The Washington times., 1919-02-23
BALTIMORE EBOWERY.
HUGE CRIME CENTER.

BALTIMORE, Feb. 23.-When Fred
| erick c. Dowdall, alleged ho1d-up man
and ex-marine, who is now locked up
awaiting the action of the grand jury.
confessed to detectives when he was
| apprehended Saturday that he hal
been buying dope" in the vicinity of
Baltimore and Holiday streets, he not
only drew attention to the fact that
| the traffic in narcotics is still -four
ishing in this city but to the center
from which radiates much of the crime
committed in Baltimore.
I The police have long been cognizant
| OF conditions in this neighborhooj.
The average man, however, has given
| them little attention. Forced into .he
city by the closing OF most of tho
dives in the county at which they
| formerly cOngregated, the crook, the
! gambler. the pickpOcllet, tn" hold-up
man, the dope peddler, the pirating
chauffeur and the scarlet woman have
made this locality their rendezvous. 1t
has become the Bowery of Baltimore.
where vice lies hidden by day and
stalks abroad by night.
Like the Old Bowery, it is not fire.
quented by the "high-class" burglar or
the polished crook, nor is it the haunt
of the big fish" in the political pond.
But il is the gathering place Of petty
! criminals OF every description and Of
the pow vows" of petty politicians 20
whom is entrusted the task of lining
up 1.-The boys"
Bears Cosmopolitan Aspects.
Within the territory bounded by Ba'-
timore, Gay, Fayette, and Holiday
streets are encompassed perhaps more
cosmopolitan aspects Of city life thal
| in any area OF equal size in Baltimore.
a massive church stands shoulder to
shoulder with a theater and saloon;
a jewelry establishment rubs elbows
with a bootbIack stand: a pawn shop
faces a well-knOwn bank; and, as fo-
the rest, II is almost entirely theaters,
moving picture parlors. billiard rooms,
Chinese restaurants and saloons.
The crowds which nightly throng
Baltimore street between Gay and
Holiday are motley, for here is a
miniature White Way. From immense
electric signs in front OF two large
theaters a myriad of vari-cOlored
lights flash intermittently. From the
motion picture houses the steady rays
] from hundreds Of incandescent bulbs
above and around the entrances create
a brilliancy almost dazzling. Nor are
night. for this block is likewise the
center of such au-night life as the
city has.
Within one ar the theaters the
tired bushes man" puffs at his cigar
as he watches with interest the ca
yortings Of the "TobasCo Darlings'
and yawns at the quips OF bur
lesaue's foremost comedian whose
Jokes are among his earliest recol-
lections of childhood. In the other
theaicr. the really tired wOrkinEmdn
and clerk with their families are en-
loving an event" in the routine OF
their daily lives. In the mOtiOn-plc-
ture houses. usually crowded. is to De
found almost every metropolitan type.
Regular HabItueS Appear Later.
But it is not these that give real
color to the neighbOrhood. Long be-
fore midnight most of them have re-
tired. and as the night crowd Eradu-
aIlv thins out. the regular habltues
becOmc more conspicuous. At the cor
ner Of Baltimore and Holiday streets
linger a few patient salvation ARMY
workers. who have been singing
DravinC and collecting since nighttal.
Nearby is an astronomer WIN a
huge telescope, who VIII show you
the mountains Of the moon lot
dime. and across the streets IS 80
ciaIist orator haranguinE small
crowd, most Of which consider MN d
better comedian than the ALLEGED
Iaugb-producers just seen at the the
ater
Standing with their backs to the
walls OF the bank or lettering aiohS
the curhstoncs are the professional
idlers, who need just one more DINE
for nights lodging and VINO
warily watch the patrolman on the
corner as they approach pedestrians
In little groups stand takers OF Va
riouS descriptions, discussing lh'
fruits OF the day and planning TOT
the morrow In the darkened door
ways Of the motion picture houses
Iurz the peddlcrs Of dope, the cN-
pert "panhandlcrs" and the petty
thieves. ready to fraternize with the
"drunks." which they know viii
shortly put in their appearance. anu
trim" them or else take their money
by more forcible methods.
Within the saloons group or
knowing ones with clear heads ara
giving straight tips on the next
days races to interested auditors:
another group. somewhat flushed Of
face and thick Of tongue, are discuss |
ing politics and assuring him who is |
buying the drinks that they Will be
with his candidate TO a man; and an
individual. whose assurance has in
creased with the amount of alcohol |
imbibed, is telling friend just what
he would do at the Paris conference !
II he were President Wilson.
With the stroke Of midnight others |