The Washington herald., 1919-03-01

New York, Feb. 2s-All UP and
down the Tenderioin from the velvet
carpeted Louis Qulnze rooms to the
oack room stuss games on Third ave-
nue. the gamblers are gloating over
the fall of Honest Dan" Costigan.
Honest Dan" was denoted from an
inspector to captain and in an hour
found himself cooling his heels in an
obscure station near Coney Island.
And when the reporters fiocked to
him to ask II he still thought it paid
TO be honest, Costigan replied with n
twinkle and a delightful burr that he
was satisfied with things as they
were, Il have got my manhood and
that can't be taken away from me, 4"
he said.
Honest Dan" had rowing COM
mission. He selected his braves care
fully and they battered their way
through wood and iron to the gam
bling dens, brothels and other nests
of vice.
He started down on the lower East
Side with the pool rooms, stuss games
| and houses Of assignation and worked
up into tho gilded districts where men
play in evening clothes and under
soft flooded lights, losing a fortune
by the turn OF a card.
When the new commissioner came
on the job he relieved Honest Dan"
as head of the vice squad and so the
reports go the valiant old war-horse
was subjected to all kinds of petty
annOyanccs. They took his clothes
closet from him and one by one his
trained men were reduced in rank.
Honest Dan" in the quiet of his Of
flee, his brow wrinkled under his
thatch of gray hair. puffed his cigar
wonderingly. But he was a soldier OF
the police and he knew how to obey
orders.
His trusted sergeant Floyd Horton,
who specialized in grating coppers.
was sent away to do patrol duty in
Brooklyn. which is an, adjunct of New
York for those who are unenlight-
cnad. The gamblers interpret the de-
motion of Costigan as meaning only
ono thing. The town is to be wide
open for the last five months before
prohibition sets in. Already the
gambling houses are opening up.
Gamblers whose frayed clothes and
Gextcrity to roll their own cigarettes
showed n field OF lean pickings are
getting their jewels out of hook
ChCCkered Surtouts are basking in the
night-glare~ of Times Square and al
most every street corner and every
cafe has its tout and capper who
wise" the uninitiated where he can
find quick action.
I'm the Bright Light Belt, where
they take such things as approach
ing prohibition seriously. the white
aproned chaps behind the bar have
sought protection from qIestioners
as to what they will do after July
in a sign with big black letters. It
reads:
Don't worry about the bartender.
He'll get a job after July l easier
than You'll get drink
Md +. 7. A. in the Tribune, sees
little need for worry over what is
adds sarcastically that the bartender
cared little what became OF US.
And while on the subject of pro-
hibit.nu 1t is noted that the invi-
tatiOns to the Jungle Ball at Del
mOnicos next week animadvert that
George Washington would never have
voted for prohibition. But we are
doing so many things today that
George Washington would never
have done.
The Second Portrait of Lady
MeuX' is now on exhibition. 1t was
brought from the other side by
well-knOwn Fifth avenue art dealer.
who paid $4,000 for the canvas. Lady
Meux was once indirectly connected
with the stage as n barmaid at the
Gayety Theater. became the wife
Of the Celebrated brewer, whose
interest in London bars was so
great that he added Temple Bar
to his collection. When the hus
band grew so righ she insisted that
her portrait be done by Whistler,
She was so pleased with the result
that it became a habit and she or
dered another painting. 1t is this
second one that the dealer brought
to New York