New-York tribune., 1881-08-22
THE RIVER PATROLS WORK


NORTH RIvER-sHoT AT BY wATCHMAN-soME
FACTS ABOUT PIRATES
IL WAS lust l o'clock in the morning when
TRIBUNE reporter stepped from the pier at the Ioo'
of Thrd-st East River, upon the Moses Taylor tho
steamer of the Harbor Police, and made MS way 10
the sergeants Office.
"Good morning. Mr. Reporter, you are just IN
time said the sergeant ringing his bell vigorously
dozen or more gray helmeted heads appeared al
the Office window; the roll was called; TWO men
were assigned TO the East and two to the NorIh
River boat and the rest to various duties on the
steamer and off it,"
(which river will you take ?" the reporter was
asked.
Which is apt to be the livclier ~
"The North"
"Then I'll take that one"
I" All right here's your man.
II was all the work of two minutes and the two
parties had slipped into their small row boats and
were pulling in opposite directions the one detailed
to patrol the North River having the two policemen
at the and the reporter steering They kept
close to the piers on account of the tide that was
flowing strongly against them rushing and gurgllng
among the piles, making vessels cTeak against each
other and Tapping against their hulls In the most
startling manner. The reporter asked:
Are the rivers infested with pirates now as much
as formerly ~
"No indeed 4 few years ago it was terrible tho
night passed but they committed several depreda-
tions. and either bound or gagged or threw into the
nver or killed some watchIn2n. They worked in
gangs. Many of the old gangs have been broken up,
but there are several lett YET ,
" How do YOU account for the decrease in their
There are several reasons. The times are better
and there fewer idlers to be drawn into piracy;
merchandise isn't left around loose on the piers as
much it used TO be; more and bettcr watch
kept on guard, and what's most i'm
portant when fellow is caught now, he's
pretty sure to get from one to ten years in the
Penitentiary. These pirates used to boast, when
caught, that they would be acquitted. Politics did
it. Oh, these fellows haven't the free range they
. Where are some of their gangs headquarters ?"
asked The reporter looking sideways at some rough
looking shanties aud tumble-down wharyes.
" The hardest one is called the Hook gang They
keep their boats IN there at the foot of jackson ST.,
and operate all along the river, but mostly between
Grand-st and the Bridge. Here is the HOOK now.
boats way up in that slip, below the shanty Well.
that is part of their fleet; the rest are out. That
naught. 1t makes longer trips along the coast than
the rest its crew stealing chickens and fruit and
small gang at Dover-st. below the Bridge-a ter
Iibly roUgh Oue--called the Smoky Hollow gang, on
but by no means least, the Hudson River gang, lis
boats are kept all along the New-York side and
operate mostly on the New-JerSey side"
When the pirates they can't get away from
you do they often show fight ~
OftenF Well, | should say they did: almost
always do. Sometimes dozen or more shots are
exchanged before we secure them, and at other
InS times we have yey race If they gain on Is we
watchmen."
"Watchmenl How 2"
"Why lots of them make target of us for nightly
pistol practice some firing four five times in sue
ceSson. They a boat coming into their slip or
passing their pier, aud they at think it is
pirate boat. SO without hailing it they blaze
away. Our other boat has two bullets IN it, one in
the back VGthe stern seat. Fortunately they-are SO
frightened generally that they can't shoot straight
We get two shots OF this kind every night
u
please"
The reporter had unconsciously headed the boat
out into the river, to increase the distance between
1t ana possible watchmen. After this every cluster
spaTs and rigging of the numberless vessels and the
hooks and corners of wharYes seemed TO swarm
with watchmen and pistols tug with two empty
coal barges III tow came putting through the dark
ness. and vigorous shouting brought man to the
side of the last barge. The little boat was taken in
Tow and cut through the water at lively rate.
The dreaded watchnen being at n safe distance,
the reporter asked:
What articles do the pirates steal mostly1"
Pig-iron copper, blOck-tin and merchandise
that is hard to identify. About the commonest
things they steal hawsers small ropes and lines.
They often cut vessels adrft entirely"
" Do they ever try to pass themselves OH rs
Watcasmen or othcers on boats, when you find
",oh, yes. Sometimes they get away by that
dodge, but we generally can tell what they are.
We caught one lot by finding their clothes covered
with iron rust from pig-irOn they had stolen. An
other said he was watchnan on q ferry boat that
boat iui ol ropes was tied to. and ne knew nothing
about the boat a checked collar and uecktie were
HI Lhe noat, ana nc had on the ShlIt to match. We
took him in"
The tow was soon opposite Communipaw; the
police ooat was cast adrift and started GA ITS
rounds from Communipaw to the Elysan Fields
on the New-Jersey side and from SiXty-f -ffth-st to
the Battery the New-York side of the river II
glided intO long dark slips; beneath the black
sternS OF huge iron steamers; through and under
nckety WharYcs, whose beams stuck out in the
most unex pected manner and knocked the unwary
VoyagcTs head, with the comforting thought ever
present that a Fattie-bTained watchmau or Il despe-
rate pirate who could without being seen might
at any moment blaze away iust for luck" The
boat was turning into the slip OF the Pennsvlvapia
Railroads. pier No. 2 aud of the officers had inst
femarked: !" we won't go much further without
being hailed, when ttash the whz OF a pistol ball
and a splash 10 tho water close 10y the boat con.
frned hIs prediction.
" Police boat p Slouted an officer
No roply came 50 the boat went on TO invcstipate
it had reached the vessel that tho shot came nom
when terrified voice somewhere on board quay.
cred f"N
" g-guess you've g-gone far enouahn
No, L don't think have. This is the pulice
boat, and the next time yOn a boat coming I'M
here you had better hail it before firing III YOU
mad hit soine OF us, II might hayo been unpleasant
for you"
Il didn't shoot it was the othcr fellow at the
behind mast. '''''
49, That's all right but be more careful next time.
1hats good sample OF the average watchmanV
said the ohicer rs the boat went on mp the river
!, we VIII probably see some more like him. You
nave 70 get hardened to thus sort of thiuan
No more watchmen lired on the boat hut sexaral
frightened ones shouted: Git out y this or Pil
shoOt.' " -
DESTRECTTON RY A NJ 1TEpcporrr