The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-25
In Crock Society.

The young writer who takes the name Of
Josiah F1ynt has given us a number Of ex-
cellent short stories dealing with the men
and women Of the Under World. The
tramp, the crook. the 'grafter,' and their
female associates have provided him with
material that he has made good use OF. and
In THE Rise Of Ruderick Clowd' (Dodd,
Mead 4 Coz We have q moro ambitious
attempt that Is at once an interesting ro-
nance and a scientifically valuable study
OF some curious and httle-understood
strata Of society. RudeFick 10 Q chance
child born In ons Of the tenement-house
wards and graduated from the university
Of the street. A course Of pocket-picldng,
followed by term In the reformatory. fits
him for q criminal career. With . father
who has never acknowledged his obliga-
ton and Q mother who has died after long
struggle to live dscently. the boy y alone
In the world. He b 10. fond Of pleasure
and not over fond Of work. In his particu-
lar ward, according TO the suthor. = young
man With little schooling. and - with
schemes in his head OF future prosperity.
bad to make up his mind very quickly
whsthsr he meant to BE- thief or forego
his ambitions Of wealth. The question
was put to him openly and plainly: the whole
neighborhood dinned II In his ears Are
you going to be a drudge or . man with
money In your pockets?' He heard 1t In
the factory, the streets. the saloons and
the pawnahop. There was no getting away
from It. II he was q youth with . history
similar to Ruderick Cowds.
sThe very pavement was tnqhsftive on
the subject, and all who tramped upon
II had to give an answer. The majority
replied: Drudge. I haven't the nerve to
be q successful crook These took their
places In the local social arrangement a.
menials and plebs. They constituted tho
proletariat Of the criminal world. Others
were venturesome enough to experiment
an tramps on the road, and these became .
part OF what ID called the middle class Of
criminal life. They lacked the courage
and determination to 60 In for money-mak-
ing enterprises Of largo dimensions, but
they were possessed Of sufficient nerve 70
70 forth into the world a. vagabonds.
Finally there were those with supreme nerve
who were deteTmined 70 b aatiaAed With
big rewards only. who were prepared TO
risk everything on the cast OF single die
Thess took their places as aIistooraos. The
criminal environment was such that the
only outlet for their energy was thieving;
they became the notorious pickpockets,
burglars and cracksmen Of their day. In
another environment they might have de-
yeloped into the natural leaders In honest
industry and struggle OF the great world
Of which theirs was but small part. They
were compelled to take advantage Of the
opportunities at hand, and they exploited
these opportunities - diligently as do the
succesaful and oslsbsated In respectable
endeavon. Their overwhelming passion
was to end thstr days - prominent and
wcIlto-do business msn Of their class; they
struggled toward this goal TIL they reached
II or their nerve had been stampedsd.'
The youthful Rudsriok hAs M physioAl
courage and moro than . streak OF good
in him. But money 10 him means pleasure
and work means drudgery. and he is easily
persuaded to join . mob Of porch
climbers STALLS pickpockets and all
around sglns' that was being organised
,n the ward. His career from this on 70 q
record OF crime and dissipation. with In
tsrvals of jail. He never 'squeah.' and.
such a his ideals are. he sticks to them.
Il like people, hs says. and streets an
q lot o. noise. I'm . city guy all right.
III tell you when I'm happiest. It's when
the street b al aars With gaslisht an I've
had my supper and have put on my best
toes and can 70 down the main stem o
the town. Thsm's the moments that
Ruderick Clowd calls real hvin'. Gimme
hundsrd- dollar bin an IN open road
an q lively night. an think I'm king.
want noiss an chatter an lot o. hollerin'
in mine. I'd 20 crazy Twin In the helds
ali the time. Put me In the main stem
O. York; let me zee the wheels 60 round
an the drivers shout an the people runnin'
an the coppers scoldin'. an I'm all to the
rood. When ] feel Glum an run down