The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-15
THE "HoOLIGANs."
sir walter Bcsant on East London's
Typical NounE RouEhs.

From the century
The blood g. restless a seventeen: Il
wants exercise In reality. not prcteuse
This rcstlessness s. the cause OF the
bands organized originally for local fights
The boys OF one street unite in a small
regiment: they arm themselves with
clubs small iron bars. leather belts with
buckles. knotted hanikerchiefs with
stones tide up in them. with slings and
stones. with knives. even with revolvcrs
o. the "toy" kind and they 80 forth to
tight the lads Of another street II IS
real fight: the field g. strewn with the
wounded. the police have trouble in putt
ting a stop 10 the combat Win broken
heads. black eyes and ban1agcd arms. the
leaders appear next dag before the mag
istrate. But the local regiment cannot
always be meeting see enemy on the field
OF glory. the step. therefore. 20 hustliug
the people in the street Is natural The
boys gather together and hold the street
II any one ventures to pass through Il.
they rush upon him, knock him down.
ana kick him savagely about the head;
they roo him AS we'll
IL the autumn of isss an inonensive
elderly gentleman was knocked down by
such 4 gang. robbed kicked about the
head ana taken up inscn-ihlc He was
carried home and died the next day.
These gangs are called "Hooligaus."
south London is more frequently favored
with their achievements than East Lon
don They are difiicult 20 deal with. be-
cause they meet feht and dispcrse with
such rapidity that ~ BE- next 90 impossible
10 get hold 81 them. lt Is "a bad fashion
OF the time. aud will probably disappear
before long Meantime the boys regard
these holdings Of the street with prtfe.
their captain is hero. much 1s the
captain OF the eleven az "a public school
sometimes thoy devise other modes ~
achieving greatness a year or two ago
half a dozen % them Thought that %
would Doc good thing 70 they were 90 at-
tend Epson races on the Derby day. the
great race of the year. one can go 90
EPSON by road or rail. the latter o. the
cheaper aud the easier way but the more
glorious way b. TO 80 hy road. as Tho
swcHs GO Their method Dr. 20 hire
clrrlaee aud pair. to get q luncheon
hamper from q caterer 20 drive down,
ana 90 pay for sand on the hill iich
commands a view Of the race. Tho thing
can he done in s,yle for about 60 These
boys Thought 20 emulate tho swcls. thew
therefore helped themselves Co bakcrs
horse and light cart in the gray Of the
morning, aud drove gloHously ali the way
TO the race courcs Arrived there. they
sold the horse and cart to a Gypsy for
re-. and spent the day in watching the
rnces In betting on the events and iu
feastiue when the glorious day was over
aud their money all gone they found an
clubhouse near thc common and there lay
Town 20 sleep lnfeu Inc 90 walk home
IN toe morning Sow, the baker. on dis
covering his loss. had gone 20 the police:
and the police suspecting the iru h. for
tho Iads' thirst for sport was well know
feieRr phed a. Epson. The horse and
cart were recovered. and IN the mi Idle or
the night the boys were found. rhey fli
return 20 Town iu. the mDrniue. hut
as they lett n was in the rooms So.
hlsle commonly called BLACK Maria" that
they were taken 20 the police court. aud
from the court 10 the rel0rmatory.