The sun., 1879-06-22
rBIEVKs IN THE oUIsE or NsWsBoYs.
The ArtniI Dodgers that Fly their Trade at
the Lower End OF PnrksRov.

Tho ncws-boy pickpocket nuisance around
the intersection OF Broadway, Park row and
Ann street has grown to such proportions as
seriously 10 damage the business OF trades
men. The sidewalks near the lower end
OF Park row fairly swarm with these young
thieves, who. while ostensibly selling news
papers. are robbing passers by under the
eyes OF the police. They usually operate In
parties OF two and three, The smaller and
more active youngsters doing the actual thiev-
ing. and the older sharing In the profits.
Their favorite game are old ladies and gentle
men, particularly those who are from the coun-
Let one OF these stop to read q newspaper bull
letin, or to look into shop window, ana ne 10
surrounded by two or three rnRamufns. who.
while they thrust paper in hts face, silly run
their hands into his pockets and renevethem OF
their contents. Intoxicated persons are robbed
While the absent nded business man. in
tent on tho news. is glancinR over the columns
OF an afternoon newspaper thieves ply
their busiest trade in the afternoon-the pick
pocket is quietly abstracting whatever money
the man has in his vest pocket. Few are aware
and Identification OF the thief is rare and d I'M.
cult The noise. the bustle. and the crowded
Broadway are intensified by the thronRs Of
cheap Johns. huckRtsrs. and poramDulatlnR
slgp6oards. eiiectually shelter the pickpoekeis
and IL. As rarely happens. they are detected, the
purieus OF Ann street and the side doors and
staircAscs OF tno neiRh0orinR buildings anord
OF ate there las been a school OF newsboy
thieves in Ann, street where embryo Artiul
pSESs service q1H o9ry and ParE
| Many Of theso tn ievos are too woll dressed and
neat for pewsboys, Some OF them are II or ls
among the nowsboys by their vicious coun-
tenances. Many Of them are well known to the
police but they continue to ply their trude with
| impurity. week ago a constable ot tho Lon
! don VI ltropotan Police was robbed OF SIG by
one Of these. pretended newsboys while he was
| Standing before newspaper bulletin. Luckily
| he caught the thiof before the lattor bad time
to MAKE on. but not before the boy had passed
| the money 70 n confederate. Not long ago two
women were robbed In a similar manner while
standing IN front OF a lcwelry store In PARK
row. Within the past few weeks the nuisance n,
| to etOp In the neighborhood.
A tradosman doing business In lower Park
come positively unbearable There Is not a
| day passes that people are not roboed on the
sidewalk within half dozen feet Of me. l have
stood in my shop door and seen these boys
| picking pockets and pilierinR right and LETT on
the cars and on the street. Sometimes they
would not repay tho owner Tor the trouble Of
prosecuting. sometimes they make rich hauls
When detected or cornered they run around
! into Ann street, or dodge III rough the entrances
Of tho adjacent buildings. There is gang whC
regularly work in front OF the Post Onice. and
! others who station themselves among the costcr
mongers and fruit peddlcrs on the sidewalk
running from the corner of Ann street TO The
| Post ONCE. Complaints have frequently beer
made to the police. but It does no good"
Two villhinous looking youngsters OF 10 or IL
years. evidently graduates from the thieves
resorts OF the east side wero summing them
selves ON u barrel at the corner. The elder haC
bold. puffy face. small sharp eyes. and
broad brlm felt hat. with flaps pulled dowr
over his ears. Each carried two or three news
papers. evidently for show. not for business.
There, you see those two chaps7 They arr
two ot the worst and most notorious pick
pockets about here. Their faces are well known
TO the police. but IL doesn't prevent them from
plying their trade here every day"