The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-09
MEN WHO IRE MISSING.
hook In witch Uin,s of Crimes arr Recorded
Tn the Fsnce Central once.

A Book In which Utrts of Crtmce arr Recorded |
In the Fonce Central once.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUS-Sr: The |
book kept Mt Police Headquarters by Ser
Reant Bcechey holds the names Of great
many persons who are reported rs missing.
In most Of these cnses the lost ones are soon
found. or voluntarily return. large proper
ton Of the men have been on q frolc. and as
they become sober they wander toward home
Not one in five OF these returns are reportcdto
the police and so tho book has scores OF names
marked missing" while the owners are not
missing ut ALL
Only n small portion OF missing persons are
reported to the police. The friends avoid pub
licity. and either maze the police promise
silence or do not inform them OF the cases.
These unrcported cases are the most interest
ing aud important Of oil. They embrace rich
Young men. and old ones. too. who have sat too
late at dinner or who have been in search Of the
elephant. They embrace men from the coun-
try, who in their own homes. are the patterns
~ propriety. but who cannot resist the tempta-
ton TO see life in the great city II matters littlc
what happens to such missing men they put
up with losses and injuries, and make no fuss
about IT, The swarms OF male and female
sharks who intcst the metropolis well know
this unwillngness OF respectable men TO make
complaints which would involve publicity and
trim their sails accordingly. A great deal Is
heard Of stool pigeons. cappers. and ropers-tn
for gambling houses. but not much about
other stool pigeons who work Tor more
dangerous resorts. Yct any police officer
can point out specimens Of these fellows-not
vagabonds by any means, but apparently gentle
mea. II Is the business OF tn ss fellows 10 make
acquaintance with guests at hotels. 10 WIN thclr
saE SS saI q, mSn who '9 %ny be fffs e
merry. mix in. trent propose visit TO theatre
and so rope in " the party. As matter Of
course there are drinks, and here comes the
| knavery. The drinks are druRged with mar
| cotics. Having visited the theatre the party
and drunken. Then comes hint from the
pilot that such one has got money. nnd such
know a ton dollar bin from a morning news
paper. II his real friends are not also iptoM-
sed s9ey HAY ss' hl% SwSY ESi p raSy Se
| he II advised to 90 TO bed for an hour. aud that
means to be kept for two or three DAYS. or. per
| his robbers make away with his uoney, watch,
and Iewelry. What becomes Of himi Well.
H. may be iskon In the small hours OF tho
| morning to the private entrance OF his hotel.
carefully dumped upon the doorstep. and then
| the consprators will ring the bell and run of.
or lac may De- taken IN hack TO the Sentral
IarA ana lei, TO shIrs ior himself nm, Or 81.
| cars in Jersey City. a ticket having been plAaed
in his hatband, and lind himself in Phila-
There is hardly a hotel keeper in the city
| who cannot remember these cases OF missing
| not expose thom. Only q few days ago tho
wife u man boarding in an uptown hotel
! NLult 70 lllt tulft 'AI y III hl'ihAhfss i"t
| crazy because her husband had not been homo.
| Two days ur more went By. the woman naturally
In terrible distress, when he appeared. What
were the facts? He went out to see a play /;
| found congenial company in tho theatre; had
eygra drnss drnSHSd W ms G ana ab s srsY
hut that was pot the programme OF ms dear
friends" He was taken to resort wher.
wine flowed like water land he paid Tor ~. until
zee became helpless. Then he was put IA bed.
and a. long as anything was lett Of $500 that he
had on starting, he was Kept IN state Of semi
! iusans billy When the money had been Sc
cured. lie was escorted 70 the door OF nus hotel
tho door. vanished like shadow. What toll
lowed Let the reader Imagine, but u Is prop
ahl,. that the upshot will be Il suit for divorce.
There is "a great deaf Of deliberate dragging
and robhing that never comes 70 night. Tho man
who = careless eenough to drink WIN stranger
Is seldom safe. The writer knows OF instances
where men were watched while they got theiI
salary. followed by good friends who induced
them 10 take Just one drink. followed milcs
alt"rward. and this kept up. with drugged
liquor occasionally, until the proper condition
ui stupor was attained. Then the victim WA
robbed. ard left half asleep 10 shrk for himself
There was remarkable instance. not greq
white ago, where u man was in state oil semi
: oblivion for nearly two weeks. Yet he was, L
al ordinary aPpedarance sober r. ANA MAKES aT
gumenis with those ne met. no on suspec' w
that he was under any abnormal iniuence 1e
he had been drugRed-whM with was neNel
| kQown-and the cOnspirtors. VINO were hitcl
| rs money, were astonished 10 find the unex
prctod effect Of their doses. Instead Of going {
; In some degree passive: he WAS obivious u
3 times. and then clear m ndcd and the roguc
4 | Knew not what to make OF IL They took hin
| 10 Brooklyn 10 Coney Island. and the next plac
] he remembered was Harlem Bridge. at night
| when he supposed they were about 10 throw
| him into the river. All this time two mean. SIN
p | i.trr faces were always nj his side. and he was
b | doubtless, paying for rum and car iare. VIM
| they were securing what they could OF IN
money Except for the apparent wakeiulnes
he all this time manifested. they would nav
p made short work by knocking him on the hea
n | Awakeness was only a sort OF trance. Alter teI
| LAYS of such experience. Of which lie then r.
, | nliz.d hardly anything but subsequently, d
| slow degrees recalled, the man suddenly cam
., | fo his senses, and WAS in street ear not ia
u rom his home. His physician told MN that u
= had been very thoroughly drugged. when wa
! | pi course. the case. Al, -
| How many cases In some degree ike ms, hr
q there that never come tOthe public noucef W ca
u | only imagine; but when We remember that DOT
u victims and conspirators are equally anxious |
| prevent publicity We may reasonably suppos
20 | hat great many outrAges occur OF whlch W
T | public never hear That the practice oi secret
) | 1rugging liquOr or wine, not only IN place
where gentlemen are not supposed % irepuen
= | nut In apparently Respectable liquor saloons,
b | wiie- pread cannot be doubted In spite OF n
| most careful efforts b. conceal the offences
l. | which we have alluded now and then one come
. To- light. rs, for instance the case OF the youn
T. man. only a few days ago. who was Kept
f. prisoncr until all his money was gone an
~ | probably we should not have heard Of MN ma
% | not some one raised the question OF ms age an
| iriod 10 hold the keeper OF the house Tor dAlI
lles under the law that prohibits tho SAFE
| ,iquor 10 minors. D.