The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-25
Glimpses Of Life Under tn
City Piers.
The Sailor Thieves and Wharf Rats-Night
Watchmen and Their "Pals''-The Reign Of
the Roughs and the Powerless Position Of
the Police-Monopolies in Crime-Pis.
toll Practice from tho Docks-How
Quarter Of Million Dollars
Worth Of Property 10 An
nually Spirited Away. IA

to the rivers and thence the sea- certain streets
OF the metropolis seem to absorb the current of
criminal life and convey to localities corresponding
to basins and sink holes the cloc0a OF moral and
physical disease arising from debauchery ana
crime. Like lepr0us spots these localities cluster
about us, marring the beauty Of all around infect
ing the mind and pouting the character OF all who
venture or are driven near and even breeding Ia the
very atmosphere we breath the rr sE
II els. GERMS OF PEsTILENcE AND DEATH. q
4, A curious fact Is noted, In that crime usua,,v
haunts the water side just where the sewers disem.
bogue and though, In localities ike the Five Points In
New YORK or the Seven Dias, the Rookery and Rag
Far In London It sometimes occupies quarters little
removed from the river 'front.' this does not disproye
rule established by such noticeable examples as
Mapping Poplar, tho banks OF the Seine In Paris
and the long lines Of streets adjacent to the North
and East rivers Of New York. No fouler dens were
ever the refuge OF poverty and sin than those that
abound In aud about Water street. Cherry street, and
Just back OF West street. upon the property and under
the shadow OF the spire Of Trinity church. Here
congregate those whom vice or misfortune have
driven beyond the pale OF society; whose eyes have
long since lost the light Of hope, and who, from the
kennel IN which thay hide their filth and rags, go
forth in the shadows end darkness the tackals Of
society," TO prey upon those whom they claim, some
them. Instinctively these beings AVOID the light.
The sunshine exhibits their deformity Others the
pickering gas light In the solitary street reveals 1t to
Themselves They know that they are hideous, and
loaihe their personality, but they say, "You, the
fortunate, the rich and the happy made me 80; In the
DESPERATE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE
you beat me down. was the weakest and the VIC
tim, but in my agony and despair too can s;ing.n
They herd together for the purposes of attack AMI
defence. They keep up q guerilla warfare against
the individuals Of that great INCAPABLE, organized
force, society," which they Accuse with greater crimes
than those to which they tn emselves plead guilty.
In this continual struggle many go to prison, few
to the gallows, but their ranks are continually re-
cruited by others. These new corners arrive sud
denly among them from God knows where. After
while they disappear, and in little lapse Of time
are forgotten. Those who are executed or imprl-
soned are remembered little longer. from the
excitement created In the fraternity by
the dangers and developments OF their
trial. Among other sources from which these
wrctches are gathered are the swarms OF abandoned
children, whO after playing hide ana seek with
starvation for while. readily become absorbed in
this vortex. These are their f0undiinga Withal
there are epochs In the history Of these localities
and their inhabitants, periods containing stirring
events and in which cluster singular characters.
These people have traditions Of what are to them
matters OF greatimportance In their "reminiscences
they have golden are in which no"~"""'
celebrities as
"pATsY THE BARBER" AND "sroBDERY JIM"
who performed such wonders in thieving Una,
none Of their imitators In the present
dare ever claim comparison with
them or assume any other position than
that OF humble and weak admirers. The thieves In
the central portions Of the city are loud In their
praise Of the dexterous "fencng" Of Frettsche, but
would hardly dare 10 risk comparison In river
quarters OF their favorte with old Mag Shannon,
whO we have been told, tears standing in the eyes
OF the speaker, is now In London nOck."
Naturally avoiding the streets, so etrectualy pa
upon the river. There In the darkness. among the
Shiny splles and the plunging wharf rats, they
| unguarded vessel or make descent on an exposed
wharf. Darkness is their best cover and the storm
hides their approach and browns the noise OF theu
oars. Hanging about under the piers they manage
to obtain the proceeds Of their robberes, IN tht
| aggregate quarter OF million dollars worth O
| THE FIELD OF OPERATIONS.
| Each locality has Its own special business; AZ
Street is the wharf Of the Havana steamships, an(
| here O large gang find profitable employment II
sS ey Are ~ ea a
before the snip is moored and the bundles Of con
chas, tntfmidads and prncipes are thrown over the
side INTO the eager hands waiting to catch them
There have been occasions when the revenue officers
though the boats were chased they succeeded In es
Gaping to the Jersey shore.
ana other sailing vessels arriving in port from
| the Scandinavian countres-rrom Norway, Den.
them are poorly paid by their foreign mas ter
stories told in sailors boarding houses. AM
\ by runners and lOungers who board tb
ships and hang about the docks. These low rates o
| wages and consequent dissatisfaction of the mel
employed when, arriving in other ports, they gain
| glimpse Of what appears to them a road TO riches
renders possible the curious crime known as
"sAILOR THIEvING.o
The sailors invited to neghborng gin mill to
drink plotted to boarding house den and intro
duced to the proprietor, kindly man, who hearing
finds an opportunity to sandwich among his excla-
nations OF astonishment sundry hints OF the ineXpe
dlency OF remaining In such employ and adds that
sooner than see O good-hearted, honest man SO
defrauded Of his just due he would offer him an
the speech Of the host, and while at their
pa ns e
brought them heap OF sinners on their discharge
and enabled them to settle down comfortably ashore
for the rest Of their lives Then as poor Jack gets
half seas over In vllanons gin, he ID persuaded to
desert his ship. and by the help Of bis new-found
up his quarters at the Nord Deutchef Gasthaus.
When the poor fellow regains his sober senses he Is
generally on board wialer bound for three years
a. haunting memory and his rst' lesson In Eng.
lish only serving to teach him that he has been
'bu6H8u6lu" 8uQ Ll6J Ills OlbutcTeSleu kepS
little heinentes Of hts sojourn among them TO the
value Of two or three hundred dollars by Wdy Of his
bounty and effects. ~ L'At.
Pier No. Is Is at the foot Of Albany street. This s
the principal +. rrt rre
RENPEzvoUs OF THE COTTON THIEVES, z.
and amusing stories are often told among the thieves
and along the wharves Of what befell those honest
Watchren, its guardians, In the time Of the three
watch the thieves have never led quiet life, ana
but little time since one was dragged into the
river with bale OF cotton on which he lay asleep
to carry 1t to Jersey. they clambered upon the
dock, fastened their hooks in the bale and, securing
rowed boldly away. The poor watchman felt
himself topping, and, throwing up his arms,
6egan to yawn Just In time t9 get his mouth ln Of
lorh-6oking scatn and asslstsd him shore, where
he stood Trembling and thankful before bis pre-
servers, to whom he intimated that ever alter,
asleep or awake he would never forget ne owed them