New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-14
FORK OF RIVER THIEVES.

DEPREDArroNs ON TIE WATER FRONT AND THE
EFFORTS OF THE HARBoR POLICE TO PREVENT
THEM.
After nightfsll the waters OF the East and North
Rivers are patrolled by the Harbor Police. They
are the lookout for depredations committed By
the river thieves as desperate set Of men as eve
infested the worst wards the city, They are always
armed to the teeth and when brought to bay do not
hesitate to use their weapons with deadly effect
Cotton, silk, rubber, hawsers lines-anythin9. In
fact, that can be stolen from vessels and CONCERTED
into cashare sought for booty, and only the Vigi'
lance of the police prevents the wholesale rObberes
that were frequent along the river front so many
wears ago. The Old gang that had things pretty
effectuay broken up by the Harbor Police and its
leading spirits are breaking stone in convies garb.
The most sensational exploit in which they were
was the rOUbing OF silk worth $1,000 from the Bre-
men pier In HobOken, IN October, 1878. The thieves
took stolen ladder with them from New-Y0rk and
rowed to New-Jersey in three boats The ladder was
placed against the window of the shed in which the
Waterman was on duty, and one of the gang kept
vIgllant eye on his movements. With patent augurs
a large hole was made in the shed where the silk
kept and the case was pulled out and placed In
one Of the boats When the Harbor Police came on
abandoned two OF the boats The captain shot Fen.
nell, whose brother some time ago shot Niger"
Baldwin. but he got away and when ne was $50 over Pr
jumped from window and made good his escape
Jim Grady, Little Nike Shannon, Cassidy
and Scanlou were captured convicted and sent to
Trenton, big Mike" Shannahan escaped, and
wnen tried, after being brought to this city from
Chicago. the jury disagreed. He is now q long
shOrenaD. This gang, like Others before 1t, had
complete organization. and after good job on the
river front its receivers" in this city were ready
to negotiate for the sale of the stolen goods, and
were well posted as to when an important piece Of
criminal work was to be performed.
Roundsman Francis Kelly, Of the Harbor Police,
hoard the nOlica hnaf MOapa TAYLOR. at the foot
Of East Seveneenth-st and was questlonedln regard
the Opr itious Of the river thieves The rounds
man SAID, with SMILE that some Of the watchmen
bad as the thieves; and he cited the case OF
Waterman William Smith, who. he said. recently
stole quantity of alcohol from the barge Hoffman
after having been instrumental In convlctlnR two
thieves TOR somewhat similar offence Officer
Kelly said that, although the old gang Of river
thieves had been broken to pieces new set OF des-
peradoes was springing mp. mostly from the Eighth
Ward. IL composed largely OF young men.
about q score IN pumber. who were very handy with
the revolver, which they did not hesitate to
use on slight prOvOcatOn. They were all good boat
men and could handle pair OF oars as skiltuly as
any one on the rivers They were ready for all
emergencies and when hard pressed. Ii 1t was not
advisable to use a pistol they would capslze their
boat and swim IN under pier to effect their escape.
A favOrte trick when the police were upon them
might be- into the rver, which would make their
conviction in court OF justice an lmpossl6ty al
though the officers might be convinced that they
had just committed a robbery.
Officer Kelly once overlook river thief who had
already stripped off his clothes as precautionary
measure before setting out tor his tour of depreda-
ton. The thief leaped into the water when
the police boat came up and easily. got
away. A ticket for ball was found in
the eagerness of the river thieves to take almost any
thing that they can lay their hands on. the officer
mentioned the case of vessel that lay recently ut
tho tOJt of DOverst. The thieves not only carried
of the lines and lamps Of the vessel but also can OF
paint, with which 10 give their plratica craft fresh
coat to increase her beauty. A year ago. watch
man on board the steamer Belle, at the foot OF
FUurteenth-st., shot dead by u river thief. tie
was found with his revolver clenched tightly III
his baud that his finger had to be pried open with
considerable force Ill order TO release the weapon.
The murderer was never found. The pers OF the
IIarbor Police their nightly patrol are increased,
strange as 1t may seem, by the watchEen along the
river front. The watchmen frequently fire on
them, narrow ~ missing their mark. Officer Kelly
said that he was fired at not long ago by watch
man on the Twentv-sixth Street Pier, and another
Waterman on Brooklyn pier sent bullet after
him that splashed the water into the rOundsman's
face River thieves often lobster nets pretend
ing they are engaged i'll piscatOrial pursuits when
the police are near thief arrested recently had
such net IN his possession with revolver and
The Steamboat Squad is busy during the day
watching the river front and breaking up tho heavy
bockades in the streets along the river. Detective
T.. Hey said that the squad had to deaf particularly
with sneak thieves and Il gang from the Last Side.
During the summer, when the Boston lines carried
over 1900 passengers daily. they had
to keep sharp lookout for women,
who were adopts in the notorious
"paue-g game" These and the sneak thieves. said
the detective. required constant watching. When
a passenger on n boat left his stateToOm to get
drink of water for instance, they would slip i'll and
get away with watch sal chel or ANYTHING Of value
lying within reach. The detective added that the
old gang of river thieves had been reduced to two
SURVIVORS," Big Nike - Shannahan and Pander, and
they were working alonxshore' The members OF
formed as TO YhetAer OF not these men were con-
stantly ut wcrE