The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-10
WATCHING SLUMS
What a News" Man Saw
With Captain Cox on One
of His Tours.
TALL MAN, SHORT MAN AND BOY
Dependency of the Colored Dive
Kesper-Entrance Gained to
a Ssclnsive Club.
TALL NAN, SHORT MAN AND BOY

colonies.
In making the transfer Chief Murphy
said he did 50 as the Gregory street sta
ton must be in command of. a ma who
is young and active and who is able to
do his full share of patrol duty and hard
work. He made a new rule that THE Cap
tain of the Gregory street station must
personally inspect all the saloons and all
night ouses in his precinct at least three
times a week. These inspections must
be made in the early hours of the morn
ing and in citizens clothes. Last Thurs
day Captain Cox made his first inspection.
He found all the places running full blast.
He went the rounds again on Saturday
light. There was a noticeable difference
in the condition of affairs.
Another tour was made Tuesday night
and by appointment a reporter for 'sThe
News accompanied Captain Cox and his
detectives. 1t was an interesting trip.
The men Captain Cox chose for the duty
of inspecting the precinct were Detective
Larkins and Patrolman John Nugent.
Both were in plain clothes, as was the
Captain. The start was made at one
O'Clock. The party had not walked a
block down Newark avenue when Cap
tam COX WAS lcppe ny 1t uiilAOl tllCQ
patrolman. What he said to his superior
the reporter did not hear but he soon
learned. The first stop was made at the
Montauk Hotel, on Montgomery street
near Warren street. The Captain and the
reporter went in. .
Anything new or stranger asked the
Captain of the night clerk.
mo" he replied, "were you looking for
any one in particular? We have had
very few strangers in tonight" The
Montauk is a cheap lodging house; of the
type which abounds on the Bowery and is
fr~equented by tramps and men in hard
luck. The police nave often secured men
who were wanted. for robbery or FOR
other ~felonies by questioning the clerk or
leaving a description of the persons want
ed with him. He is always ready to help
the police. When he asked if anyone in
particular was wanted Captain Cox re-
Piled
Have you had a party of three in to-
night; a tail man, a short man and a
boy?'
W. had a tall man and two short men,
but there was no boy with them"
..Wha time did they come in?"
ten O'Clock"
~ linen IQ6t can / UG lit pCOpic. 49,
officer just told me to look out for them;
they were seen an hour ago."
From there the party went to Washing
ton street, where aids We're made by Chief
Murphy two weeks ago and where for the
last year there lave been arrests or rows
almost nightly. IT is on Washington
street, north of Montgomery street that
nearly all the dives which have troubled
the police are to be found and where the
women of the street co~ngregated. 1t was
entirely deserted or this morning. Not a
soul was stirring. Lights were burning
in three of the saloons. The first OF
these the party visited was that of Will
lam Gaines, on the west side of the
street. The proprietor was sitting in the
bar room, his chair tilted back, talking
to the only other man in the saloon. He
hurried forward to greet Captain Cox n
said:-
Everything is quiet tonight. You have
put my business on the bum. Everybody
SENS scared to come in. There amt no
mo- life around here OBJ nights. Is just
awaiting for landlord to come and put
me out. About that man you wanted the
other night Cap; your man might have had
him if he had only waited. Honest, he
wasn't around when yo' man was here.
I'm a crook in a good many ways, but
there are two things I won't do and that's
lie or steal"
When Captain Cox called at Gaines
place on Thursday last the bar room was
filled. The proprietor was so surprised by
the visit that hec ould not speak to the
Captain for several minutes. Gaines has
been raided several times.
"His place don't pay without a crap
game and he knows it amt safe to run
one now said the Captain. Detective
Larkins offered to show the reporter the
booths which every down town saloon
has and about which so much has been
written. They crossed the street and en-
tered a low grosgery, which has all but
been closed several times. A burly bar
tender stood at the end of the bar. and at
the entrance to the booth, which was at
the end of the bar, so that it could not
be approached without passing the bar
tender. The maj gave way to the detec-
tive and he and the reporter passed into
the booth. Seated at a table were a man
and q young woman. In making his re-
port to the Captain, Larkins said
She was not one of the regulars; none
of them seem to be around tonight. I
know this one. She comes of a good
family onsthe hill"
The man and woman had evidently been
scared by the visit for they soon emerged
from the saloon. They did not go home,
however, but merely walked to the next
corner and entered another saloon.
In1his manner all the places in the low
er part of the city were examined. Moth
ing of any consequence occurred until the
party was on its way home. When they
arrived opposite No. Il Montgomery
street Detective Larkins said;-"Let us
see If We can get into the keystone" The
Keystone Us a club which has been in
r%orporated by negroes.
It is commonly reported that gambling
Is carried on there, but the police canno
get any evidence that such is the case as
the. doors are always kept locked and
zach member is provided with a key. Any
person who seeks adnaittance must nave a
black skin and must be vouched for by a
thing which up to yesterday morning the
police never did. Nevertheless Larkins
decided TO try. and luck was with him.
The party crossed the street and stood VI
against the building. Larkins gave a
l~oudsknock on the door. No answer. The
sixth time he knocked a black head was
thrust out of the window of the club,
which is ON the second floor. and a voice
cautiously whispered:-4Is that you, Mon
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