The times., 1901-04-06
New York. the DisreputnbIe city

New York. the DisreputnbIe city.
For the last ten years Mr.. Josiah
Flynt. whose name is now becoming
well known to students of sociology.
has been investigating the ways OF what
he calls the Under World otherwise
the world OF crooks. " "hoboes.' and
guns" He has done this not after the
manner of a professional social econo-
mist but i'm the guse of a citizen Of the
Under World" and his Investigations
have aroused SO little suspicion that
even now he is not known to that world
as a college graduate and a writer Tor
the magazines. but retains his assumed
character Of a hobo. He has naturally
discovered numerous facts which are
not recorded by the average sociologist,
and some of these are Incorporated in
an article in "McClure's Magazine for
April, under the title, York a Dis
honest City" This article contains
statements about the police and detec-
tive force of New York. and its munich
pal government, which are absolutely
true; which everyone who has lived for
six months in the city knows to be true;
and which. because of their revelation
of certain discreditable facts. have
proved extremely unpalatable to the
people responsible for those facts. on
the strength Of their displeasure they
have had the assurance TO issue a sub
poena to call Mr.. Flynt to account for
telling the truth about them.
The material Of Mr.. Flynt's article
.f ;t
been used in a more indirect fashion in
the authors former works, Powers
That Prey" and "Tramping With
Tramps" He has never made any Sc
cret of his discoveries concerning the
New York Police Department nor has
he been at all hesitant in telling his
readers how that organization is re
garded By the guns" and "hoboes'
whom it is supposed 10 keep in order
The material Of which he has made this
casual and indirect use is now gathered
into a special article on the subject,
containing much other information not
before given to the public. In view of
the fact that he is not a member of
the Committee of Five, or of Fifteen.
or OF any other reform organization
but is an independent investigator, with
no stake in the matter the work Of Mr.
Flynt has a peculiar value. The open
ing paragraph Of his article. although it
contains revelation which is likely
to startle the average reader. is really
not half as curious as the conclusion TO
which it leads. Mr.. Flynt says:
"one OF the Powers that Rule in New. York
10 call IT, j. man who used 10 be one of the
Powers that Prey. His photograph as o known
thei MAY stiil be seen in Chicago. and be Is
recognized by u. from time 10 time. when
travelling Powers that Rule visit Neg York
He j. generally 10 be found about eleven clock
al night in uptown hamts. where he 'rthbers'
around. makes 'pinch' occasionally keeps track
OF newcomers M the haunts. and takes IN as
n.uch scale his position allows. From the
L9IabrOso point uf view, he would hardly be
picked out for an eX-guu' He j. intelligent
las good manners, and might pass in the street
for ordinary man 81 affairs. With those who
are able 10 call the turn on him he talks and
acts 3s his history were known ever since
he left the cradle Until convinced that the
turn can be called on him, he is likely 10 be
suspicious ana unCommuuicativc.
4 met him under circumstances which gave
him the right 10 suppose that bis record was
known To me, bat he determined 20 feel
out il be could. before taking too much for
granted One of the first questions put to him
was How are the guns making out here now
" We've got the guns pretty well on the run.
he replied looked at him and smiled. lie
looked al me in return and finally also smiled.
90 i mean. he said changing his tone, that
ihey're leaving town 10 20 10 the different re-
sorts. Understand don't youE
Il nodded ms head. and the conversation drift
cd of into a discussion in regard 10 the present
system by which the guns are watched over
in the metropolis and soon after We separated.
The evidently not comfortable in nay
cOmpany-he knew almost nothing about me
and il did not seem fair to detain him. Further
more, be said that he lad 10 make a plant
IN hotel for all night, and he in a hurry.
4 have referred 10 him and more Particularly
TO his remark about having the guns the run,
because he Is representative Of the present police
regime in New York City. do not mean for an
instant that the entire police force is COM
posed Of eX-guns; the man that ] know may
lie tte only one. although the Under World says
not; but he is typical in that lac wanted 10 make
believe that the police OF New York really
have the guns Of the city under their control
and are successfully protecting the citizens from
them. lie knows. his superior- know, and the
guns themselves know that New York is for
All practical purposes, as open 10 grattCrs as
81 has been 8t ans time during the last years,
and II Is because the Powers that Rule try 10
bluff the public into thinking that they are
doing their utmost % keep the town shut when
They are not, that the Under World calls New
York dishonest city.
1t viii be noticed that the piquancy Of
this mans writing consists partly in
the very frank Interpretation which he
- dyiE - give VI Lilt DDtiiibllE tliLtL-
tanned by the people Of the Under
World" regarding the people who are
supposed 70 be their rulers Their ideas
on this subject. of course. are not Off
cially Of any value, but practically they
are considerably significant. for if a
chief Of police really has the thief on
the run, the thief is liable 10 know it,
The fact that the prominent person in
question is an "eX- gun" while IT may
shock the average reader, is not half as
unfortunate as the fact that, while os-
tensibly protecting the city, he and his
colleagues are doing nothing Of the
kind. The old proverb runs, "set thief
10 catch thief" bus obviously that VIII /
be Of no use if the thief only pretends |
10 do his work, and in reality takes pay |
from his employer and his supposed en- |
emy at the same time.
Dir. Flynt states without qualification l
that the New York Police Department /
does precisely this. and that not all OF |
those who do il have the excuse Of be- /
ing eN-members Of the criminal frater- |
nifty. He says:
NO one smiles more broadly than the gun |
Ghen one Of the Powers that Rule goes before 4
Grand Jurg Assembly investigating Com /
nittee and ssys that be has no personal knowl- 1
edge Of certain joints and no one is better
Office could tell II Il wanted TO- He docs not 4
bianle the Powers that RuI1 for Eecr,ino their |