, 1884-10-25
WAITS OF NEW YORK.
Trials and Dangers of Low Estate
in the Metropolis.
children OF DiasoIute Parents, end
Their Progress In IA school
of Indulgence, InsOIeBee
and Vice.

lMurRt Halstead's New York Letterl
Eyes, anybody who Is around the city hall,
particularly at night, will see some heart
rending sights" said the officer. Now, you
zee where those little night waits come from.
They are actually forced into crime by in
human parents, and unless by nance they
are rescued before It IS too late, they enter
the criminal school, and in time become
members Of That fraternity whose only fear
is the penitentiary. The most troublesome
Of this class Is the little news-girl Generally
speaking, you wili find her a child Of ten
summers. They ply their vocation in thor
oughfares like Madison and Union squares,
Fourteenth and Twenty third streets. have
seen them as far uptown as Fortysecond street
and Broadway. About the time theatres close
you are likely TO Zee them in out-of-way
places, like in the shadow OF OF an elevated
railroad post Their lay IS to keep out OF
sight and attract attention by crying. In
nine cases out Of ten people will stop 20 find
out what the matter il. The child tells the
same old story Of being whipped and turned
out OF doors by 4 drunken father or mother,
whichever Is most adaptable 10 the situa-
ton
4 should think people would soon find out
their little game"
-Well, they do, as Il general rule, but now
NM tAeA A1t1 HAAikG IL IlCns anu nave u
quarter dropped into their dirt-be-
grimed hands With the usual In
junction to stop crying ] remember
when l bad the south side OF Twenty
Third street, between Broadway and Fifth
avenue, for a night post, there were several
Of this class of beggars that did a thriving
business on the block, and | nad work to
keep them off. One night 1 got hold OF one
Of them.
ale was an unusually bright lad about 8
years old. 1 learned that his father was con-
tinually in the neighborhood and took the
money from him as fast as the gullible public
were moved into pity. | determined to find
out who he WINS, and at midnight, when /
was relieved, went with the boy TO Madison
square and found the fellow, one OF the worst
specimens OF the tramp order, sleeping the
drunkard's sleep on one OF the benches That
was three years ago. Yesterday morning
the same lad was sent to the r~eforInatory for
matching a lady's p~ocket-book in front of
Macy's."
Shortly after this conversation with the
policeman the reporter met Officer ChiardL,of
the society established some years ago for the
Prevention Of Cruelty to Children. During
the conversation that ensued the officer said
that the tricks Of this precocious class OF
youngsters sometimes excited his admira-
ton.
One Of tn ir clererest lodges exclaimed
the officer, nowadays Is to trot alongside
Of Il pedestrian late at night with a copy OF
an evening paper, and with fearful eyes
beseech him 10 buy their last paper.
They hang on with q rrab-like tenac-
ity. and until the man losses the young
ster a nickel simply To rid himself OF tho
nuisance. They arc artful, and generally
know when they nave Struck a sucker" as
they term It in their vernacular. For in
stance, II you have II young lady on your
arm, they approach her first or course she
Is unused to such sights and IL Instantly
moved TO pity. Nothing remains but for
you to place your hand in your pocket and
fish out a dime or whatever comes handy"
rs there no way OF breaking up this nui-
sance" asked the reporter.
we are making strong efforts toward
checking it, but We nave great difficulty,
because we have to get at the parents of the
children, and get them out OF the way first
1t was only last Tuesday night
that We discovered a school in Crosby street
where children were actually taught these
practices. IL was presided over by one of
the wickodest looking Italians have ever SET
my eyes upon. From what l could learn up
ward of a dozen OF these dear little souls were
in this fellows charge to receive a tutelnge,
and the Lord knows how many he had turned
out | questioned the children sharply and
ascertained that they were sent out every
day to work the ferries and markets. Were
Lney 20 return without at least "a quarter
they were numerically logged
Tell me, officer" aid the reporter, do
the parents OF the children depend on them
for supportf
In some cases they do; but, generally
speaking you will find them working some
kin Of a racket themselves. When they are
drunk you will find them ON the thorough
fares acting the part OF the mendicant them
selves. Did you ever see the 'save-a-life'
racket This is the newest of their lodges
The reporter admitted that he had not
"Well, the scheme is to enter a drug store
and approach he clerk in an apparent STATE
OF great alarm, shaking from head to foot.
The clerk, or whoever il may be, will OF
course ask what the matter is, which gives
room for the bum to Jerk out between his
teeth Save a life
The inquiry will proceed further, and the
clerk becoming fearful that the bum has a
genuine case OF 'jim-jams,' pours out n
homeopathic dose Of brandy or whisky. To
say that it disappears in a lively manner is
but drawing it mildly. Hudnut, in this city,
and Kitchen, OF Brooklyn, have been the
worst sufferers by this trick, but Of late they
have put n stopper IN their little game, and
the buns are now working the smaller dis
pensaries of drugs
The men who work into the small hours.
the journalists and compositors, who stray
home in the drowsy time, when the mists OF
night are combating the first rays of dawn,
witness many sights that the daylight work
9AA - II RNhAAA TIC g 4 = VI lCalAl " 1hCu
wTotchedness. For Instance, the side streets
in the newspaper quarter. Here the cellar
press rooms are all ablaze with lights, aud
through the v~enilating shaft in the side
walks come blasts as from a hery furnace.
Iron g~ratings cover the vent holes of these
fiery pits, and N u cold winters morning
wretched children cluster thick on these bars,
curled up in sleep over the grateful warmth
that makes the biting wind that sweeps over
them and hutters their wretched rags endura-
bic. In the Railways OF tue printing houses,
under stair-caeL In odd hooks and dark
corners, are chill iren OF both sexes, all most
Nyretchedly clad. some ul-fed and depraved.
They are of tender Years, too, but wake them
ami YOU will ind them advanced beyond
their years in capacity for slang repartee
and the slang Of the cutters.
In this coterie the wrstched children of
drunken parents, the vicious NAV from
reputable families, the unfortunate waits
who afr cast orphaned upon the world, find
refuge. Here many find a path hat leads TO
perdition, While a few-a very feW--have
been known TO raise themselves from the
darkness - the brightness of an honorable
and successful manhood. With the girls
who seek refuge among these infants OF mis-
fortune it is hopeless. They never rise. II
they try TO. the mists OF their low estate
cling 10 them and draw them, back into their
slough OF despond.
No philanthropists are abroad at the hour
before the dawn. and none peer through the
dark curtains that divide this infant world
OF misery FROM the bright daylight Of our
life. No saccor comes-no effort Is made "
quell vice in the early stage. 1t grows until
Il dares TO show It's horrid head by day and
then Law and charity discovering II for tho
inst time rush to encounter IL with feeling
Il amazenent and indignation, qualifying
their human pity.