New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-31

cry" Its immediate avenues We're known as
"Murderers' Alley" and "The Den of Thieves
In December, 1852, the cold Brewery" which
had housed SO much infamy for years, was torn
down in a weeks time, and in the following
January the cornerstone of the new mission
building was laid.
Amid all the sordidness and filth of the
neighborhood few souls kept alive a sense
of hunor, and at least one Of the famous
jokes which stirred the Five Points had that
grim element in it which might be expected
there. Frank Moss tells the story in his book
The American Police.
"a practical joke of the Five Points was
presented by gambler known as Lozier, who
was famous for his humor One day in 1923
this old gambler remarked to some people at
the old Center Market: I have had long
conversation with some friends about New
York Island and we have come to the cCncu-
sion that the island is getting too heavy on
the Battery end, where it is altogether too
much built up, and we therefore consider it
dangerous.
SO our intention is to have it sawed off at
Kingsbridge and turn that end down where
the Battery is now located. But the question
is, How shall it be done? AS Long Island ap-
pears in the way. some think it can be done
with the moving of Long Island over but the
bay and harbor are not large enough at the
end of New York to turn around in, while
others say Long Island must be detached and
foated far enough down until this grand turn
is made, and then brought back to it's former
place
Impossible as it may seem, the runlor
spread and was accepted, and many persons
waited upon Lozier, asking for work in carry
ing out his idea. Lozier actually engaged me-
chanics to build barracks, which were sup
posed to accommodate hundreds of workmen,
who were to make sweeps about twenty-fouf
in number, of $50 feet in length which were
to be used on the opposite sides of the extreme
ends of the island to float it around after it
was sawed off. In this manner good many
were engaged, who soon became anxious to be
sent at once, but Lozier said he had not engaged
sufficient number, and could not think Of
going on with this large job until he had all the
men he needed.
cat last thenumber of those engaged grew
so great that it became necessary for Lozier to
do something, and he was forcedto send them
to begin work. He thought it best to divide
his dupes, and one party was directed to be at
broadway and the Bowery, near the present
Union Square, and the other to be at the car
neF of Spring Street and the Bay The
day came. The great crowd gathered at the
two points, but Lozier could not be found. He
lay quietly housed for several weeks, not dar-
ing to venture forth, and when he did SO he
was attired as a different person."
But all was not testing in the region of the
Five Points, as these data also from Mr.
Mosss book, will show.
Police Headquarters, the very heart Of the
system devised for the repression of crime
and the protection of the people, was the
center of an array of criminals and institu
tons that could not be matched in any COM
munity of the country On the same block
with the Headquarters building was place
where policemen gambled and block away
at Houston and Crosby streets, were the
House of Lords and the Bunch of Grapes, two
famous resorts for thieves and burglars. Near
by was Harry Hills, which, though managed
in another way, brought together an immense
collection of criminals of both sexes
From which it would appear that New YORK.
as was said before, isn't what it used to be-
TIA fearful innocence and pure religion
breathing household laws" of that simpler day
may be gone, but with it went other qualities
not quite so simple and innocent The Five
Points IS becoming q memory. recollection
OF old crimes and feuds, and on its site is to
rise public building, not unemblematic, per-
chance, Of the future. Our crime waves of TO-
day, bad as they are would appear to be pink
tea parties compared to the steady crime
waves of other days. 1t is too bad, but New
York isn't what it used to be- The Chiches-
ters and the Forty Thieves alike are gone; no
Lozier agrees to saw off the Island" and all
are at peace and forgotten, save in so far as
they may be made to live in Mrs, Atherton's
living photoplay of the dead past.