Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-12-26
A QUEER; STORY. From the New York
Commercial Advertiser, Dec. Is "A CORES:

OoUUerclaI A0VeItSer, DeC. 70. ia COrreS-
pcndent sends us the following account of his
experience with mob" of pickpockets, on b
Third-avenuecar on Saturday night The picl
ture is so wildly drawn that any one who has
ever suffered the loss of wallet or watch, at the
hands OF these rascals, will instantly recognize
it: .<1tt..a
To the editor o the Commercial 1dver.iser
am one Of the old boys, born and bred 10
this city. | have run wild der machine;"
been to the races when the pickpockets went
hibitions of the manly art of self defence"
and have also attended mass-meetings at Tam
many Hall, Apollo Hall, and all the other
halls In fact, | have been anywhere and
everywhere that any other old stager in these
parts has visited and never carried pistol
or dirk knife, nor been beat" in all my life
until last Saturday night. Ga that night /
played billiards for Delmonico dinner; I
was beaten. After stepping up to the coun-
ter and paying for the game, took q
Third d-avenue Car for home When got on
the rear platform | found it crowded, and
noticed well-dressed colored friend and
brother" big short-haired man, with four
others of the same sort, beside an old gentle
man, with white necktie, and delicate,
effemiuate-looking youth. This youth stood
against the rear railing, between Inc and the
old gentleman with the white necktie. l
thoueht the short haired men were pick-pock
cts. so felt for my pocketbook, found it all
right, tnen buttoned up my overcoat, and,
like true ''old sport" waited to see the
fun, Ip few minutes the colored individual
shouted "Stop-pushing. The big, short;
hated man said, Shut UP, or I'll mash you.
Then the pressure became great. and the delicate
and efeminate youth by my side said to me,
.'Oh they are crushing me" | said, My
boy, get close to me, will keep the roughs
FROM hurting you; he answered, Thank you,
sir, | will; and so he did. The big, short
haired man then ma de lunge at the Amerl-
can African, when the old gentleman with the
white necktie raised both of his hands and
cried out, LET US have peace-don't strike
one of the down trodden race!" thought the
fun would commence-it looked like fight.
The youth snuggled up closer and closer to
me, and finally screamed out, Keep the crowd
off, or I'll be killed" got desperate, let 60
my pocketbook, and with both hands pushed
the crowd back The youth then said to me,
.'Pease pull the bell, sir, this is my street.
AS he was about to jump off the car, he
thanked me for my kindness to him, and |
thought him to be a very nice young man.
The ''colored pussun' aud short haired man
soop followed. Then the old gentleman shout
ed, Somebody mas StOle0 my "atcu: AheAo
was quite commotion. After it had some,
what subsidized, said to him, II guess you are
from the country, SIR" He answered .1 excited
born, sir Why do you ask me that question,
sir p / said 'Simply because any Yorker
ought to know that there was gang Ct PIC PICK; );
pockets on this platform, and act accordingly,
The old gentleman looked savagely at me
and replied, ''Sir, the only person who was
near my watch pocket was the youth you were ere
80 anxious about" thrust my hand into ny
pocket, but my, pocketbook was gone. ~,
You may bet that there was some tall Ian
guage by the undersigned for few minutes, sn eas
car AS was about to step on the sidewalk
the old gentleman shouted, while shaking hls
cane at me, Il believe you know who has got
INV watch sir If could see policeman |
would have you arrested sir,
| fastened home, saddle der but wiser man.
Please notify your readers to beware OF 2
delicate and efeminate youth on the rear plat
form of city railroad car: Yours truly,
THE Poor CLERK.