The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-17
WHARF RAFT OPERATIONS
Not the Prcwling Rodent, but the
Biped Specimen.
A Reminder of Old Fashioned Docks
York-StOre Rooms ard Hiding
Places of Thieves-Many of the
Nests Broken Up by the Police.

Nests Broken Up by the Police.
With the disappearance OF the oId-time
sunk pile wooden piers from the Manhattan
shores of the North and East Rivers, New
York lost much that was picturesque
though inimical to public health and
safety, not only in the lichen- recovered, bar
nacle-coated structures themselves, but
also in the gradual dissolution following
the construction OF the modern walled-in
docks, Of the two gangs of river thieves
colloquially known as wharf rats and
water takers,' who infested the water
fronts fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five
years ago. To the members of these two
notorious gangs CT thieves, the maze OF
piling upon which the wharfage Of the two
rivers was built up afforded safe haven
from police pursuit.
In the Police Department there are still
plenty of patrolmen and officers who can
tell of exciting midnight huns through
the dangerous sections of the east and
west side after members of the water
gangs, who were as much at home In the
water as on land. While following the
common trade, thievery, the members oil
the two gangs were markedly dissimilar In
habits, their only mutual trait being
propensity to evade pursuits by seeking the
friendly waters of the rivers and harbor.
The water takers" were essentially land
thieves, and formed class of petty burglars,
their efforts for the most part being given
over to fiat-robbing and other forms OF pet
ty stealing commonly practised nowadays
by sneak thieves. When detected and par-
sued. the plan adopted by regular members
of the gang was to first dart into the hall
way of the nearest friendly tenement,
where they would endeavor to throw their
pursuers off the track by taking TO the
roofs, and later regain the street through
the door of tenement opening on amer
ent street from the one by which they had
T, entered. This method of escape Is stiii
employed by sneak thieves IN certain SET
tions of the east side.
When, however. as frequently happened
! the water takers" encountered a police
| man or detective who was quite as well
versed in the devious passages OF the east
! and west side tenements as they were
| themselves, no time was lost in climbing
stairways, for the thieves. who knew ex-
! actly the amount of local knowledge pos
! sessed by the different "coppers IN the
I neighborhood, were, aware that with
''leary cop to climb ktairways was merely
to waste wind which, they would reed In
! a run for the river. When dealing with
! policeman who had been initiated, their
plan was to make a straight, clean run for
| the river, keeping lamp post or wagon
/ between them and their pursuers whenever
| possible, as a protection from the lnevi-
| table pistol shots. Arrived at the end OF
dol Tor nj a
| short swim beneath the surface put them
| out of reach of capture for the time being.
/ rs the policemen in those days, realizing
| that their quarryHcould keep alive and
| hidden for ON almost indefinite period
among the piling. usually. except In cases
of murder, gave up the chase at the end
| Of the dock and returned to post.
The wharf rats Unlike the members
| CT the gang Just described did most OF
! their stealing from the shipping In the
waters OF the harbor and lower bay. Their
! organization was far more perfect than
| that of the other gang, who had no rec
| ognized leader and were connected more
! by their habits than by any tangible bond.
| The wharf rats had leader and meet
| ing places where campaigns OF theft were
mapped out and new members Initiated
| These meeting places for the most part
| we're rude platforms built upon the dock
I q,
| so as to allow sufficient room for man to
maintain a sitting posture without strik-
! ing his head against the planking OF the
| dock Some OF these platforms were large
| enough to hold thirty and forty men, be-
! sides bales of goods stolen from ships ard
placed there for storage. The wharf rats"
usually operated through an accomplice,
who signed with the crew on leaving a
! port bound for New York.
d xI,~ fhn nj
! steal everything he could lay bis hands
! on and secrete 1t in some part of the
| shin near to the rail. The bottom of the
! water cask was favorite receptacle for
| things not injured by water such as cop
I per, gold, silver. etc. Arrived In port, the
| accomplice would communicate with the
| gang who would later noselessly, with
! muffied oars, make their way to the side
I of the ship and take charge OF the stolen
! cargo. Copper was the favorite "swag,
! because Of the ease with which It could
be turned into cash. Too frequently II
| happened that the accomplish particularly
on sailing vessels, was an officer Of the
I ship who could arrange to have the hon.
| est members of the crew out of range
| when the thieves came alongside. Many
, skipper, however, has rushed from his
cabin at sound of scuffie to find his Off
Ger and men on watch bleeding from stab
wounds inflicted by the thieves, interrupt
ed at their work.
The credit for the final breaking up Of
| the wharf rats undoubtedly belongs In
great measure to the police. Certainly no
one who has ever encountered the rigors
of a mid winter night on the water in a
| rowboat will fail to give them credit for
the pernacity which they displayed In
hunting down the thieves. through weather
which would have killed men unused to it.
The wharf rats" towards the last came
to know that to venture out to the side
OF a ship on a pleasant night meant GER
tain capture They accordingly relied on
the boisterousness Of elements to protect
them, and risked death frequently in the
river ice to obtain IS worth Of copper
sheathing. Their end finally came. how
ever, with the reconstruction OF the river
fronts, and the police launches are now
called upon to look out for nothing more
serious than an occasional drunken sailor
or a mutiny on a ship within the three
mile limit of the city's jurisdiction.-New
York Evening Post.
DOGS THAT COULD THINK.