The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-26
BATTLE OF TIE SEWER PIPES
THE WOPs AND THE YIDs WAGE
WAN ~ JAMES STREET.

". - NV
Carnage within q Tunnel Formed by
chance Arrangement ~ sewer Tubing.
The armed truce which had bridged
hostilities between the Oak street Wops
and the Madison street Yids for n whole
week was broken rudely yesterday after
noon when the Giannini Kids yellow dog
chased the Moe Liohtenstein family cat
Into the line Of sewer pipes stretched ready
for laying along James street Just below
Madison and there slew her. Bloody war
famed along James street on the instant
and tho blood Sof the Lichtenstein cat was
not u~navenged.
IL happens that the Lichtenstein progeny.
Louis and Moe. have to live by battle and
the weight of the discarded banana stem
because their parents reside on the south
ern frontier OF the East Side Judea, where
the Greek and the italian hordes are ever
ready to prevail against them. Both the
boys are three blocks from the nearest
outposts Of the Madison street Yids and
their goings and comings are matters Of
strategy. particularly when the Wops
from Oak street are on the warpath. SO
1t has come about that Louis and Moe
survive through fitness only and tbe~strug-
gle 10 daily a changing problem.
Yesterday afternoon Moe was playing
cat In the middle OF the street near the
Lichtenstein home. Louis was mong the
outs, as were three or four of the Madison
street Yids who had come down TO give
the Lichtenstein exiles c~ountenance in their
isolation. The sewer pipes stretched end
to end along the left hand side OF the street
from the corner Of Madison almost down
TO the fruit stand on the other corner.
Such economy had been used In their dispo-
sition that the pipes were made TO meet.
end 10 end. with only a few inches OF space
between the fianges.
just as Moe had Knocked the wooden
knuckle far out into the territory Of the
outs Giannini Kid and two Of his COM
panions strolled over to make a recon-
noissance of the Acid. The Kids dog
followed at his heels.
The Kid spotted the Lchtenstein tshby
summing herself on the top step Of the stoop
before the Lchtenstein tenement. eyes
closed in oontentment and fur spread to
the warmth. The Kid grasped the oppor-
tunity for an overt act and sicked his yellow
dog on the Lichtenstein cat.
There was a scramble on the stoop. a
frightened yowl and the Lichtenstein tabby,
VAl uD anu cNNF db1iits foN :" ~ A~f
over the back Of the pursuer and dove
into the hollow Of the first sewer pine. The
Won dog followed close at her back claws,
loudly encouraged by the belligerent Wops.
Moe stopped, his stick poised in the air.
Then without d he made for the end oil
the black pipe tunnel He slipped ms
cat stick into the yawning belt line OF his
made over trousers and dropping onto
his hands and knees quickly shuffed into
the line of pipe. Louis raced for the OPP
posite end Of the pipe down the street to
block the exit Of the Wop dog. he raised
a street cobble in the air over the mouth
Of the pipe. trembling in his lust OF siaugh-
ter.
Hey. you Yid. drop that rockT COM
handed the Kid from his place OF vantage
at the other end of the line Of pipe. and
as he spoke he crooked his arm to throw
a stone down the length OF black tube after
the shutting form Of Moe. Louis dropped
the rock and s~traightvay plunged into
his end Of the tube with the strategic intent
Of stopping the Wop dog somewhere in
the darkness.
A strangled scream came from the in
terror Of the pipe line, then smothcred
wolfsh barks. The tragedy was at its
climax.
The Tour lluB VINO naQ Deen playing cat
with Moe searched the cutters for rocks
in a frenzy Of rage. The iannini hid
despatched one OF his lieutenants on the
run up to Oak street to fetch the gang, then
he dropped to his knees and went into the
tunnel In a cloud Of dust Four pipes ahead
Of him a segment Of the runway was sway
ing with the momentum Of Moe Lichten-
stein as he shuffled his way in the direction
OF the agonized calls Of the family cat.
East Side gangs spring from the tene-
-. Nh Tr.u -z f~o..
street corners and race TO battle by instinct.
Before Moe and the Giannini Kid had
traversed half a block OF the pipes the Madi-
son street Yidsw were in full cry down to the
scene Of battle and from Oak and Roosevelt
streets came the Wops. The stone fight
which had been begun by the remnants OF
the Yids and the Wops who had not taken
to the pipes was at close range when reen-
forcements arrived on both sides.
Hoarse croaks n a violent swaying OF
one Of the pipes in the middle Of the line
indicated that the brothers Lichtenstein
and the champion Of the Wops had come
together. The Wops on the outside made a
dash for the pipe and tried to roll 10 over.
A detachment OF the Yids dropped their
stones and tore into the melee. The face
Of Louis Lichtenstein appeared for an
instant at a crack bet the pipes.
Go by the other end of the pipe and
crawl in behind him. suffered outs.
Hes got Moe by the ear and is chewing
INNS 8aAe - Soh v 81 W ~
Two of the Yids too the cue. They
fought their way into the crowd Of Wops
and streaked it for the hostile end Of the
pipe line. Several Of the Wops spotted
their strategy and dashed after them.
The two sons Of heroic Joshua of old gained
the pipe entrance first and were gone like
rats in their holes. Three Yids followed
in hot pursuit.
Mrs. Litchtenstein, on the third floor front
of the gray tenement back Of the pipe line.
had heard the melee and thrown up the
window. Seeing the Wops, she m that
her sons were in trouble. She could not
see her sons, 40 abe lifted up her voice in
lamentation. From other tenement win
dows frowsy heads were thrust out and
the quick exchange Of news flashed from
tenement to tenement. Stones whizzed
in a broad zone of fire along the street. and
the occasional sharp crash Of glass told Of
the woes OF neutrals.
Policeman Joe Welsh, who has the beat
where the wars Of the Wops and the Yids
are fought out, forged around the corner
Of Madison Of a heavy gallop. To him
Mrs. Lichtenstein addressed herself in
shrill treble tones, leaning far out Of the
window and waving a fat thumb at the pipe
line. The gangs Of boys that were running
IN and down the black tunnel. applying