Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-08-30

each typical Of the conditions that are
to be found in the city wherein they
live and differing from the American
fraternity only In minor particulars.
Yet, as has already been said, none
Of these Is completely analogous to
the gangs and their leaders now hold
ing sway in the nations metropolis
Their organizations are much fewer
in numbers, infinitely less powerful,
and lack the cohesiveness of Manhat-
tan's criminal associations when prob
lens Of offense and defense are pre-
sented.
They do not stand together so firm
ly. perhaps because they are not so
strongly entrenched against the at
tacks Of the lawful authorities.
But while the New York knight of
the pistol and blackjack may not have
his exact counterpart in the world to-
day, history is able to furnish one. He
Is the famed "Asiatian bully" Of Eliz-
abethan times.
Moreover, this seventeenth century
prototype Of the twentieth century
gangster frequently outrivaled the lat
ter in coldly criminal audacity and In
immunity from arrest.
Much fact and more fiction has been
written about "Alsatia," that section of
London just outside of Temple Bar,
where 800 years ago thieves and cut
throats Of all descriptions were wont
to seek Sanctuary from the minions
Of the law. Originally the district
consisted Of the monastery and gar
dens Of a community of Carmelite
monks (or White Friars) founded in
the reign Of Edward II.
Under Henry VIII the monastery
was confiscated, and In the reign Of
Edward VI houses for persons Of rank
and wealth were erected. The old
monastery had possessed the right Of
sanctuary" and this privilege of af-
fording immunity from arrest, so far
as debtors were concerned, was con-
tinued in the district by James I in
royal charter.
The Rrecinct was just outside Of the
city limits, as defined at that time, and
10 jealousy preserved It's immunity
from the jurisdiction of the city Of
flcers. For a bailiff or constable to
venture within the forbidden district
in search of an offender during the
heyday of its existence was a guaran-
ty that he would return empty hand
ed, and at best get of with only bad
beating.
At first the wealthy folk who origi-
nally made up the population Of Alsa-
tia were 10th to leave 1t. But the re-
suit of the peculiar conditions that ap-
piled. to the district might have read
lily been forseen.
The prospect Of immunity from ar
rest attracted so many evil charac-
ters that persons of respectability
were speedily driven out and their
houses became the tenement Of every
variety of male and female criminal.
Even the warrant Of the lord chief
justice of England could not be execut-
ed during this lawless reign without
the aid, of company Of musketeers.
If any bailiff or officer of the law at
tempted an arrest In the district, at
cry Of "Rescue!" hundreds Of ruffians
Of both sexes would pour into the
streets armed with pistol, rapier and
bludgeon, and the unfortunate minion
Of the law, after being beaten and
stripped Of his clothing, was usually
glad to get off with his life. II worst
befell him the river ran near by and
doubtless effectually covered many q
dark tragedy Of this city Of Refuge"
In the picturesque but accurate Ian
guage of Macaulay, Alsatia Is best de-
scribed:
"Insolvent debtors were to be found
in every house from cellar to garrett"
he wrote. THE rest were attorneys
struck off the rolls, witnesses who car
ried straw in their shoes as sign to
inform the public where false oath
might be procured for half crown,
the receivers of stolen goods, clippers
of coin, forgers Of banknotes and taw-
dry women"
Ruler Of all the rabble was the AL
sation bully" the true prototype OF
the gangster Of today. Instead Of a
blue steel automatic pistol carefully
concealed he wore a rusty sword bla-
tantly strapped on his thigh, and this,
with his Tapping hat pinned on one
side, his weather beaten wig and his
staggering gait, made him far more
picturesque figure, at least to modern
eyes, than the thug of the slum and
back alley Of the twentieth century.
The true Alsatian bully was q des-
perate and daring as any gang leader
of today. Nor did he confine his GRIM
inal operations within any prescribed
limits any more than does the gangs
ter of New York at the present time.
Whitefriars, as that section Of Lon
don where Alsatia was located has
long been known, was simply the hab-
itat of the desperate Of the Elizabethan
period, a safe retreat when too closely
pursued by the authorities. Here one
could hire bravos to commit any kind
Of crime.
A famous incident in the history Of
the precinct was the murder Of James
Turner, a fencing master, in 1912, by
two. ruffians hired by Lord Sanquhar,
who desired to be revenged because
Turner in a fencing bout years before
had put out one Of his eyes. There was
a great hue and cry, and Lord Sanqu-
har was convicted Of murder and
hanged, but the two bullies who had
performed his mission escaped, pro-
tected by their fellow Alsatians.
In the year 1649 twenty-four Asa
tians disguised as soldiers appeared at
the house of Sir Edward Hales, who
lived at some distance from Temple
Bar, and called upon a constable to