Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-11-25

Gamblers AMI Confidence Men On the Daily
Lockout for Human Prey.

While the police are pouring hot
shot into the gangs who infest the
west andeast sides Of the city. says .
recent New York letter, the loafers
along broadway pass unreproyed.
Very often the gangs in the lower sec
tons Of Che city are composed Of men
who have worked hard during the day
and enjoy the lounge and chat on the
street cosner at night a good deal as
the wealthy citizen enjoys his evening
at the club. These gangs are often
composed Of ruffians and scoundrels,
and it Is good thing to break them
up. but they are certainly no worse
than the crowds Of well-dressed loafers
who infest the west side of Broadway
from Twenty-third to Thirty-fourth
streets.
! was talking about this the other
day with a man with whom was
walking up town, and we agreed 70
count the number of men whom we
recognized as habitual loafers in this
particular section OF the town. In
front Of the Fifth Avenue hotel there
were perhaps dozen Of the statues
posted in their customary attitudes
around the pillars. They are men
who have stood there three or four
hours day for years, and who are as
familiar to the average New Yorker
as the city hall. They are gamblers
and confidence men. They are neatly
dressed, but their faces are hard, deep
ly-lined and dissipated in appearance.
They lees at the women continually,
but they seldom attempt any familiar
ity with the passers by. Once in q
while particularly pretty and usual
" young girl. will attract their atten-
ton, and then one or two of these pro-
fessional Washers will swagger off af-
ter her.
On the next two blocks are the
Hoffman house. the Albermarle, the
ST. James hotel and Gallagher's beer
saloon. In front of all four Of these
places were groups of loudly dressed
and tough looking citizens. who spat
tobacco juice all over the sidewalks,
made the air blue with profanity,
guyed men Of unusual appearance. and
insulted women who were in any way
attractive. They were all sporting
men from AL Smiths, the former
hacker of John Sullivan, the organizer
Of walking matches and a former keep
er of a gambling hell. down to thin
faced, Why Lit 10 card sharpers who
would do anything from dealing faro
topicking a pocket OF Counsel don't
mean that these men were loudly dis
orderly, that they yelled at people, or
that their manners was so pronounced
as to call for arrest. | do know that
they make that particular section Of
Broadway SO repulsive that women
frequently go up Fifth Avenue to es-
cape them. aad / know that men are
often insuIsed as they pass.
Two blocks further on was the Cole
man house with its gangs Of gamblers.
There are about twenty Of them who
stand on that particular corner every
afterEoon and devote their time to the
ladies. The ticket Spectator gang
stood in front Of the Fifth Avenue
theatre entrance. and the prize-hght-
ing and sporting men are about Dick
Darling's place where man was MUIR
dered q year or so ago Beyond this
came the sporting house known as the
White Elephant. and numerous saloons
and gambling houses. We counted
go. odd 1nen. none Of whom have Wis
lille means Of support. and all Of whom
commit oufTages in the course Of an
a-.ern0on TO call for their Instant dis
uers:on bv the police.