IL wooden patch and suddenly sunk
into n cavity.
eco back to the shoemaker's and get a
box of Matches" said to my companion,
"there is no telling what holes We may
stumble into here. We surely must inpro.
wise light"
While he was gone 1 returned into the
court. A door opened-a sudden uproar ol
cursing voices swept out into the night
man came tumbing headlong ou', followed
by
Snow you be off! I'll cut your tlirost ful
yer if / git ahold of yer ag'n. I've hat
enough Of you"
So muchI could catch from the Babel o
cries could see that the room within was
crowded with men and women or creature!
in their shape at least. When the door wa
banged together, and the sound OF drunken
sobs fell on my car, as the miserable oblec
who had been thrust out crawled towards
the street, | followed him.
What's the fuss, Johnny?' said l.
"Hello," said he, snutling off sob, I'll
that you? Where was you? Did you SCI
him histe me out ?"
81 sor him, said l, adopting the vcrnac
| ular suited to my disguise; what ior fii'
he do ii p
"You know, don't yer?" he answered
, rubbing his eyes, ''didn't you never prig 10
him p
, s.Net me-"
"Ain't you on il t?-you are on it'll knoy
/ you! / seed you at the Tombs once
/ Wasn't you up on the island last summer
e Yes, you was"
a companion returned. By it le, rncd tina
: the den was kept by a veritablc Fagin, sue
a as Charles Dickens depicted in Oliver Twis
- AN educator of young thieves. who receive
q their spois, and sells them at ''thieye
q pence" Tonight this fellow had taken um
y bmge at the young man whom had yer
tured TO accost as Johnny, who being EN-
bo!dencd by liquor, had rebelled at 1t
small portion of the spoils-'whack of til
If swag he called it-that he had receive
, from his tutor
The reader may wonder that did not il
! form the police of this discovery; but I'll
. police knew all about it already Its il
i. mates-now one and now annther-mal
NJ frequent acquaintance with prison walls
: but our system of punishment only annoy
is crminals-it does not eradicate them.
,e They expect to pass portion OF their tin
ar in prison q sentence comes TO them mue
ss as sickness may come to you-it must
re- borne. Their advantage is that they kno
G. beforehand just how long they will be
= getting well, when they will resume the
er old employments, precisely as before.
Mt 1TONlutu WIN JOA Vi hotshSct NJ 1
es turned to the dark entrance vt the rear
Of the court, and entered. My companit
in struck light; and holding up the match
r. ascertain wheae the stairs were, saw the
90 by its dim flicker leading up into region
to gloom. Up these and igniting another mate
n we found our way obstructed in front by
ID wall, while on either side was door.
ID 1t must not be supposed that during I'll
C. time there was silence oil about us. On Il
re contrary, there was noise enough to show
o that the building was thickly peopled, al
or not by deaf mutes. There was one voice
r. that of an Irishwoman, clearly-which W
ne distinguishable above the general din.
was more like dogs howl than hum
es voice--yet it syllabled words. too.
IN "What dye name by comm here when
er got no money, We baste Ahoo WOW
n dhirty thafe Whin yer pockers are full
IN shtay away till it's all gon an thin ye com
mt back to me. Ow-wow ye amadhaun Al
he me dead broke, an nothin' to ate Hoo
va mingled all through with the most dread
i'll 0aths.
To "Let's CO." whispered my companion.
ttYaa T am poinp " said sin ~