New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-16

lovers" socaed OF the women, and the runners" OF
these infamous dens. With view of testing the auda-
city of these runners" "rOpersin," of the
porters accosied one OF Them and assuming drunken
gait and country dialect, innocently inquired the way
the Bowery He received the potest OF answers and
hiccuplng out "thank ee," staggered away in the d.
rection pointed out After having gone few yards the
reporter deliberately against lamppos which gave
him the opportunity Of turning his head for moment
one glance sufficient Therewas the runner stand
ing by the house directing the attention Of two OF his
women toward him. Two minutes afterward they were
ON either side of him ondeavoring to begue him into en-
tenng the house. He, however, renewed his inquiries
tor the Bowery. aud was told to go to hi
ARREST OF THE REPORTERS
But by this time the Officer No an, had become
pciOus for the reporters had investigated many scenes
OF this during the evening IT necessary there
FORE TO beat retreat for short time till the relief
should at 70 O'Clock. Back again in Meroer-st
once they found officer No. a74 on the beat. On
passing him he viewed them with considerable suspicion
He had evidently been warned OF their proceedings by
the retiring patrolman. Encounterng them laterthey
standing under lamp for the purpose Of catching
his numher-the officer approached them, and the fol
lowing conversation ensued:
Young man, want to know your business"
surely you have no right TO ask that question"
81 want to know your business, and If you re gentle
you n tell me. II not, shall take you in"
These inquiries put by the officer in the
most Offensive and rough manner. The reporters
refused TO answer Them and were Immediately
arrested the suspicion of being there nth intent 70
commit burglary. They at offered to accompany
the officer who on their way the station-House sew
era times insued them by repeatedly saying tha' tue!
no gentlemen, and remarkng that many Durgares
committed in NeWYOrk. On one OF the PRISONERS "
remarkng that an officer had right TO insult any one
he might arrest, the officer replied suriiy: " why
shouldn't you be isuted as well as anybody eisef IL
would be id difficult to insult the likes of you"
on arriving at the StatiOnHouse the officer made his
charge the gentlemen their names addresses ages
and OCCUPATIONS and had not one of them had ms ere
dentias from this Office in his pocket. they certainly
would have passed the night in the StatiOnHouse, as
they still refused 10 mention their business in hand.
They describe the CONSERVATION and confusion of the
officer, on finding they TRIBUNE men, as amusing
TO degree He was at once summary dismissed TO ms
post by the Sergeant who cOurteOusy bowed the report
ers out giving them lights for their cigars from corner
of his newspaper, and politely holding the door open
they passed into the street.
The charge upon which this officer arrested the re-
porters was the suspicion that they in Mercerst
with intent to commit burglary. When at the station
House the only evidence that he could bring forward TO
sustanate that charge was that he had passed them
two three times his beat and that the last occa
sion of his passing them they stood under the gas
lamp TO try and see my number as passed" VIII any
intelligent police officer for moment suppose that
two woud-be burglars would deliberately place them
selves under gasamp 10 catch the number of the pass
ing officer on the beat9 VIII any intelligent reader Of
THE TRIBUNE not suspect that officer Of having special
and personal reason for aTesng these two gentlemen
With regard TO the insoence of the officer while making
and after having made the arrest it only necessary 10
quote two OF the rules from the Manual OF the Metro
politan Police force. Rule AT says; members OF the
Department he civil and respectful to their officers
TO each other and TO all other persons, on all occasions
The last clause Of Rule SIT, relative to arrests is still
ia int il
of policeman to keep his prisoners safely but he has
no right violence, and he must not
even such language would be calculated 70 pro-
woke or exasperate them, for such conduct tends TO
create resistance in the prisoners and hostile feeling
among the by-standers toward the policeman"
WHERE THE HOUSES ARE.
The man. Tom Draper who owns the panel house No.
l Mercers owns fewer than three more in the same
Ward-No 123 Mercerst. No. Sc Mercer-st and No 476
Broomest. No. 1913 Mercerst has only been open for
business short time 1t is run in Diapers interest by
notorious thief by the name of Billy Welsh and has
about ten Of the female thieves among its assist
for enticng in In this house, If victim, on
missing his money "sQuealsp he Immediately attacked
10y Welsh aud his pmps and thrown out into the street.
where gets any redres from the police Draper
some time ago. used to attend to the house No sc Mercer
st. himself but having got into trouble with some Of the
attaches Of the Nicholas Hotel they broke him and
gave il in charge OF of his known Little
colored negesses, who highly successful in their
enterprises, because when they plumber victim their
color protects them from hearing Of him again.
There are about fifteen Of them connected with the
house. all Of whom have white pimps, or lovers as
they are called. Some of these lovers among
The chief election repeaters of the Eighth Ward.
Diapers house, No. 476 BroOmest., is worked
entirely under his own supervision, and yields
him a large income from the many robberies
which are nightly perpetrated in IT, He has about 20 e
male decoys for ropng men into the house. and every
night victims he hanging about the house III the
faint hope of getting their money back or at least part
of IT, They never succeed however and OF course wont
GO to the Station House because of the exposure Draper
is said TO have boosted short time while standing
in Reddy the Backsmiths saloon, that he had cleared
$4,000 in this house alone in the previous two months
Draper also partnership in house on Woosterst'
above Bleeckerst. His partner is one RushmOre anas
Rusher 1t has been open and doing business Tor the
last months. Only few nights ago ponce Onclai
was robbed in this house.
Nos 17 and 100 Mercerst close 10 the Fifteenth Pre-
cnct station House form onepanelhouse on large scale
It ia kept and worked by a scoundrel OF the
name of Black Short who has been in State
Prison and is well known to the police. lie
has from fifteen to twenty ghls, all very young
Tho number Of victims they secure every night
is surprising Complaints constantly made to the
notice but nothing is ever done. notorious thief
known by the name Of Hash keeps the house No 2S9
WoOserst Isaac Little, alias Tip Little runs the mousse
No 200 Greene-st He is thief whose likeness adOrns
the rogues gallery and has served or two terms in
State Prison. The neighbOrs have made several COM
plants against him. but be still continues to his BUSH
ness with great profit himself The panel crib at No
"A West Fourth-st is kept by notorious thief by the
name of Rooney, alias Riggs 1t has been open about
three months and from its being so near broadway mas
reaped rich harvest Another panel CRIB is kept by
John Bourbon anas Bourbon Johnny on Twelfth-s be-
tween Broadway and Fourth-aye This house has been
open some time and judging from the size OF the dla
monds which its proprietor wears, must have done
large nd lucrative business.