The herald., 1894-04-29
A STUNNING EXPERIENCE.
The Minister Who Had Gone Through II
Determined to Change HIS Plans.

The N mister W no hMu Gouo IHfouSn II
Determined to Change HIS Plans.
With view to finding out what slum-
ming in the toughest regions is like the
reporter went to headquarters and asked
one of Byrnes' oldest and most trusted
detectives to tell him some of his expe-
riences IN taking Summing parties
about in the region east of the Bowery
''It's a good while now since I've
done any Of that business, T" said the de-
tective, land there's very few that we
take around Cherry hill and its alleys
It's too tough for ladies and for most
men. One OF the last parties that took
through there was three young men who
were going to do missionary work. They
were ministers, and they wanted to see
what life was like where it's least worth
living, so took them down to Double
alley That 'sa 12 foot wide street about
300 feet long and hedged in by eight
story teneEnents. 1t runs off Cherry
street, and it furnishes more crime ald
violence to tho square inch than any
other place in New York, with the pos
sible exception OF Single alley, which is
near by.
"Of co1rse we attracted attention
there The urchins yelled at US, the loaf
ers sco1led at as, and unkempt hags
stuck their heads out of windows over
head and made unpleasant comments.
We paid no attention. One can't afford
to be squeAznish in Double alley. The
young ministers. however, began to look
.I11,1 ,,I
they were getting scared and wished
they'd staid at home That wasn't
their kind, though, as found out pretty
quickly. When we got pretty near to the
end OF the place, we heard a terrific
bowling and yelling in one Of the houses.
There were cries of 'Murderp and 'HelpP
mingled with curses and groans. It was
a characteristic Cherry Hill mixed ale
row from all indications. In minute
Out AJ;tggSIvA ei1 sI1I1.O4A her
forehead bleeding profusely from cash
made by some sharp instrument. Close
after her came a big, burly longshore-
man brandishing bottle. He reached
the woman and brought the bottle down
on her head with terrific force, stretch
ing her to the pavement. Then he began
kicking her. I started for him, but one
of the young men was before me. He
hit the longshoreman just once, and that
was enough. The man went down like
log.
"Then there was the devil to pay.
Half a dozen big rufians poured out Of
the doorway snd made for the minister.
He knocked the first one off his feet, but
| the second ran in and F. pied with
him. By this time and le other two
were taking hand in it. There was
nothing scared about those fellows then.
l afterward found out that they had al
been football players in college. They
fought like devils, and with the odds
against us we cleaned out the gang il
about half minute. A couple of po
/ lice came running in, and three of th'
roughs were arrested. The woman Wen
to the hospital, where it was found tina
she was only slightly injured. Skull
are thick in Double alley. Our part.
was a little the worse for wear. My ha
was lost in the scuff1e. One of the min
listers had his coat torn half off, anothe
lost his spectacles and the temporary US
of one eye, while the chap that hat
waded in first was wiping the bloo'
from his face and nursing spralne'
thumb. When he said good night to me
he remarked:
g This experience has been a lesson t
me. was going to China as mission
airy, but if can judge by what I've see
tonight there is plenty of room for mis-
sion work right here in this city, and
think I'll stay here That man has bee
doing good work among the poor of thi
city since then, and China has lost
good Missionary and man of nerve. -
New York World