The evening world., 1891-08-21
HAS A Shining" MONOPOLY.
VinCenzO Says He Pays Tribute
to the Police for It.
No Other BootbIacks Allowed to
Seek Trade In Union Square.

A gentleman visited Madison Square ono
hot morning recently TO read his newspapers
beneath the trees
While there a stalwart man, equipped for
boOtbllcl1ng, appeared, and the gentleman
submitted TO his ministrations.
Pending the process dimlnutive boy boot
black approached. with his box upon his
shoulder. Possibly he was looking for q Job,
possibly only strolling across the square.
Seeing him, the staiwart man arose in anger
and drove him out OF the square, warning him
not to let copper" catch him there again.
Under the impression that Madison Square
was a public park. equally open to all the
people, the gentleman made curious inquiry
as to why IL would be dangerous for the dimin-
utive boy to be caught wlthln the precincts
by policeman.
i" They don't allow no boOtblacks here but
me-" answered the big one. Same way in
Union Square. one man mas the job. It's
different at the Battery. There's q swarm d
'em there and the business is all cut up"
"Then you and the man in Union Square
pay license to the city, l suppose 2" Queried
the gentleman.
"No, We don't pay license"
"Then who gives you your monopoly"
~ IL , lnt OTueTo.
"What SergeantsT p
The police sergeant's."
:" How do you manage to get the job7 What
do you do for the priyiege?"
1--WE have to keep the coppers' boots
blacEed without pay; that's all"
"And no other bootblack is allowed TO
black shoes on the Square?"S
"No Stree. They amt Allowed even to
come into it."
( Exit Bootblack MonOpOlist, and the gentle
man resumed his reading, wondering by just
what authority sergeant OF park police Gre
ates a monopoly OF this kind and, still more,
by what authority he excludes any resident
Of the city, big or little, from city park.
! An EVENING WORLD reporter called at the
Office Uf the Park Department and related the
above facts To Secretary Burns, who said:
/ No policeman has the right 10 grant ex-
elusive privileges In the public parks TO boot
blacks, or anybody else. II the matter Is
brought to the attention OF the Commission
crs II win be made the subject OF inquiry"
/ The Commissioners Will learn something II
they call On Park Policeman owen Delaney,
VINO In stationed in Union square.
SIR. Delaney prctaced his statement by say
Ing hat he blaCked his shoes In the privacy
Of his own apartments. He never required
. the services OF a Ooutblack. He remembered,
however, that one Nincenz1 Succhi had the
exclusive privilege Of backing shoes In Union
SquaEe-0h, for ever so long.
lie couldn't remember that. Succhi held
supreme sway as sinner Of that domain
mon square-long before he was on the
force.
Mr. Delaney was made sparrow-ehaser in
1856.
He didn't know who VincenzO's protector
was, but NincenLO evidently had "pul
somewhere, Tor after accumulating snug
little sum rom his monopoly he was ap-
pointed % lat place in Central Park, which
he now holds
MIR. Delaney promises that hereafter, as
long as he swings a CluD, che field In Union
square sLal! be free FOR all DOOtblackS. He
never inIerIered with NincenZo because no
body else did which IS only another ulustra-
tlOu OF how bad preccdents may be estab-
liShel, regulations and discipline 10 the con-
/ trary Notwithstanding.
At Madison 5 luare Policemen 200 and 20St
who were on duty there, appeared not TO un-
dCrsi and what was meant by exclusive priv
7 ileges. Perhaps that would be TOO much TO
expect from Nos. 200 and 2OS.
They didr't allow bputblaCkS in the park at
all. But they were new men from the wtldS
Il Pelham and Van COrtlaudt parks, where
park policemen never have their boots pol
ished, who were just doing duty on that post
during the absence OF the regular men on
their vacations.
TGe boUtblack monopolist was not around
when the reporter was there.