New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-27
Two SIDES or ITALIAN LIFE.



POLICE sEEGxANr's EXPERIENCE WITH THE MOST
ouARnrLsoME or rToPLrs-woRK or THE
ITALIAN MISSION IN CRosBY-sT. ~
In the Fourteenth Precinct, within the radius Oh
q quarter Of mile of the Mercer Street Station. i've
two-tbirds of the Italian population OF New-iorK'7
Therdays spcnt in selling watcry lemonade
bad peanuts and worse cigars the street corners
I'm turning hand organs and picking rags. or IN
some one of the similar pursuits which have been
tactly abandoned to the children of Italy. Their
evenings are generally devoted TO drinking sale
beer OF to the aristocraic amusement oil using
tho stlletto. At present more than half OF the
Italian are in the country, and that neighoor-
hood is unusually quiet. Winter is the harvest
time for the policemen of that precinct, and scafceN
a night passes that four five indignant Italians
are pot called OH TO explain their conduct to an IN
quisitive sergeant. Sergeant Marcus llorbelt mas
been connected with the Mercer Street Station lot
number OF years and his experience with the
Italians has been very wide. When questioned re
Gently by TRIBUNE reporter in regard to some OF
their habits, he said
"I suppose the Italians arc the most quarrelsome
people on the face of the earth. They give us no
end of trouble Hardly n night passes in winter
but we have to arrest some Of them. Nearly an OF
them carry stilettos, and if they get into hsnt
they never hesitate to use them. Recently many
of them nave begun to carry pistols"
'Where do they get theI stilettosW
"They make them usually out of old
files or old knives They fashion point
on them and then fasten them by wire
TO handle, made out OF broOmstlck genercc
ally You can make an ugly wound WIN one OF
badly We send all such weapons up to the
property-cIerl1 at the Police Headquarters
o oSlv SoP have 10 two stiiettos here now. One
of these is made out Of an old file and was picked
up ut No 10S Jerscy-st near Mulberry,st, on April
10 1880 Ii is supposed to be the one Maurice used
when he stabbed Gerate The other was used as
evidence in the case Of Kelly against
and battery in December, 1879. The first is made
out of al ordinary tle while the second IL regular
stiletto The homemade one is the more dangerous
weapon of the two, however, on account OF Its
rough edges We have one revolver here which we
took from an Italian-an old-iashloned Colt seven
shooter"
Are the quarres of the Italians generally caused
by their drinking y
No; not at all. The only thing the poorer
Italians drink is stale lager beer. number OF them
90 around every day 10 the beer shops of the city,
and collect the beer out of the halfemphod glasses
and the dregs in the kegs They take this to their
rooms. which they turn INTO retail stores Tor the
time being and sell II to their cOmpatrots." -
" What kind of food do they live on principally r.
| The scraps from butcher shops Any old meat
that butcher cannot sell or give away the Italians
will generally buy Ii is a matter of complete IN
difference TO them how old II Is. Six or seven OF
them usually live in the same room with one wo-
/ NE.
YOU around to their quarters. but there is nothing
going on there nOw as most OF the men have gone
out into the country to work farms railroads"
{" In your experience did you ever see of the
Italians who live i'll this nelghborhood with new
suit of clothes
of them four or five years, long enough for them TO
accumulate enough money TO return TO Italy with
and live independently. have never heard or seen
any one of them, however. who bought any new
clothes while he was in u is country"
AT No. so Crosby-st. is situated the Italian Mis-
sion, which is doing good service Tor the Italian I'M
migrants who arrive IN this CITY, usually pennlless
anu ignorant Of the English language it Is scarcely
known to the charitable Of York, as 1t does ITS
work in a uuIet, unOSteDtatlOus manner, maklngn no
appeal TO the public The mission was started about
four years ago. on very small scale, aud the present
missionary and superintendent, Il; I. Bergamlnl,
first assn med the management in June, 1877. On
Sunday the Oath of that month, the attendance at
the religious service consisted OF only twenyseven
persons during the past Winter u averaged over
200, and on several Sundays reached as high as
800 including men. women and children. just at
present. for the reason already gwen the attendance
is not so large, but next Winter, when
the Italians return to the city, it is be-
heved that the congregations VIII DO larger than
ever before The mission is held in a small brick
building. At first Mr. Bergamni had great deal of
trouble with the disreputable persons who infest
that neighb0rhood but after little time few OF
the better Italians began to understand that IL
an effort in their beh af, and that If successful 1t
would improve their standing and condition in this
country, and they began to give 1T their support.
Now the congregations are as orderly and the ser
vices conducted quietly and reyerentlally as
those in any church IN the city.
The room used on Sundays for chapel Is used
dining the week by the Childrens Aid Society for
a school room. On Sunday mornings the services
begin at 10 o'clock. The children then meet in the
large room, and they make up mixed and interest
ing assemblage. Pretty little Italian girls from six
to twelve OF thirteen years OF age. with shining
black hair hanging IL glossy braids or neatly coiled
on their heads. their jet-black eyes bright with de-
light bare footed, but as neatly dressed as the
money of their parents will permit evidently enjoy
their sunday morning. The boys, principally boot
II -hnxya md who haVp
been at work since o'clock, sturdy
and dirty. On, Sunday there were about
fifty OF them, and they entered into the spirit
of the meeting with an energy that refreshing
They sing. repeat the catechIsm and listen TO reg-
ious reading Tor children until 10:45 then they are
taken TO the second story where they are Instructed
in the catechsm sing and have the Bible read and
explained 10 them. The teacher. Miss Bergamln
a daughter of the superintendent, then goes among
them and asks how they have succeeded IN their
efforts to earn their daily bread. Those who have
been unfortunate are given small sums OF money
accompanied by words of encouragement, and then
each child is given large fresh roll and a sweet
bun. =, 49,,
sent upstairs, the Episcopal service Is read ana
a sermon Is preached to adults in the Italian Ian
guage. and the congregation, many OF the women
dressed in bright coOrs with CAV ribbons and ali
| bare headed some of the with coats and some
without is deyOut and attentive. After the services
Mr.. BergamIni waits at the Chapel Tor an hour or
more TO give pecuniary aid to those who need 1t.
| and to give counsel and comfort to the
| suffering and unfortunate. In all cases where
lively needed for immediate wants is gwen,
| and then the claim IL thoroughly Investigated.
Mr.. Bergamini says that be very seldom meets with
case OF fraud the poor creatures are honest and
| really need more than he can give them from the
| limited means at his command.
Mr. Bergamlni arrived in this city from Italy on
Sunday April 8, 1850, and the same morning was
| taken up TO the Rev. DIR. Muhenbergs church, the
| Church OF the Holy Communion, at Sixth-aye. and
| Twentleth-st.. and he sat among the congrega-
| ton dressed in Italian costume he was an object
Of interest to all. DR.. muhlenberg conceived
| him in all lis efforts 10 aid aud
| benefit the Italians and remained his firm friend
| until his death. Mr.. BergaminI has DIR. Muh len
| berg's picture hanging III his house, and under
meath II are the words, Do always what is right"
"Ah" said he, looking lovingly at the picture.
"those were the last words the good and holy man
said TO me- 1t about the middle of the week.