The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1890-01-15

tell who were his confederates. Upon
being informed that he would be the
recipient of Judicial clemency If he
complied with the request of the au-
thorities-in other words. and the
ones he understood best, If he squeal-
ed or gave away his pals he would
be turned up'-he made full con-
fession.
he told of the existence of sub
terranean dive IN one of the most
wretched of the down town quarters.
over which the presiding penius was
an attenuated and wrinEled old hao. a
yeritable senile fury. This wretched
and repulsive old fence used to re-
ceIve the stolen property of the young
thieves. whom she harbored and in
structed IN the reprehensible tricks of
their calling. The boy told that the
Owl, as the antiquated fence was
called, used to disappear for weeks at
time, and when she did condescend
70 act as high priestess over heryouth-
ful, though thoroughly depraved pu-
piis, II was invariably atnight. twas
when the great city was wrapped in
profound gloom, that the Owl would
crawl out of her hole-the location of
which was always a mystery to her
patrons-and enter the wretched haunt
49, ~ @lIAA oAAt5 BLGotdC1A
The information which the boy
gave WAS productive of no permanent
good. however. The police, of course,
raided the place and bagged number
OF depraved youngsters of both sexes,
against whom, however, they had no
crImlnating evidence, and after impos-
ing light fine the magistrate dis
charged them. The Owl was among
the number, but having n good deal Of
this worlds goods, no matter how ac-
quired, she was able to employ good
legal talent and she got off with a fine
like the others"
The cigar of the journalistic nara
tor having gone out he proceeded to
rellght It, and, after drawing a deep
sigh, as if deprecating the depravity
of the inhabitants of this sublunary
spheroid III general, continued:
Being, as you doubtless know by
this time, the poSsessor of penchant
for gazing at the morbid or seamy side
of life, saw here an opulent field for
the exploitation of my peculiar lido
syncrasy. l determined at once to be
visitor at the den of the Owl and
II possible to cultivate her acquain-
lance. My object in this was of a dual
nature-tirst, l wished to crafty my
peculiar taste, and again, being n re-
porter, there was a chance for the ac-
QUESTION of material for a genuine SEN
sation, something reportorial gentle
men arc always in quest of. Accord
ingly one wild, rainy night, late in
the autumn, after attiring myself to
sustain my assumed character of an
out of town burglar who wished to dis
pose of some 'swag' in the shape of an
old silver watch and much worn
faIf min IL, L
chased at a pawn shop for the occa-
sion, presented myself at the door
of this old Jezebel and was admitted
after making my crrand known in the
language of the crook
'"The place to which I was. adr,9iftfssaa tfssaa
portals OF Erebus, which led TO an in
ner apartment, the door of which was
guarded by Cerebus in the person OF
thief of tho Bill Sykes type. This
apartment, which was the haunt of the
Owl and her foul brood, was low cell
inged and lighted by a few kerosene
lamps stuck against the wall, behind
which few tarniShed tin reflectors
wereplaced, under the impression that
they augmented the light of the
lamps. A few tables were scattered
about, behind which were seated a
characteristic assortment of young
criminals of both sexes, smoking.
drinking and planning sins anew
''On few settees placed along the
wall, men-the only ones in the place
apparently old enough to be designated
as such, the rest being boys and strip
lings-were reclining, putting at bad
cigars or sucking old clay pipes. The
Owl sat behind little counter and to
haVs I slflslr.necn,I Yr,,.ea1f
my supposititious 'Swag' with leer
which gave me a strange feeling. This
old hag as l remember hcr-and her
image Ill the light of subsequent de-
velopmcnts will ever be impressed
upon my mind-was stopped and
wrinkled. An old hood .enveloped
her head, concealing the greater por-
ton of her forehead and great deal
of her face Around her rheumy ewes
were a pair of well defined circles,
which appeared to me at the time to be
the beginning of pair of diabolical
halos which, when they spread all
around her head, she would die in the
odor of deviltry'
'Perceiving that 1 was not disposed
to go, and being aware of the fact
that was an entire stranger, she eyed
me with some suspicion, or at least l
thought SO.
" What did you say your name
wasa" she asked. turning her watery
and terrible eyes full upon me.
:. Brooklyn jim / responded, not
without some trepidation.
Being desirous of avoiding further
Interrogation for prudential reasons,
determined to become interrogation.
and, assuming as tough an air as 1
could without overG;ong it, said, Il
want some one to help me doa lob -
could you get me good pal2'
Where isit7' she eagerly queried,
horrible leer overspreading her fea-
lures
lover in Brooklyn answered.
" Is it a good cribr she again
asked, rubbing her yellow old hands
gleefully.
First class, it's a second story job. ;
:" Tim the Sneak is your man. Oh,
Tim is a good one; he'll be here
| shortly
" ~ young girl of about II, tall and
lissoine, and whose features, despite the
vitia.ed moral atmosphere which she
| breathed, were classical in cut and
| beautiful to the degree of absolute per-
fectiOn. approached much to my cha
! grim as was beginning to become in
terested. and said, without noticing
me: