The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-10
MERRY HILL LANDMARKS GoIyG I.
Buildings with secret Passages in
which Strange Thinxn Occnrred.

Buildings with secret PassnEes in
which strange Things Occurred.
The tearing down OF the old buildings,
90, 95, and 81 Cherry Street. to make way
for modern structure removes a land
mark vaguely associated in the annals OF
the neighborhood with the days OF the Anne
r:enn Revolution. When Washington made
hts headquarters at Roosevelt and Cherry
Streets, the local historians declare, he
stored In these old buildings munitions OF
war and supplies for his army. The histo-
rians OF Cherry Hill then skip the inter-
vening years until a period beginning f1f-
teen or twenty years ago is reached The
buildings were then occupied as resorts
for sailors. The Loopey Gang, which once
threw man into the river for six cents.
made its headquarters in the neighbour
hood. Near by was Sneepy's Alley. lead
ing from Roosevelt to Cherry Street, In
which a Roosevelt Street resident declares
there were three murders within as many
months
When Alexander S. Williams became Cap
tain OF the Oak Street Precinct. he de-
termned to purify" the neighborhood.
He closed the sailors resorts, and nailed
up the doors. To show the thoroughness
OF the forced reform he hung his watch
upon a lamp-post at Cherry and Oliver
Streets. remarking:
These people know me. ! will walk ten
blocks, come back. and find my watch"
He had not gone half block when the
watch disappeared.
The interior arrangements Of the build
ing now being demolished were peculiar.
Although there were in appearance three
houses, there was only one wall. Commu-
nication between the different sections was
made possible by secret DOORS whose ex-
istenCe was discovered for the first time
during the process OF tearing down. In the
old days the houses were often raided by
the police. Inmates would be seen at the
windows just before a raid. but when the
police came everybody had disappeared.
The walls Of the structure were OF great
strength. The mortar between the bricks
had become so hard that the workmen we're
obliged to drill through the walls before
they could get purchase enough to pull them
down. While the work OF destruction was
going on, William Peterson, twelve-year-
old boy. who lives at "A oliver Street. found
In an untouched part Of the building, a nest
containing two lively young gray squirrels. He
captured one OF them and took 1t home.
There were no trees in the neighborhood. and
the presence OF squirrels so far down town
is mystery. A local tradition says that
n young girl living in the houses years ago
once owned a pair of squirrels. which were
given TO her by sailor, and that these are
the descendants.
The other day the contractor who has the
Job OF tearing the buildings down, was sur
prised when number OF Italians, engag-
ed in clearing away the ruins gave up their
jobs. Later he learned that a quantity
OF coins had been uncovered near the
street, about foot beenath the surface.
They were copper and silver. and one man
says he saw two 500 gold pieces in the hands
of an Italian. Those who saw the other
coins were unable to place them. as they
were evidently foreign. The Italians re-
fused to tell the extent OF their find