The New York herald., 1870-01-09
TIE PIRATES OF THE PORT.
Life on the Rivers Startling Facts by a
"HeralG' Detective.
Enc River Bandits Ola the
Hudson.
BIG BREW'S GAN
Tho Thieves Paradise Watchmen as
Aecomplices-How Piers and Yes
sels Are Robbed.
Junk Shops and 'sFences"-
Mysteries Saul.H0wlctt Gang
Stats les ON the Sahject-The Har-
bOr POlica--Valuabio Hints.

The commercial community or New York and
Brooklyn have lor years suffered largely by the
plundering raids Of the river pirates or Manhattan
Island. Bur few persons have idea o! the extent
OF the operations Of the desperate gangs VINO nfest
the rivers and bay, ana terrfy watchmen and Ship
pers. Were lhc expo'ls OF thieves embodcu IN
nvoume they would rival some OF the DARN. feats OF
Captain Kidd and the Spanish buccaneers OF the Gulf
Tie river pifacics of New York date as TAR back as
$50. when robbcrcs on smal! sca,e were perpe-
trnted along river fronts; but no. unul ls53
when the Saul-How. EFT gang murde. Ell watchman
Oh vessel at the foot OF Oliver street, in The Fourth
ward, did they attract pubic attention. The cir
cumsances OF that have been nearly forgotten.
II seems that one morning the watchman was founa
murdered AID the vessel robbed. Detectives were
set to work to discover the perpetrators OF TIC
crime. shoe was found on the deck OF the vessel
md this gave clue. Investigations led TO the
arrest or seveyal despera,oes OF the Fourth ward,
known as the Saul Hewlett gang. The parties
arrested were William saul, Nchu as Hewlett Johu.
son. and sullivan alias "Dodyer.n The trial dis
Closed the fact that these cutthrols ran alongside
The vessel in BOAT; Johnson renamed IN II. wnile
the Others boarded the vessel ana murdered the
watchnlan SAUL the better to conceal his move
ments boarding the vessel stripped OF his snoes.
In his hurried retreat he left one Shoe behind to
tell the tale. The result was tnat he and llowett
were hung IN the TOmbs yard January 2S 1883.
johnson was sent to State Prison, and Sullivan
escaped owing to some legal tcchnicalitles IN tie
indictment.
For time robbertes on the rivers and piers sci.
dom occurred. and the action OF the courts struck
terror into tie gang then p eslded over by Saul
and Hewlett, as we'll other amateur gangs
who operated In other portions Of the
city. Oflate years however the buccaneers OF the
Day have worked with renewed vigor, and rea rlch
rewards. The latest SENSATION that mas revived tue
interest In this class OF villains Is the murder OF
watchman Hayes, late o policeman OF the Fourth
precinct. With view OF placing before tho pubic
an oppose OF the manner IN which the river pirates
operate, their haunts and their aocomp Ices dc:ec.
tive OF the HERALD has recently aevosea mach timc
y an examination Of Their haunts, and tho results
0rA OF q starting character. They should be read
attenllvely by commercial men generally, who will
Tor the first learn how they have lost valuable
goods and perhaps gain inforlna Ion VIII enaDc
them Ill the 1uture to protect themselves from Inc
nigat raids oi as desperate us ever throat
Or peeled q bale OF goods.
rHE NORTH RIVER PIERS.
1t Is well known tha: the piers on The North river,
from the Battery 10 pier 50 the great entrep0ts
for the reception OF freight from Eurupeai, the
West Indian, China, California. and South ard Cen
ira! American porGs Tue class OF staples discharged
at those piers are usually of the more valuable
kinds ewing to the TACT that they are Imports from
foreign countries upon which there are heavy duties
The vauo OF the importailons yearly deposited on
these docks, II computed correctly, would reach
fabulous sum-many millions or dollars. All our
great importing lcuses-our merchant princes-re-
cevc their staples Vessels discharging at these
Wharves, and consequently
THE NORTH RIVER PIRATES
make the piers their haun's and reap rich income
at the expense OF tae commercial community. Tnese
whar7es are generally covered ones, supplied with
vatchmcn who are selected with q view 10
b ncsty, courage AMI watchlulnc5s. Among ihe
numerous gangs OF thieves who make their fortunes
Oh this side city that winch Is usua ~ found
In daytime hanging aoou. me saloon OF Felix
lurkin. They nuEber from seven TO ten
pcrate fellows, wno rarely venture until
alter midnight on their plunderng RAIDS. All
70 heavily armed. anu Will use tueir KNIVES either
70 cut opcn baics oi goods or the Uouy any police
man or watchnan who iIay attenIpL ~ luteriele
with their nigga lobbcries iney are commanded
by desperadoes who have frequently been arrest ted
but Us often released through .he iustrunentaty ol
the politicians tacy hep TO eject. Inis gang usually
make The neighbornood OF per As their hea,q s
under whcn their boats are moored. but frequently
they run their piunder piers foot OF LalgnI
Houston and TnrLictl strcets, occasionally INTO
the Hobokel docks. Tnclr operations are usually
confined to tue carry hours of the nlorning
now THEY WORK IT.
The usual naOduS Otr,nnGt Oi this gang Is as fol-
lows :-Durng The DAY ole OF the parry Mil
Qu,cuy saunter down apout tue piers anu exam ie
tie locality ~ ie goods III charging nom steamships.
AT night one OF t1em or u convenient accomu .rs
viii wax along West 10 the eutra ICE or tue
pier and cry "Murdcr watch ~ he Watcnnan will
rush from the covered wharf TO lna Assistance or
whom lie suppOses TO Dc ieil0w creature III DANCER
Of assassinatOn. The con edeae lS !Ouni lying upon
the ground, apparently stunned. he crawls sioHiy
~ has eet on Che approach OF tie watchlan, Tells
him ne has been knocEed down by siungsnot "
runlan has taken refuge i'll an aley way.or u
IumUer yard near by. and i.ivtes the watchnlan to
assist hlm IN the search Tor his ass.ulanL Tne
watchman complies with ms request and wnie his
injured mun row alongside OF the pier silently with
Munled oars smash IN the bukneads doors
during the day Us their prey, dump 1t Ilo tue water
attach a boathOuk to ~ ana row rapidly away. By
the time the watchnan feiura5 to his charge the
thieves have run unter an adjacent pier Stripped
the bale OF cotton OF ITS covering ald oDn teraled
ali traces by which It may he ldenllaed should
II be found III tAeir possession. This mode
Of securing property is styled by the thieves
'yagetag Tor it;' aud in nearly every attempt
OF this KIND they arc sncc ss5ul, and get away
Will ssvcral handrcd donars' worth. Aier plum
der IS stripped. or, TO use ther own pariance.
"skilned," their next TO land It, Sometimes
they Will run 1t under some pier, anchor 1t, tie IL
up by means OF ropes " pie, ana return lor
another bale or box, and devote another nisnt 10
GONE AND TAKE nRIyK.'
This Is the usual Sub terllge rescrted get the
Waterman at a safe distance but by no means the
On.y Que. In some instances man dressed IN the
garb Of sailor Will siageer up 10 the entrance ol
ine dock sought to be robbed and camor ior adins-
Son al the door. The watchman appears when the
sailor ASKS 70 3 oe nla admitted to ms slp lie is N.
not lying at that per- that ne has made a mistake
III. ssiior expresses has surprise, swcar5 he IaS
made mistake, and winds up b. saying
sWell, comradc, l;'s U cold nigat;' e.'s go over
and take u drink
The watchman may at FIRST decline the invitation
but the opportunities OF The seaman eventually over
come him, aud 10 GET nd of him he accompanies
him. Tney enter q West street oyster saloon, many
OF the propnetors OF wn,ca are In WITH
tho thieves. Notwithstanding the EXCISE law
ID LII force the liquor Is put out, the
sailor displays q considerable sum OF money and
finally cabs for oysters for himself and friend Tno
courteous proprietor, wno Is pal ol the lhieveS
and tue sailor delays the preparation OF the dishes
a. long IS possible. and not unreq icny seads out
runner 10 ini0rm the pirates lying under ali ad-
1acent dock that Tue coast Is clear. The watcuman
returns to his post and discovers that two three
0ales OF cotton, bags OF wool or cofee, q box OF
DrOadclotn cask OF VINO has beel sLolen during
MS abseace by RIVER burglars who nave io.cel an
cn.rance 70 the pier. Rarely does he sus ect that
MS enjoyed, and the saloon Keeper who eagerly