The Washington times., 1894-08-05
THE ALLEYS HONEST MAN.

Policy. unlike crap, has not been sup
pressed, and although the police are waging
a vigorous warfare against the game ii still
fourishes under the auspices OF tine Don
nellys. in the upper rooms of the small tene-
ment houses which line the sides of the alley.
There are two men only beside those who
have lived in the alley that know the ins and
outs of the place. The first of these is Joe
Barnes, detective for the Second precinct,
whose special business it is to watch the thieves
and locate their booty. The second is Police
man John Laurenson, who for five long years
has almost nightly rlsked his life to uphold law
and order among these habitual vioators.
With Officer Laurenson a TINES reporter
on last Saturday night visited the dives
and tenement houses of the alley each of
which has at low estimate thirty occupants,
making S99 thieves. for there is one supposed
honest man in the alley and he alone enjoys the
proud title OF being the only one, the others
having all served anywhere from one term
up in the jail, workhouse penitentiary, etc.
This rather novel specimen ofthe human raceto
be situated in such peculiar place is William
Smallwood. William, who is about sixty years
of age, is the oldest lnhabitant Of the alley,
having arrived there when the first house was
built. But like all the rest of his comrades he
is afraid to talk and when questioned by the
reporter he could remember nothing about
the good old times when a thief was safe
from capture If he entered Freeman's.
William also enjoys the disagreeable noto-
rety of being miser and voodoo doctor.
and his neighbors fear him accordingly. 1t
is said that he owns some property in George
town, from which he enjoys neat income.
This statement he denies, although he lives
by himself in style almost princely when
compared with that of his neighbors
On the left-hand side of the n street en-
trance to the alley is situated Jake Ellers'
restaurant, one of the most notorious "sport-
ing places in Washington. Ellers, the pro-
prietor, was arrested a short time ago for
selling liquor without a license. and was fined
$3.50. There is still, however, something
very attractive for the sporting fraternity
about the place, for as the reporter and the
policeman entered the alley party of men
and women in a state of semi-intoxication
were singing ribald songs. This latter per-
formance was discontinued as soon as the
singers caught a glimpse Of the policeman.
Freeman's alley proper IS situated in the
exact center of the square. There are how
ever. three smaller alleys leading from n. o
and Sixth streets respectively to the court"
as the resident part is called. But through
none of these can a view of the court be had
from the streets. This is one of the principal
safeguards OF the inhabitants from arrest, for
there are always lookouts at the corners
where the small alleys join the court to notify
their comrades when policeman starts
toward their stronghold.
THEY SPOT coPPERs IN ADVANCE.
As consequence Of these precautions
when the reporter and his companion reached
the court everything was quiet with the ex-
ception of a woman who was sitting on the
ste ps OF her home with half starved baby in
her arms singing in shrill voice that old
time hymn. Pull for the Shore, Sailors, Pull
for the Shore" Two doors below this house
is the home OF Deliah Howard, one OF the
alleys hardest customers. who is at present
enjoying short outing at the jail for beating
her paramour, Noah Burke. over the head
with a fiat iron. Deliah is a most remarka-
bic woman, over six feet in height, the physi-
cal equal Of any man in the alley She fears
nothing. and never permits herself or any
body else TO be arrested when she is in the
without engaging in a row
with the police. So bitter is her hatred of
the officers OF the law that when Detective
Barnes, then private doing duty in the
alley. attempted to arrest her for some small
offeEse, the utmost penalty OF which would
have been fifteen days in the workhouse, she
attacked him with butcher knife, and it was
only after Barnes had been severely wounded
that he was able to overcome the infuriated
woman.
Around the corner from Deliah Howard's