New-York tribune., 1891-10-17
PROPOSED AND ACCEPTED


GENIAL Mr.. BURKE ,ARRASGEs IT WITHOUT
DIFFICULTY.
"Now," said Viele, as we walked up the Bowery.
slet u first make Poles acquaintance. He worked
me into the deal and propose to make him pass
you in.'
Pole lives In the rickety tenement house No
2l9 Chrystie>st., though he comes of Respectable
Pennsylvania stock. his family occupying good
social position in Philadelphia He was alone
when we reached his room and not overloyeo az
eur visit.
aIm sick" said he, and his lvid, pimply COM
plexisn backed up the assertion My throat Is
sore, my evercoat is In hook and l am dead
weary"
But in q manner, he frightened up. smoked
cigar at INV expense. and warmed TO me percep-
tbly
smoke to him Of my hard luck. Of my little roll
growing beautifully less day by day, Of my haro-
hearted landlady and of other things calculated 70
work on his sympathies and suggest the kindness
was In need Of, namely. an introduction to tne
colonizers 1t worked.
"In fix you, old boy" he said. Lets take
Q walk"
Ten minutes later Pole, vele and myself passed
through swinging doors into the :" EXCISE EN-
change No. S36 Bowery. This worst of Bowery
dives has a placid, inoffensive exterior. bu'
within it reeks with pollution. The Excise Tx
change is only seven months DID, but as an Always
omen resort for the lowest of low beings 1t ALREADY
ranks with its notorious prototype, the beecker-S'
Slide"
OPENED MoDEsTLY.
Max Levy opened 1t in q comparatively small
vay with O single barkeeper, a single bouncer anu
ana sback room" A month ago 1t passed INTO
the hands Of Alfred Davis. 1t was enlarged, an
upstairs saloon" was added and continuous
round Of day and night orgies lnaugurated IL
never closes. ,.,
This is the lair Of Elmer Browns recruiting
y.rtenants and the Tammany committeeman S
representatives could not have selected hkeher
place to pick up men ripe for outlawry'
When we entered and took seats at one OF une
ANAL tables things were comparatively quleo III
was only 10 o'clock at night, and but few OF the
habitues had appeared.
"Now." said Pole, you stay here ana III see
one of the bosses and fix you.
Halt an hour slipped by, and in slipped Poie.
ats all right, old fel," he said; Burke will
be here in q minute
sNow." continued Pole, there are brace OF
men recruiting here They are both beutenante Tor
the same Tammsny men, / don't exactly Know
who the big ones behind the deal are, but Kno"
enough to feel sure Of our pay on election day
I know they are dead square on the room ousl-
ness, because had one assigned to me. don't
use it, though, and don't propose to-"
"How long have you been in the deal, Pole r"
asked.
ABOUT six days." he replied.
Just at this point the swinging doors parted
and in stepped a tall man, dressed in black from
top 70 toe, eminently respectable in everything
save face 1t was Vincent Burke, Elmer Browns
lieutenant He joined our party with an in
formal nod all around, and, acting on most
palpable winl, from Pole, sat down beside me
We oonversed, and as / had my reputation to
establish as a "tough"-a u live one''-the inter
view was spirited.
POLITICS INTRODUCED.
He asked me how liked New-York. blankety
blank, blanked the city and expressed strong
wish to get away and home. Il posed as wash
ingtonian Then he told me OF his wonderful
success last summer with the thimble and the pea
at the Cairo County Fair, but broke of rather
abruptly to inquire as to my political views
Are yer Tammany Oh are yer outside der
breastworks?n asked he
I then proceeded to anathematize politics and
parties and sworc in oaths fantastic that had no
vote to throw away any organization that
couldn't pay for it. That settled it. Burke leaned
over the back Of my chair and whispered in my
ear:
Come out to the bar, me boy. I've got sure
thing for YOU"
He lounged away and moment later / joined
him.
"Now," said he, swell git right ter biz. I am
employed by the big Tammany guns in the With
Assembly District to capture jest such boys as you
will give yer bang up room in a comfortable
house, and some money to jingle in your pocket OF
election day. II yer go me I'll fix yer in yer new
-s-l,. Ill +lo%x hor 90 do
to vote the straight Tammany ticket on election
day.
what il get caught?" asked.
"There's no such thing as gettin' pinched II
this DEAL" was the reassuring reply "Now lei
me explain Yer stranger and I'll tell yer how
de land lays l and me fren' Joe Shoneman ar,
working for Elmer w. Brown big Tsmmany
man in the With. He is working for Barney
Martin. He's away up in de party. They have
hired these houses in Macdougal-st. and they ge
us to fill em up wild likely boys, who are to b'
treated white and protected right down to tht
ground. See?"
"What do you mean by protection ?" asked.
It's plain seein' yer come from de rural de
strics," he said Martin and Brown pledge
themselves to see us troo' safe. The landlady o
the house is in their pay and is under instruction
10 swear you have boarded in her house the righ
number of months TO entitle yer 10 vote
"Tammany tiptoppers are at the head of this
Yer gets yer room-an' it's beauty-free and j
yer don't get your money election morning
why don't vote, that's all Now, say are ye in !?
shook Burke's hand and declared myself in.
AT THE LODGING HOUSE.
"Then,n said he, yer had best go right over t.
de house and git your room. I'll send one Of d.
gang over wild yer.
Pole happened TO be the lone OF the gang
selected, and at midnight was introduced by hin
to my new landlady, Mrs. Kirk, at Nos, 1870 and 3
Macdougal-st This street is in the heart 0
Captain Brogan's famous district and about a
bad as the worst of its neighbors.