The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-10

Copyright, 800. by Bachelor syndicate.
MEasta Lane IS small ana
valley between hills Of dingy brick ~
rlvas the street lamps. burning dir y,
eause The shadows 20 - important ana u
ne gloom one sees groups Of quietly COT
verxant negroes with occasiolaliy Tue
giean Of a passing srowleT. Every tillnS
d vaguely outlined ard o. uncertain tieA-
rItv. f1-iess. indeed. T. Be me nasaAaS OAl-
tors ard shield % the policeman on post.
Ire sixth avenue horse cars Jingle past
ons srs ~ the laue and. a block eastward.
the little shoroughfare ends IN the DARK
ness Of MacDougai street
One wonders how such al Insignificant
alley could get ssch an absuT9ly large rep
7tta*fon but as a matter Or fact, Ainetta
Lane. ard Msnefta street. which leads from
a. rofIthward TO Bieecker street, were, until
few years ago two Of the most enthusi-
sstIcaily murdero8s thorougafares IN New
work gieecker street. MacDougal street
snd nearly al the streets thereaOouts were
most unu,istakably bad. bat when the Min
eftas started cut the other streets went
ev-av and rid To gain a reputation IN
sffresta Iaue IN those DAYS. a man was
Obliged 20 commit a number OF furious
crimes. and no celebrity was more import
ant than the man who had a good honest
killing 20 his credit. The Inhabitants, TOT
the most part, we're negroes, and they rep
resented the very worst elements OF their
race. The razor habit chung 10 them With
the tenaeity Of an epidemic. and every
night the uneven cohb,es felt blood. Mn
era Lane was not public thoroughfare at
thfs pertod Il was a street set apart, a
refuge for criminals. Thieves came here
preferably with their gains, and Almost any
day peculiar sentences passed among the
inhabitants big jim turned thousand
last night ''So-Toe's made another
haul" And the uoFshipful citizens would
make haste 20 be present at the conse-
qgeut revel
As has been said. Minetta Lane was
then no fhoroughfare. A peaceabie csti-
gen chose 70 make a circuit rather than
venture through TINS place. that swarmed
with she most dangerous people IN the
city Indeed, the thieves or this district
used 10 say: "once get in the lane and
you're all right" Even policeman IN
chase OF criminal would probably shy
away instead OF pursuing him into the
line. The odds were TOO great against a
lone officer.
Sailors. and any men who might appear
TO have money about them. were well
coined with all proper ceremony at the
terrible deas OF the lane. At departure
they were fortunate II they stin retained
their teeth. II was the custom 70 leave
>
facility for the capture OF coin. from trap
doors 10 plain ordinary Knockout drops.
And yet Iinetta lane Is built on the
grave OF M.netta brook. where. IN olden
times. lovers walked under the willows OF
the bank. and Minetta lane. in later times.
was the home of many OF the best families
or the town.
A negro named Bloodthirsiy was per-
haps the most luminous figure of Minefta
lanes aggregation of desperadoes Blood
thirsty, supposedly. Is alive now. but ne
has vanished from the lane. The police
want him for murder. Bioodthrsiy Is a
large negro and very h.deous. He has a
rolling eye that shows white az the wrong
time ard his neck. under the jaw, is
dreadfully Scared and pstted.
Hloodthirsty was particularly eloquent
when drunk. and in &c wildness OF a
spree ne would rave 80 graphically about
gore than even the Infatuated wool Of
OH timers woun.. stand straight. Blood
thirsty meant most of IL. too. That Is why
his orat.ons were impressive. His re-
marks were usually followed by the wide
lightning sweep OF his razor. None cared
80 exchange ep.thets with Bloodthirsty.
man IN boiler iron suit would walk
down 20 City ball and look at the clock be-