The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-22
NEWSBOYS OF 10 YEARS AGO
What Has Become of De Gang the Days When George Banks
Was King Of the Alley and Dealt Out Justice With Rough
and Certain Hand.

Twelve years have mace great changes
in the ranks of Minneapolis newsboys.
OF all the kids who hustled papers for
living here more than decade ago, not
many remain to tell the tale Those who
do remain are no longer kids and they
are doing a different stunt now, most Of
them having reached nan s estate and
branched out In business ventures more
BETTING mature years Some are dead,
and others. sad to tell, sire inmates of
prison cells.
1t is a curious fact that, with the
growth of the city, the newsies have lest
much of the individuality that once dis
tinguished those in the business. There
are more birds of g. feather now. There
were more characters" to be found
among She boys of the old school in the
DAYS of Mrs Fairs newsboys' home. Per-
haps this change in the personnel OF news
boy crowds is due to the compulsory edu-
cation law which doesn't allow the boys
to devote all their time to business, or
possibly to certain re1nlns 1nlluences ~
the present life. of the city which may
have been wanting ten OF fifteen years
ago.
Nose is probably the only one In the
business to-day with whose personality
every one who gets down town orten IS
familiar. .'F'og Horn" O'Meara, whose
remarkable lung capacity earned him his
title, and who was known from coast 10
coast. was another picturesque character
who liugered in our midst until few
wears ago, when he left town and lett
.'Mose" in undisoIted possession o. the
field as originally made u9
Beat Way Around World.
The oldest ex-newsboy in the town to-
dawn point Of actual services George
Banks, colored, now shining shoes IN a
Third street ''parlor." George, VINO IS
now 26 years old, commenced selling pa
pers in 1880, and followed the business
into the early nineties. BY that time the
old gang had gradually drifted away, and
George began to feel so strangely. out OF
place that he sought livelihood at other
work. Banks was one Of those vent ure-
some ungsters-commOn enough in MS
newsboy days-who had travelled all over
the United States, by blind baggage and
! otherwise, before he was 10 years old. The
! limits of the country finally became SO
| small for him, while he was yet in the
! harness, that he shipped as cabin boy on
| Pacific liner from San francisco, ana
actually cheat" his way around the world
| before he got back again. He sojOurned
| for while in New York and Chicago, but
was not content until he got back to his
! native city. He was born in small
frame house, on Third avenue near
Third street, which was recently torn
down, and commenced selling papers While
he was yet in kits.
The king of the Alley.
George was once the king of newspaper
alley. He was delegated to keep order In
the gang, and to settle all disputes. His
I hot hic
/ refractory subjects failed to abide by his
| decision. When they did he gave then
''tump in de head which kept then
quiet
George fondly recalls the days when he
and his gang held absolute sway over the
1 business section proper so far as new:
vendors were concerned. A certain dis
trict was looked upon as their special res
/ ervation and it went hard with the out
siders who dared intrude upon the forbid
i dent ground
II remember the time said George
/ when no new kids were allowed up town
4 The gang made it SO strong with then
that they didn't dare come south Of Hen
4 nepin or north of Third avenue S..
4 Among the famous old-time newsboy
4 whom George called to mind who still Hv
in Minneapolis are Paddy Irish and hi
brother Bob" CavaDaugh, who run
newsstand on Third street. Johnni,
Campbell, a former neWsboy,I Who recentl
graduated from the university medica
school and has led the .rcoters brigad,
for several years, is now a physician a
! the city hospital
Duke on The Stage.
Duke Johnson. colored. who was TO
years Nicollet house bellboy.s and wa
all the while picking UP steps is now
! fixture on the vaudeville stage and i
dancing his way to fortune in New York
> Red Mcllenna. who was Banks part
t ner in the boot blacking business in tn
! old Tribune alley, is now a champio
: buck and wing dancer in Chicago. Dav
' Banks, colored, a brother Of George,
5. another colored dancer from Minneapol
a who made hit in New Y ork. II
. Dutch Schroeder Is sti LII in town. be
/ ling employed In q mercantile establish