Lights and Shadows of New York Life

J >> James D. McCabe >> Lights and Shadows of New York Life

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[Picture: THE RIVER THIEVES.]

In order to check their operations as far as possible, a force of about
thirty policemen, under Captain James Todd, is assigned to duty in the
harbor. The headquarters of this force are on a steamer, which boat was
expected to accomplish wonders, but which is too large and clumsy to be
of any real service. In consequence of this, Captain Todd is obliged to
patrol the harbor with row-boats, of which there are several. These
boats visit all the piers on the two rivers, and search for thieves or
their boats. Sometimes the thieves are encountered just as they are
approaching a pier with their boat filled with stolen property, and again
the chase will be kept up clear across the harbor. If they once get
sight of them, the police rarely fail to overhaul the thieves. Generally
the latter submit without a struggle, but sometimes a fight ensues.

The thieves, however, prefer to submit where they have such goods as
rice, sugar, coffee, or tea in their possession. They know that it will
be impossible to convict them, and they prefer a slight detention to the
consequences of a struggle with their captors. The merchant or master of
the ship, from whom the goods are stolen, may feel sure in his own mind
that the articles found in the possession of the thieves are his
property, but he cannot swear that they are his, it being simply
impossible to identify such goods. And so the magistrate, though
satisfied of the theft, must discharge the prisoner and return him the
stolen goods. The only charge against him is that he was found under
suspicious circumstances with these articles in his possession. From
three to four river thieves are arrested every week, but, for the reason
given, few are punished. Sometimes, in order to secure their conviction,
the police turn over the thieves to the United States authorities, by
whom they are charged with smuggling, this charge being based upon their
being found in possession of goods on which they can show no payment of
duties. Sometimes they are prosecuted, not for larceny, but for
violating the quarantine laws in boarding vessels detained at quarantine.

Several times the most daring of the river thieves have robbed the piers
of the European steamship lines. In one instance, they passed under the
pier of the Cunard steamers at Jersey City, cut out a portion of the
flooring, and removed several valuable packages through the opening thus
made. They then replaced the flooring, and secured it in its place by
means of lifting-jacks, and decamped with their plunder. The next night
they returned and removed other packages, and for several nights the
performance was repeated. The company's agent, upon the discovery of the
loss, exerted himself actively to discover the thieves, but without
success. The watchmen on shore were positive that the warehouse, which
is built on the pier, had not been entered from the land, and there were
no signs to be discovered of its having been forced from the water side.
Matters began to look bad for the watchmen, when, one night, the harbor
police unexpectedly made a dash under the pier and caught the thieves at
their work.

The North River gang are said to own a fine schooner, in which they
cruise along the Hudson almost to Albany, and carry on a system of piracy
at the river towns. Farmers and country merchants suffer greatly from
their depredations. A year or so ago, it was rumored that they were
commanded by a beautiful and dashing woman, but this story is now
believed to be a mere fiction.

"Another gang is called the 'Daybreak Boys,' from the fact that none of
them are a dozen years of age, and that they always select the hour of
dawn for their depredations, which are exclusively confined to the small
craft moored in the East River just below Hell Gate. They find the men
on these vessels locked in the deep sleep of exhaustion, the result of
their severe labors of the day; and as there are no watchmen, they meet
little difficulty in rifling not only the vessels, but the persons of
those on board. If there is any such thing as a watch or money, it is
sure to disappear; and it has often happened that one of these vessels
has been robbed of every portable article on board, including every
article of clothing."

V. THE FENCES.

In the thief language, a person who buys stolen goods is called a
"Fence." Without his fence, the thief could do nothing, for he could not
dispose of his plunder without a serious risk of detection. The Fence,
however, is not known as a thief, and can buy and sell with a freedom
which renders it easy for him to dispose of all stolen property which
comes into his hands. A noted thief once declared that a man in his
business was powerless to accomplish anything unless he knew the names
and characters of all the Fences in the city.

The professional Fences of New York are as well known to the police as
they are to the thieves. Their stores are located in Chatham street, in
the Bowery, and other public thoroughfares, and even Broadway itself has
one or more of these establishments within its limits. Some of the
Fences are dirty, wretched-looking creatures; but one at least--the
Broadway dealer--is a fine-looking, well-dressed man, with the manners
and bearing of a gentleman. All are alike in one respect, however. They
all buy and sell that which has been stolen. They drive hard bargains
with the thieves who offer them goods, paying them but a small portion of
the actual value of the prize. If the article is advertised, and a
reward sufficiently in excess of what he paid for it is offered, the
Fence frequently returns it to its rightful owner, upon condition that no
questions shall be asked, and claims the reward. Vigorous efforts have
been made by the police authorities to bring the Fences to justice, but
without success. The necessary legal evidence can rarely be obtained,
and though numerous arrests have been made, scarcely a conviction has
followed.

[Picture: A FENCE STORE IN CHATHAM STREET.]

The Fences are well skilled in the art of baffling justice. The study of
the means of rapidly and effectually removing the marks by which the
property in their hands can be identified, is the main business of their
lives, and they acquire a degree of skill and dexterity in altering or
effacing these marks which is truly surprising. A melting-pot is always
over the fire, to which all silverware is consigned the instant it is
received. The marks on linen, towels, and handkerchiefs are removed,
sometimes by chemicals, sometimes by fine scissors made expressly for the
purpose. Jewelry is at once removed from its settings, and the gold is
either melted or the engraving is burnished out, so as in either case to
make identification impossible. Rich velvet and silk garments are
transmogrified by the removal and re-arrangement of the buttons and
trimmings. Pointed edges are rounded, and rounded edges are pointed,
entirely changing the whole aspect of the garment, with such celerity
that the lady who had worn the dress in the morning would not have the
slightest suspicion that it was the same in the evening. Cotton, wool,
rags, and old ropes require no manipulation. When once thrown upon the
heap, they defy the closest scrutiny of the owners. There is scarcely an
article which can be the subject of theft, which the resources of these
men do not enable them, in a very short time, to disguise beyond the
power of recognition. Their premises are skilfully arranged for
concealment. They are abundantly provided with secret doors and sliding
panels, communicating with dark recesses. Apertures are cut in the
partitions, so that a person coming in from the front can be distinctly
seen before he enters the apartment. The Fence is as well skilled as any
lawyer in the nature of evidence. He knows the difference between
probability and proof as well as Sir William Hamilton himself. He does
not trouble himself about any amount of probabilities that the detectives
may accumulate against him; but the said detectives must be remarkably
expert if they are ever able to get anything against him which will
amount to strictly legal proof.

The Fences not only deal with thieves, but carry on a large business with
clerks, salesmen, and porters, who steal goods from their employers, and
bring them to the Fences for sale.

[Picture: THE ROUGH'S PARADISE.]

VI. THE ROUGHS.

Another class of those who live in open defiance of the law consists of
the "Roughs." The New York Rough is simply a ruffian. He is usually of
foreign parentage, though born in America, and in personal appearance is
as near like a huge English bull-dog as it is possible for a human being
to resemble a brute. Of the two, the dog is the nobler animal. The
Rough is not usually a professional thief, though he will steal if he has
a chance, and often does steal in order to procure the means of raising
money. He is familiar with crime of all kinds, for he was born in the
slums and has never known anything better. In some cases he can read, in
others he cannot. Those who can read never make use of their talent for
any purpose of improvement. Their staple literature consists of the
flash papers and obscene books. They are thoroughly versed in the
history of crime, and nothing pleases them so much as a sensational
account of an execution, a prize fight, or a murder. They are the
patrons and supporters of dog and rat pits, and every brutal sport.
Their boon companions are the keepers of the low-class bar rooms and
dance houses, prize fighters, thieves, and fallen women. There is
scarcely a Rough in the city but has a mistress among the lost
sisterhood. The redeeming feature of the lives of some of these women is
the devotion with which they cling to their "man." The Rough, on his
part, beats and robs the woman, but protects her from violence or wrong
at the hands of others. A large majority of these scoundrels have no
other means of support than the infamous earnings of their mistresses.

Unlike the brute, the Rough is insensible to kindness. Civility is
thrown away upon him. Usually he resents it. His delight is to fall
upon some unoffending and helpless person, and beat him to a jelly.
Sometimes--indeed commonly--he adds robbery to these assaults. Often
gangs of Roughs will enter the pleasure grounds in the upper part of the
city, in which a pic-nic or social gathering is going on, for the sole
purpose of breaking up the meeting. They fall upon the unoffending
pleasure-seekers, beat the men unmercifully, maltreat, insult, and
sometimes outrage the women, rob all parties who have valuables to be
taken, and then make their escape. Pleasure parties of this kind are
usually unprovided with the means of resistance, while their assailants
are well armed. It sometimes happens, however, that the pleasure seekers
are more than a match for the Roughs, who, in such cases, are driven out
after very severe handling.

The Rough does not hesitate to commit murder, or to outrage a woman. He
is capable of any crime. He is a sort of human hyena who lives only to
prey upon the better portions of the community. Sometimes he degenerates
into a burglar or common thief, sometimes he becomes the proprietor of a
panel house or a policy office. Crime-stained and worthy of punishment
as he is, he walks the streets with a sense of security equal to that of
the most innocent man.

This feeling of security is caused by the conviction on his part that he
will not be punished for his misdeeds. The reason is simple: He is a
voter, and he has influence with others of his class. He is necessary to
the performance of the dirty work of the city politicians, and as soon as
he gets into trouble, the politicians exert themselves to secure his
discharge. They are usually successful, and consequently but few Roughs
are ever punished in New York, no matter how revolting their crime. This
is not all, however. There are well authenticated instances in which men
of this class have been carried by their fellows, oftentimes by
ballot-box stuffing and fraudulent voting, into high and responsible
offices under the city. The recent state of affairs under the Ring
illustrates the results of this system.

In the year 1871, 179 persons were "found drowned" in the waters of the
city. Of these, many are supposed, with good reason, to have been the
victims of foul play at the hands of the Roughs. In the same year, 42
persons were murdered in New York, and one man was hanged by the officers
of the law.

XLIV. THE PAWNBROKERS.

The sign of the Lombards is very common in the great city. In the
Bowery, East Broadway, Chatham, Catharine, Division, Oliver, Canal, and
Grand streets, the three gilt balls are thickest, but they may also be
seen in every portion of the city in which there is poverty and
suffering. The law recognizes the fact that in all large communities
these dealers are a necessary evil, and, while tolerating them as such,
endeavors to interpose a safeguard in behalf of the community, by
requiring that none but persons of good character and integrity shall
exercise the calling. They must have been dreamers who framed this law,
or they must have known but little of the class who carry on this
business. The truth is, that there is not a pawnbroker of "good
character and integrity" in the city. In New York the Mayor alone has
the power of licensing them, and revoking their licence, and none but
those so licensed can conduct their business in the city. "But," says
the Report of the New York Prison Association, "Mayors of all cliques and
parties have exercised this power with, apparently, little sense of the
responsibility which rests upon them. They have not, ordinarily at
least, required clear proof of the integrity of the applicants; but have
usually licensed every applicant possessed of political influence. There
is scarcely an instance where they have revoked a licence thus granted,
even when they have been furnished with proofs of the dishonesty of the
holders."

The pawnbrokers are, with scarcely an exception, the most rascally set to
be found in the city. They are not generally receivers of goods which
they know to be stolen, for there is too much risk to them in carrying on
such a business. Their shops are overhauled almost every week by the
detectives in searching for stolen property, and the pawnbrokers, as a
class, prefer to turn over this business entirely to the Fences. Some of
the most reckless, however, will receive pledges which they know to have
been stolen, and the police occasionally find stolen goods on their
hands. Upon one occasion, a whole basket of watches was found in one of
these establishments. Another was found in possession of a diamond which
was identified by its owner. It had been stolen by a servant girl. It
was worth over seven hundred dollars, and had been pawned for two dollars
and a half.

The pawnbrokers, though not receivers of stolen goods, are not a whit
better. They are the meanest of thieves and swindlers. Section eight of
the statute, under which they hold their licences, requires that, "No
pawnbroker shall ask, demand, or receive any greater rate of interest
than twenty-five per cent. per annum upon any loan not exceeding the sum
of twenty-five dollars, or than seven per cent. per annum upon any loan
exceeding the sum of twenty-five dollars, under the penalty of one
hundred dollars for every such offence." This law is invariably violated
by the pawnbroker, who trades upon the ignorance of his customers. The
rate habitually charged for loaning money is three per cent. a month, or
any fractional part of a month, or thirty-six per cent. a year,
regardless of the amount. Many laboring men and women pawn the same
articles regularly on the first of the week, and redeem them on Saturday
when their wages are paid them.

"The following is a schedule of charges made on articles irrespective of
interest: On diamonds, watches, jewelry, silverware, opera-glasses,
articles of _vertu_, ten per cent. on the amount loaned, over and above
the interest, for what is called putting them away in the safes. On
coats, vests, pants, dresses, cloaks, skirts, basques, from twenty cents
to one dollar is charged for hanging up. On laces, silks, velvets,
shawls, etc., from twenty-five cents to one dollar for putting away in
bureau, wardrobe or drawer. For wrappers from fifteen to fifty cents is
charged. Persons offering goods done up in papers are compelled to hire
a wrapper, or the pawnbroker refuses to advance. The wrapper is simply a
dirty piece of old muslin. The hire of one of these wrappers has been
known to have amounted to over five dollars in one year. Upon trunks,
valises, beds, pillows, carpets, tool-chests, musical instruments, sewing
machines, clocks, pictures, etc., etc., in proportion to their bulk, from
one dollar to five dollars is charged for storage. A still greater
profit to the pawnbrokers is the penny fraud. They buy pennies, getting
from 104 to 108 for one dollar. These they pay out, and on every $100
thus paid out an average gain of six dollars is made. This amounts to
something with the prominent ones, who often pay out many hundred dollars
in a day. Another source of profit is the surplus over the amount loaned
which the pawnbroker receives from the sales of unredeemed pledges. This
surplus, although belonging to the depositor, according to law, is never
paid. In fact, not one in a thousand who have dealings with pawnbrokers
is aware of his rights."

As a rule, these wretches grow rich very fast. They are principally Jews
of the lowest class. They allow their wives and children to wear the
jewelry, ornaments, and finer clothing placed in their keeping, and in
this way save much of the ordinary expense of the head of a family. In
the case of clothing, the articles are frequently worn out by their
families. They are either returned in this condition when demanded, or
the owner is told that they cannot be found. Payment for them is always
refused. As has been stated, they refuse to pay to the owner the amount
received in excess of the loan for an article which has been sold. This,
added to their excessive rate of interest, is said to make their gains
amount to nearly five hundred per cent. on the capital invested in their
business--"the Jews' five per cent."

The principal customers are the poor. Persons of former respectability
or wealth, widows and orphans, are always sure to carry with them into
their poverty some of the trinkets that were theirs in the heyday of
prosperity. These articles go one by one to buy bread. The pawnbroker
advances not more than a twentieth part of their value, and haggles over
that. He knows full well that the pledges will never be redeemed, that
these unhappy creatures must grow less able every day to recover them.
Jewelry, clothing, ornaments of all kinds, and even the wedding ring of
the wife and mother, come to him one by one, never to be regained by
their owners. He takes them at a mere pittance, and sells them at a
profit of several hundred per cent.

You may see the poor pass into the doors of these shops every day. The
saddest faces we ever saw were those of women coming away from them.
Want leaves its victims no choice, but drives them mercilessly into the
clutches of the pawnbroker.

The majority of the articles pawned are forced there by want,
undoubtedly, but very many of them go to buy drink. Women are driven by
brutal husbands to this course, and there are wretches who will
absolutely steal the clothing from their shivering wives and little ones,
and with them procure the means of buying gin.

Of late years another class of pawnbrokers, calling themselves "Diamond
Brokers," has appeared in the city. They make advances on the jewels of
persons--mostly women--in need of money. The extravagance of fashionable
life brings them many customers. They drive as hard bargains as the
others of their class, and their transactions being larger, they grow
rich quicker. They are very discreet, and all dealings with them are
carried on in the strictest secrecy, but, were they disposed, they could
tell many a strange tale by which the peace of some "highly respectable
families" in the Avenue would be rudely disturbed.

XLV. THE BEER-GARDENS.

In some respects, New York is as much German as American. A large part
of it is a genuine reproduction of the Fatherland as regards the manners,
customs, people, and language spoken. In the thickly settled sections
east of the Bowery the Germans predominate, and one might live there for
a year without ever hearing an English word spoken. The Germans of New
York are a very steady, hard-working people, and withal very sociable.
During the day they confine themselves closely to business, and at night
they insist upon enjoying themselves. The huge Stadt Theatre draws
several thousand within its walls whenever its doors are opened, and
concerts and festivals of various kinds attract others. But the most
popular of all places with this class of citizens is the beer-garden.
Here one can sit and smoke, and drink beer by the gallon, listen to
music, move about, meet his friends, and enjoy himself in his own
way--all at a moderate cost.

From one end of the Bowery to the other, beer-gardens abound, and their
brilliantly illuminated signs and transparencies form one of the most
remarkable features of that curious street. Not all of them are
reputable. In some there is a species of theatrical performance which is
often broadly indecent. These are patronized by but few Germans,
although they are mainly carried on by men of that nationality. The
Rough and servant girl elements predominate in the audiences, and there
is an unmistakably Irish stamp on most of the faces present.

The true beer-garden finds its highest development in the monster
Atlantic Garden, which is located in the Bowery, next door to the Old
Bowery Theatre. It is an immense room, with a lofty curved ceiling,
handsomely frescoed, and lighted by numerous chandeliers and by brackets
along the walls. It is lighted during the day from the roof. At one
side is an open space planted with trees and flowers, the only mark of a
garden visible. A large gallery rises above the floor at each end. That
at the eastern or upper end is used as a restaurant for those who desire
regular meals. The lower gallery is, like the rest of the place, for
beer-drinkers only. Under the latter gallery is a shooting hall, which
is usually filled with marksmen trying their skill. On the right hand
side of the room is a huge orchestrion or monster music-box, and by its
side is a raised platform, occupied by the orchestra employed at the
place. The floor is sanded, and is lined with plain tables, six feet by
two in size, to each of which is a couple of benches. The only ornaments
of the immense hall are the frescoes and the chandeliers. Everything
else is plain and substantial. Between the hall and the Bowery is the
bar room, with its lunch counters. The fare provided at the latter is
strictly German, but the former retails drinks of every description.

During the day the Atlantic does a good business through its bar and
restaurant, many persons taking their meals here regularly. As night
comes on, the great hall begins to fill up, and by eight o'clock the
place is in its glory. From three to four thousand people, mainly
Germans, may be seen here at one time, eating, drinking, smoking. Strong
liquors are not sold, the drinks being beer and the lighter Rhine-wines.
The German capacity for holding beer is immense. An amount sufficient to
burst an American makes him only comfortable and good humored. The
consumption of the article here nightly is tremendous, but there is no
drunkenness. The audience is well behaved, and the noise is simply the
hearty merriment of a large crowd. There is no disorder, no indecency.
The place is thoroughly respectable, and the audience are interested in
keeping it so. They come here with their families, spend a social,
pleasant evening, meet their friends, hear the news, enjoy the music and
the beer, and go home refreshed and happy. The Germans are very proud of
this resort, and they would not tolerate the introduction of any feature
that would make it an unfit place for their wives and daughters. It is a
decided advantage to the people who frequent this place, whatever the
Temperance advocates may say, that men have here a resort where they can
enjoy themselves with their families, instead of seeking their pleasure
away from the society of their wives and children.

[Picture: THE ATLANTIC GARDEN.]

The buzz and the hum of the conversation, and the laughter, are
overpowering, and you wander through the vast crowd with your ears
deafened by the sound. Suddenly the leader of the orchestra raps sharply
on his desk, and there is a profound silence all over the hall. In an
instant the orchestra breaks forth into some wonderful German melody, or
some deep-voiced, strong-lunged singer sends his rich notes rolling
through the hall. The auditors have suddenly lost their merriment, and
are now listening pensively to the music, which is good. They sip their
beer absently, and are thinking no doubt of the far-off Fatherland, for
you see their features grow softer and their eyes glisten. Then, when it
is all over, they burst into an enthusiastic encore, or resume their
suspended conversations.