The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-01
FEARFUL TALE
Of Youth From Baltimore Who Drank
 With Short Men.
From the New York Sun.

after was beginning to break over the Tenderloin yesterday and sunset guns and curfews were booming through West Thir- tieth street and vicinity when Sergeant Dave Mccarthy of the West Thirtieth Street station house. rubbed his eyes, looked up from the blotter and saw tall, clean shaven young man standing be- fore the desk weeping bitterly. The young man wore light clothes, mud spattered patent leather shoes and no jewelry, and he was swaying like a dew-gemmed lily.
 Sergeant Dave dipped his pen In the ink.
 How much? When? Where? Why?" began the sergeant, mechanically Mo- never mind the why" he added.
 Sergeant, I've been robbed" said the young man impressively.
 "Oh, cut out unnecessary details, snapped the sergeant, peevishly, and get down to the story"
 Well, If you must know" said the young man, taking a fresh hold. "l m from Baltimore, and while my people are doing Europe l just ran over here for a few days to see the sights I'm staying at the Victoria. Last night, some time, l went in a place"
 "Yon don't tell mer' cried Sergeant Dave. sitting up with astonishment. "Oh, positively" insisted the man from Baltimore. Believe me, l am being per fectly candid with you, sergeant. It Is l students at Johns Hopkins for a short of chop house, and
 You're d great describer," commented the sergeant, but proceed q met two young men who seemed to know a great many of the best people of Baltimore. think they said they were students at Johns Hopkins fo ra short time"
 toI geant Dave, "and they had to go out into the world and hustle.'
 Exactly They were good fellows. though bit shabby, and we had some- thing to drink. Then they introduced me to several of their girl friends aid lot of bankers and brokers and the chop house keeper and the orchestra, and we all had some other things to drink. But when they left me, sergeant, what do you think I found?
 well, remember, I have three guesses. insisted the sergeant. For my first I choose you've been touched for your wad, For my sec"
 Exactly. They took 800. Perhaps you know them-two short young men from John Hopkins"
 Perhaps I do. Oh, by the way. what time is it?" asked Sergeant Dave. curl ously.
 "Oh, groundhogs" gasped the Balti- more youth. as he. reached for the place where his watch ought to be. They've taken my watch, too, and wouldn't lose 1t for 5000 My father gave 1t to me-"
 Hell give 1t to you again when he gets home" said the sergeant.
 Plain clothes man Mckay was called upon the scene to go out with the Balti- morean to try to look up the two short young men who were longer after they left the man from Baltimore.
 Around the corner from the police sta- ton. there was sound of tentative tinkles as windows were being opened along Tin Pan alley and the days experi- ments with the latest rag-time songs began. Sergeant Dave. entering the Bal timore youths troubles in the blotter, kept time to the music as 1t foated across from the music publishers factories. I'm going back, back. back to Baltimo, This yere business makes me SO! blackface song or a minstrel joke Won't entice this foolish moRe. I never cared fo' home so much befo'. They said we'd stoy at swell hotels gallo. We only
 "Sarge" yelled the young man as he burst Into the station house again. alone, they've taken my diamond pin, too, Gosh darn It. won't stand for It. Dyou know who I am? That's who I am,' he cried importantly. as he showed the Ser geant a check for 5000 signed by his father, but which according to the date, would not be In full bloom until June 26 Sergeant Dave said he was sorry the young man couldn't get into a hardware store at that hour to buy good strong lock for himself
 Tn the meantime he told the Baltimo- rean to take firm grip on the check while a policeman tried to steer him to- ward the Victoria, even If the rudder was broken. The Sergeant turned again to his blotter humming an accompaniment to the shrieks that were still floating across the dawn from the alley:
 The next man says I'm talented
 I'll put a dent right in his head
 When I'm hack, back, back In Baltlmo'.
 Sarge" bawled the young man from Baltimore, back for the third time what the name of that policeman you sent with me to take me back to the hotel? He's robbed me of my check for s20Oo."
 "Fgit it." said Sergeant Dave. "Take another look Stand on your hands and shake yourself and maybe it'll fall out
 The Baltimore man wanted to start sys- tematically by taking off his shoes first and beginning the search from the bottom up but after some persuasion he was ln- duced to look into his pockets before beginning to dsrobe. He found the check. Sergeant Dave stood up.
 ''Round the corner" he began, Ion Sixth avenue you'll find an all-night beanery open where you can buy dozen raw eggs. Take your shoes off over there, break the dozen in them and beat It."
 Later in the day the youth was flashing an early rose check for a smaller amount around the Victoria in an effort to have it turned Into ticket to Baltimo'. un- der the ciraumstances Manager Keough thought even the smaller check too large to cash. The young man finally raised sl0 however. and straightway left the joys of great city behind him. There have been no arrests made.