New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-13
"MURDERERS' Alley"
ONE OF THE CITY'S HISTORIC SLUMS
WILL SOON BE DEMOLISHED

TERROR TO THE POLICE.
The Board of Health. the Street Cleaning De-
partment and the Department of Public Works
have joined hands in a movement that will re-
suit in wipng from the map OF New-York one OF
Its most noted slums. What is probably the
dirtiest spot in town is known the old Arch
Sullivan's Alley" or as it was named dozen
years ago, because of the many crimes that had
been committed within its bounds "Murderers'
Alley 1t has been the fault OF neither the street
cleaners nor the sanitary inspectors that the
ALLEY" has always been malodorous and filthy,
nor the fault of the police that lawlcssness con-
tnued TO reign there. Its very geographical po-
sition and arrangement made it impossible
place to keep in order. and all the public officials
are glad that it is to be RACED to the ground.
Its demolition means than the wiping
Gu, Of noted slum. however. The two city
blocks that to be cut through in the work
will result in the making of a new street running
from river to river. thus relieving the traffic on
Canal-st. The old "Murderers' Alley" lies in the
centre of the block bounded by Sullivan. Grand.
Thompson and Broome SITS. Watts-st., begin
ming at the Hudson River. comes to abrupt
end directly opposite the Alleys entrance on
Sulvan-st. The project is to extend Watts-st
almost in a straight line to meet Broome. where
it crosses West Broadway. From that point to
the Bowery there is already fine thoroughfare
nearly seventy feet wide and from the Bowery
to the waters edge a street only a trihe
'arrower
While perhaps not historic in the traditional
sense of that word, the Alley the old
Arch" is n slum that will never be forgotten
by the police force of New-York. There not
few men to-day in the Department who are
wearing sergeant's bars because of bravery and
Searlessness in these old tenements. and
icore Of these men show the of gashs
made by razors in the old days.
LAwLEssNESS IN THE OLD DAYS.
Crime is nearly abolished in the Arch now
sdays. and has been for several years Placid.
rhatterng Italians with large families 0here is
veritable city of children in "Murderers' Alley
row live there at present, and these the nom
fighting of Italy from the north of the
boot, full dozen of whom any policeman can
handle But it WAS different before the Italians
came, dozen years ago. when every room in
the Arch" filled with thieving. gambling.
nurderous. full-blooded Africans. gigantic fell
lows OF the worst order of their race: and the
women were as bad the
Just after the close OF the war negroes OF this
sort began to flock here and the old negro
quarter began to rise into fame. Thompson
and Sullivan SITS. their chief habtats, and
these names became so widely known that some
years later n comic writer scored an instanta-
neous success with series of sketches called
1.-The Thompson Street Poker Club" The
arch the hub of the negro wheel for
every kind OF robbery. violence and the most
the police of the precinct had their hands
full with 1t, and the most famous captain the
station ever possessed. Mcdonald. had the COM
plimentary sobriquet bestowed on him (by the
negrocs) of Lightning Charley because OF
his amazing quickness with the billy. The po-
ncemens method in and about 'Murderers'
Alley to rain blow after blow upon a
negros head with their long sticks. They could
show mercy. An instants hesitation and the
cleaning razor would descerd. 10 MAIN If not
kill.
For crime and lawlessness the very shape of
"Murderers' Alley lent itself perfectly 1t looks
to-day much il did in the old time except
that the Italians have succeeded in making il
more filthy than ever before The local tradi-
ION is that many years ago when solid citizens
hved in the little houses on Sullivan and
thompson SITS. this alley used as a news
after the English fashion and was lined win
tables. There are no remains Of these stables
Today in 'Murderers' Alley" though the hurd /
ihgs row standing have probably been made /
over for they bear every sign of being more than
half century old
GEOGRAPHY OF THE ALLEY.
Nearly all the blocks Of this part Of Now. yo.,, /
arc honeycombed with curious old-fashjonod
alleys IN which are set rear tenenents and STA
lIlf