Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-05

theft cannot be reported before they have
had plenty of time to alter the appearance
OF their prize by tar, by paint, or by mud
so completely that there will be little
chance of capture.
They. are perfectly equipped, now, for
river tflievery.
Jerry McAuley, who has turned from the
leadership of a desperate gang Of river
thieves to become q useful missionary
among the sailors. tells how he and one of
his boy chums in this way got their start
In the business which they pursued so sue
cessfuliy for many years. These bows. with
their boat. became the nucleus of what was
aiteTUafo Known as the Franklin dock
gang Of harbor thieves Their rendezvous
was under q dock AT the foot Of Franklin
street. where the aesthetic tastes of their
IeaIer Were later demonstrated by elegant
furnishing The expensive carpet was
stolen from the cabin of a palatial steam
boat. and the chars and sofas came from
Whatever craft wee not sufficiently guard
ed. The place v:.si ply lighted by Ian
terms taken from boats and piers
When the leader and his young accom-
phce were new q. - business, before
they had learned h anger way e gag
sing or sandEagg:as the night wa.ch #
me docks, and when opportunity offered,
ron a barrel or box of goods into the
water. One would DE waiting down the
tide with their boat to tow the plumber
10 the FRANKLIN dock under cover of he
night As it was not always easy to tell
by the looks of package whether il world
float or sink. they lost many of the things
winch they dumped from piers But this
olfhcGIty was overcome to a considera bic
extent extent when young oysterman joined
them and suggested the use of Cvster
tOngS- In time this gang became so exDert
IN the various methods OF graphing that
IL made no difference to them whet her
property went to the bottom or not If
was only when women had been admitted
10 inns rendezvous that the noise of mid
night orgies attracted the attention of tho
N ha
longer safe as business headqua rters
Great Is the ingenuity of these thieves
Constantly they steal wines and LIQUORS
from the docks in a way which almost de-
fies detection. w
a rowboat puts under a pier in the dark.
IT'S occupants are provided with barre!
ana long auger- The rest is simplicity
itself y hole bored through the floor Of
the pier and into a barrel of ANYTHING
which Will run transfers the property To
other owners, and if they manage to eyade
me me ponce patrol they have no difficulty
with Watchmen on the piers. Nor do they
have much difficulty in disposing of a bar
rel Tor instance. of wine or spirits at the
price which they can sell with good profits
Sometimes Murderer.
There are many of these thieves. They
are cunning and often desperate They kill
a man occasionally in spite of the water
police force. Four murders were attributed
to them last year And there were others
The police are well organized and work
desperately hard. Their work must not
cease when darkness comes, and it in bad
weather that they are most needed. They
go heavily armed, and sometimes The
cracking of their pistols is replied to from
the shore.
But there are many things really out
raSeollsly dishonest lurking in the shad-
ows of the harbor over which they can ex
ercise no control Most of these concern
the sailors who man the ships Nearly all
vessels coming into port except the great
liners change their crews each voyage, and
there are human sharks in New York har-
Dor waiting to devour their wages when
they are paid Off more dangerous than any
sharks infesting southern waters. They are
called "crimps," and they combine the
traits of shipping agents with the business
of keeping boarding houses of the dingiest
sort. 1t profits them to do two things
First to get the sailors to spend the paw
from their last voyage as quickly as pos
sble, because if 1t be spent quickly il will
be spent for rum. If it be spent for rum
then the sailors may be easily swindled.