Year: 1874

NEW YORK.


GOTHAM GOSSIP.


THE REIGN OF JUPITER PLUvIUs-THE MEM
DRY OF THE OLDEST INHABITANT AT FAULT
THE EPIDEMIC OF MASKED RoBBERIEs-
STORY OF DARING BURGLAR AND a PLUCKY
OLD GENTLEMAN-THE TWO FRIENDS, OR
THE FREAKS OF A FORTUNE


From Regular Correspondent Of Sentinel


New YORK, Dec S-Something has GER
tainly happened to Jupiter Pluvius himself;
no mere signal officer, even though he be
Jupiter's right hand man, could manufacture
such weather as that of the past week. APP
prehensive and practical people have recon-
mended the study of naval architecture,
with view to the probable revival of the
ark building interest; sentimental people
have talked vaguely about some probable
and severe afiiIction in the family of the
aforesaid god, and have limited that 'twere a
nobler fate to drown in the tears OF a god
than even in ''butt of MalmseY." We do
not however, care about drowning at all,
and neither do we wish to live in the
second story of an ark during the remainder
of the winter. No doubt the ordeal by water
is better than that by fire, but we greatly
prefer to have our elements doled out to us
in the usual way, about "'arf and art" But
there is one thing in which we are gamers
from the torrents of rain that have fallen
lately; they have done what our street conf
missiOners seem never to do, they nave
thoroughly cleaned the streets OF the city,
north and south, east and west, and If the
sun should ever happen to shine again walk
ing in Broadway will be greater delight
than ever. At present, however, the pave
ments are deserted except by those who are
forced to brave the pitiless weather, and the
CAV metropolis, literally under cloud, is
ike a mourner clad In sackcloth and
ashes. The oldest inhabitant MRS. Annie
Leary, aged 100 years, who was turned out
into the storm by her heartless relations TO
perish) is said to have remarked that she
couldn't remember ever having seen any
thing like it, and we believe her, IOr she
could't even remember the number o.. her
sons house or her own name.


One curious effect of the prolonged atfiic-
tion is the tendency of the sufferers to find
relief in doggerel like the following:


s'Heart and throat and lungs of leather


May Withstand this odious weather,


Bus the question now Is whether


LIES worth living altogether,


When, with deep, pathetic SORROW,


We are sure twill rain tomorrow.


Crimes OF all kinds occur in strata 1t is
well known and the layer TO which our at
tention is called at present is that of


MASKED RoRBERIEs.


a few years ago it was garroting, which
was overlaid in its turn by air-gun shooting,
and that again by some other variety of
crime, and now we have as ''the newest thing
out" burglary made easy by the use of
masks for the robbers, and handouts and
gags for the victims. But police and people
have risen in their might and declared that
these things shall not be. Already three of
the worst villains have been apprehended,
and there is reason to hope that they will
pay the price of life time for their dark
nights work. All sorts OF wild stories are told
concerning the burglars and their wonderful
deeds; everybody is reminded of the way
his own or his friends house was entered by
masked men, probably these very ones,
only a short time ago. In connection with
these "reminiscences, the following remarka-
ble story of burglary which took place
quite recently in neighboring town, is not
without interest. A lady waking suddenly
at midnight, saw a man standing at the side
of her bed, and instantly gave the alarm to
her husband, who, although he was past
middle age aud unarmed, sprang upon the
robbers back as he was about to leave the
room in his flight, and thus prevented him
from using knife or pistol. Down stairs i'm
pitch darkness the two men rolled together,
vet the "plucky" old gentleman would not
relax his hold, and the accomplice at the
foot of the stairs dared not fire
lest he should hit the wrong one, and
seeing no chance of freeing his COM
rade, as the neighbors had been sum-
moned by this time, he fled, and the police
were obliged to content themselves with the
arrest of robber number -one. Very short
work was made of his trial, and he was soon
in prison, where it was expected he would
spend the next ten years of his life. But for
tune seems to favor even the brave burglar,
and this burglar had friend who, like Silas
Wegg, was Imam with wooden leg"
Wooden Leg set his wits to work to release
his "pgil" and accomplished his purpose
within the year, in this manner: He first
had his artificial limb followed out and then
filled the cavity with all necessary burglar
ious implements. When all preparations
were made he committed some trifiing
crime and was sent to the prison where
his friend was confined. This was his hour
of triumph, for in less than three
months, by the diligent use OF the success
fully smuggled tools, both men had cut
their way TO freedom, and at this moment
they may be meditating some other burg
larry; unless, indeed, they really are identi-
cal with the two chief Williams concerned in
these more recent events. Now you have
the story, which is true in every particular,
and romantic enough even for the days of
truly romantic crime. AS for Kelley and
Conroy. if they are not the heroes of il, their
exploits are sufficiently striking, and we all
breathe more freely since the police in
dulged in their late Inasker-raid.


have several times adverted to the fact
that the panic left so few visible marks on
the city's outward presentment; that it
caused little apparent change in our man
ner ofliving. Now, however, we are begin
ming to find


EVIDENCES OF ITS EFFECT


Everywhere. Dressmakers say that never
have they been called upon to alter and re-
model dresses and suits so frequently as at
the present time, and general determine
tiOn seems TO have been made to wear out
clothing which would once have been cast
of, or bestowed on some worthy object.
This laudable economy, but we fear the
promenade will assume somewhat dull
appearance in consequence of it.. Quite re-
Gently i overheard conversation on a ferry
boat between two loud talking dry goods men
and the whole burden of it was, mo busi-
ness, no business" "sThere is no use in
talking about business" said one of them,