Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-08
MuRRAY,s MUSINGS.
The Unhnppy Lot Of the New York Poilce-
men and Few Words 10 Their Defense
ExpeudIsures for Amusements In Goth ham
Ru.h;ono hIo n HofeIa m nd N boulevard.


-FashionnbIo Hotels and n Boulevard.
rrRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
THE police of New York are greatly worried
as to the disposition of the Broadway
s'masher." This species of genus homo -four
ishes on Broadway, between Fourteenth and
Thirty-third streets. Between these two points
is the great thoroughfare for the promenaders
and retail shoppers. Probably there is no city
in the world, certainly not in America, where
the same number of well-dressed loafers can be
seen within given distance. Complaints have
repeatedly been made of ladies being annoyed
by these gentry, and of life made miserable by
them in various ways.
The difficulty lies in the fact it is not easy to
tell the gentleman who pauses to speak with
friend on Broadway and the professional
loafer. Quite number of uniustifable arrests
have been the consequence of the recent
stringent policy of the police department
Every now and then some well-known club
man has been made the Vicarious sufferer for
the professional mashers. Great has been the
howl in these instances. The other day it was
the son of Hon. A. 8. Hewitt who was uncere-
moniously hustled by the policeman in front
of a prominent theater. But a short time be-
fore couple of well-known actors, who have
the reputation of gentlemen, were dragged on
by the minions of the law along the crowded
street in broad daylight to the station house.
Investigation of the case showed that they had
done nothing except to stop on the sidewalk
and discuss theatrical matters for little
longer time than the police deemed justifable
When told to move on they were naturally
very indignant and doubtless used language be-
fitting the occasion.
In the meantime the genteel loafer thrives.
How much further the police can go without
seriously infringing on the personal rights Oh
decent citizens is matter which admits OF falr
discussion. 1t is certainly aggravating for a
gentleman who is innocent Of wrong to be
hustled by police officer. and If he objects be
ciubbed and locked up. Yet that ID the RISK we
all run now every day.
MY sympathies are largely with the police in
their efforts to clear Broadway of objec-
tionable characters. 1t is very unreasonable
to expect policeman to be gentleman Of su-
perfine discretion or of extra judicial tempera-
ment and education. Nearly every day the
New York papers have complaints about the
police force. Some Of these are not only un-
reasonable but ridiculous. noticed the other
day an instance where such a complaint was
made In letter to a morning paper and the
headliner Lad indicated his sympathy with the
writer. It was to the effect that clubs were un-
safe as well as unsatisfactory weapons In the
hands of the police. In the same paper the
same morning was half column account OF
general attack upon two or three policemen Dy
gang Of roughs, in which bricks and other
missiles were thrown from housetops and from
silent corners in the attempt to rescue GRIM
inal who belonged to the gang Exactly how
the officers should have Jared without any
clubs in such an emergency can be easily un.
derstood. A policeman in New York without
a club and a revolver would in many instances
of this kind be the play OF Hamlet" with
Hamlet left out.
This is not an isolated case. It occurs here
quite frequently. OF course it is maxim OF
law that it is better that a certain number or
guilty should escape rather than that one inno-
cent man should suffer. Yet sensible people
al Guardians
law must have means to enforce their guardian
ship and with these means the public sym
pathy. New York has one Of the finest Dodles
of policemen in the world. SO Tar as my PEI,
sonal experience goes, and have seen good
deal of them for the short time 1 have lived
here, innocent people meet with fair and cour-
teous treatment at their hands. They are often
lenient to fault. But il is a leniency, have
observed, which is on the right side. have
noticed further that officials of all kinds are
habitually courteous to anybody who has even
the appearance of a gentleman and who acts as
q gentleman should act have witnessed
number of accidents and small rows at various
times, aud always noticed that the police were
quick to see their duty and to do 1t without un-
tion. OF course do not say that such is tnya-
rlably the case, but only that it has been SO far
as my observation goes. II mistakes were not
made once in awhile. the police would be little
more than human. 1 was thinking of this the
other day while witnessing the annual police
parade up Broadway. As whole these men
tuo dppoAA6biOA VI bho AACoss
pERHAPs the best illustration of the amount
of money New Yorkers spend for amuse-
ments and the way they spend 1t, could have
been had at the opening OF Morris Park, West
chester on Decoration Day So far as the num-
Der of people and display Of wealth are con-
cerned, the occasion was one Of the grandest in
the history of racing in this country. Fully
40 900 people were there. While great major
- A1h,A- R.1N N1A 41a y IrsaIrI
usually focks to race-courses, there was more
than usually large attendance OF wealth and
fashion of the metropolis. At the head of these
were the members of the coaching club with
their snowy tallyho coaches, while the display
of ther fancy turnouts was simply magnificent.
The whole crowd represented 81 90 head
entrance money. This means 600 alone. On
the track were 200 bookmakers who paid an
entrance fee of S100 EACH Here is $40, 900 more.
The immense restaurant and bar was crowded |
from early in the morning until the close OF the
races The quantity of champagne drunk |
would paralize political convention. I3 Inc
idle a moment, and men stood behind each |
other waiting for their turn at the bar. On the |
opening day there could not have been taken
betting, in the books and French pools, was fast
and furious. The money that changed hands |
on horsefesh, for that day alone, could not be |
much less than 100000.
s'Take it altogether" said q well-known |
sport, "a half million dollars would not be far |
out Of the way for this single day at Morris |
Park. have been an attendant upon the race |
courses of this country all my life and have
never seen such an immense gathering and SO
much money spent"
If we should 60 back Of the tangible ex- |
penditures of the mere park and count up the |
for the occasion by the ladies, the grand aggre-
gate would be swelled still further. For it |
must be known that the swell ladies of New |
York. having nothing else to do and no other |
way in which to spend their cash, have COM
plete costumes constructed for all such days |
and costumes which will never be worn again. |
On coaching club days such women wear |
costumes made in Paris and imported express
ly for the day. They vie with each other in |
originality and richness of attire and the con-
test for something new and striking and beau
tiful is not greater than that of variety. OF
course this refers only to certain class OF
points of dress the opening day at Morris Park
probably presents the grandest display ever
Witnessed in New York or vicinity.
DERHAps nobody but New Yorker knows
that there are upwards of dozen nice and
uuiet fashionable hotels above Forty-second
street ON Broadway. These are rather small
hostelries of, say, from so to 100 rooms each,
and cater to high price guests. A year or two
ago Mr.. James Breslin, proprietor of the Gilsey
House and one Of the most prominent hotel
men in America, took hotel Of this character
above Fifty-third street. His friends laughed
at him. Breslin told me the other day that it |
was proportionately for the capital involved a |
greater success than even the Gilsey House,
He has had to enlarge the dining room twice.
and il is now being overhauled and enlarged |
for the third time, business place being added |
for that purpose. Breslin himself will reside |
there it being more quiet and suitable to his |
tastes There are quite number of rich peo- |
nile in the vicinity OF each of these small hotels
who are their very liberal patrons. They are |