The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-22
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

, good deal has been written Of late, are
for the most part copiers OF American
crooks. The trick Of following q woman
into store and, just as she goes to make
purchase, assuming the role OF an indignant
husband, taking her money away from
her, and getting away before she has
chance to recover from her surprise, was
worked for some time in the West. It
can women are harder ,S The headed than their
French sisters. and unlike the latter, do not
assist the crooks by promptly going into
Mysteries or fainting when robbed. A
simple little swindle that was successful
man and a boy. The boy would walk up
the street swinging pitcher around his
head. The man, standing on an opposite
corner. would call attention to the boys
recklessness and offer to bet IS or some
larger amount that the boy would break
The crook rarely failed to hook victim.
or course, Just as the boy reached the cor
ner, he would break the pitcher, and the
crook would win the bet.
Leetershire, N. Y, which has invited
Big Bill Devery to make its Fourth Of July
Grafton is about mile west of Binghamton.
and ia one of the liveliest littlo towns in this
State. IT is the proud possessor Of the
harbors ole or two other manufacturing
plants. For a town Of its size 1t IL one OF
the sportieet little places in the East. It is
baseball crazy, and for years II hired college
ing the summer months. The shoemakers
Of Lestershire and the adjoining town Of
Endicott are all warm union men and
Devery is just the sort OF citizen thoy
would like to llonize. " Devery goes to
Lestershire for the Fourth Of July he will
hQ ~ thn iv,,oo % hi~ 1ifo
for not only Lestershire and Endicott would
turn out to se., him, but q large part Of
Binghamton. Devery Is merely a news
paper character outside OF New York. 1t
save save for one or two pilgrimages to Jersey
City, and an occasional trip to Saratoga
during the racing season.
Since the Elm street wall Of the old Tomhs
Prison was torn out recently. the cells
which have harbored 80 many famous
prisoners in the last century can be plainly
seen from the street. What used to be
known as murderers' row, in the days
when they hanged men in the Tombs, and
the narrow walk In front Of 1t, are now on
view for the first time, and hundreds Of
people stop daily now to see the old cells.
The work OF demolshing the old prison
is over there will be little left of the pictur-
esque structure. 1t is a matter of regret
to old New Workers. that no better sub
etitute for the grand old pile was prepared
than the Horgan d Slattery monstrosity.
Magistrate Cornell's recent decision that
vermouth is not intoxicating is interesting.
Next to an absinthe jag there are few worse
things than a vermouth one. Yarmouth
isn't drunk so much in this country as it is
in France and Italy. Here 1t ia principally
used in cocktails. But a few vermouth
cocktails will make mans head swim as
readily as whiskey or brandy The die
tionary will inform Magistrate Cornell
that vermouth Is made OF white wine, alb
sinthe and cert ain aromatic drugs.
Although large amount OF money Is
paid for gas by the city each month, the
people Of Brooklyn get very little good out
Of it, owing to the anxiety Of the lamp
lighters in that borough to get through with
their work. After 2 clock in the morn
ing it is pitch dark in most Of the side streets
OF Brooklyn. The lamplighters begin turn
ing out the lights about that hour, and very
few are lighted as late as o'clock. which
is the very time when they are the most
needed. Constant complaints to the lamp
lighters and to the gas people do no good.
There Is deputy commissioner OF some
thing or other In Brooklyn who is supposed
to look after these things, but apparently
ho uOV'sl nhVW "hdt o SoluS
A Brooklyn department store which be-
gan the custom Of checking babies for
mothers who wanted to do shopping has
new hired building with large back yard
on Livingston street, and has converted
the back yard into play ground. Along
the fences scenery is arranged and against
this are piled huge heaps OF sand.
The scenery represents the ocean and the
sand gives seashore effect to the place
There are pals and shovels for the children
who want to play In the sand, and swings,
rocking horses and other amusements FOR
larger children. Attendants look after the
children while their. mothers shop. The
youngsters enjoy 1t all very much, and 1t is
no trouble to keep the average child there
half q day without its parent.
A college graduate who was anxious to
impart some Of his recently acquired knowl-
edge to an expectant world recently put an
advertisement in a Sunday paper The
general tenor Of the ad. was that he was
willing and competent to teach any one
anything at any hour Of the day or night.
The only response to his offer came from
The prospective student wished to be in
structed in elementary algebra from to 4
o'clock in the morning. The college gradu-
ate subsequently decided to be an office
boy In the Daytime.
what surprises me most since my re-
turn" said an old New Yorker, who has
been abroad for two years, "is the great
change In the character of the Broadway
crowd in the neighborhood Of Thirty-fourth
street. Persons one used to meet there
when I was last in town savored more or
less Of the Tenderloin; Particularly was
this 60 at night. Now 1t Is different. The
two big stores at Thirty-!ourth street seem
to irresponsible for the change. The re-
spectacle element, ina CINE, came with the
opening OF these stores and has swallowed
UP the Tenderloin crowd 40 that 1t IL hardly
noticeable any longer, 1t is certainly a
welcome change"
There's lots Of tricks in the wine trade"
said man about town yesterday, and l
want to call attention to the latest 1t is
practised by man whom some describe
as having his Office in his hat. This chap
gathers together one or two thousand
bottles OF odd makes Of French champagne
Of second or third grade, sticks on to
them a label with name almost similar
to that OF hrst-class make of wine and
introduces them into the second-rate
restaurants OF New York city He gives
all sorts OF bonuses for the Introduction
OF his wine, and when you go into these
sAoond-class restaurants and ask for the
oho xr-bi1 fal1o uy;th h. On