The Secrets of the Great City Part 41

CHAPTER LXV.

DIVORCE LAWYERS.

In any issue of certain city newspapers, you will see such advertis.e.m.e.nts as the following:

"Absolute divorces legally obtained, in New York, and States where desertion, drunkenness, etc., etc., are sufficient cause. No publicity; no charge until divorce obtained; advice free. M----B----, attorney, 56----street."

The persons so advertising are called divorce lawyers. They make a specialty of putting asunder "those whom G.o.d hath joined together."

The laws of New York specify but one ground for a complete divorce, adultery; but in spite of this these lawyers encourage persons to apply for a sundering of their matrimonial bonds.

A man or woman, wishing to get rid of his or her partner, applies to one of these lawyers, and a bargain is drawn up, signed and sealed, pledging the payment of a good round fee in case a divorce is obtained.

The first step on the part of the lawyer is to obtain a thorough knowledge of the habits and movements of the person against whom the proceedings are directed. Private detectives, who also make a specialty of this kind of business, are set to watch the wife or husband. Every movement is observed, and every act tortured into meaning something unlawful. Sometimes a trap is laid in which the person is led and caught. Or, if evidence of a truthful nature cannot be procured; it is manufactured for a given price.

When everything is ready, a suit is brought in the proper Court.

Charges are made against the fidelity of the party from whom the separation is desired. These charges may be true or false. If true, they are the result of the system of espionage carried on by the private detectives. If false, they are sustained by the testimony of suborned witnesses. It is the custom of the Courts not to try these applications openly, but to refer them to some lawyer of ability, who hears the evidence in chambers, and reports the result to the Court, with a recommendation either in favor of or against the divorce.

Lawyers of ability are not always men of integrity. It is owing to this fact, doubtless, that the referee generally reports in favor of the divorce, which the Court grants upon the strength of this report.

However this may be, there is no doubt of the fact that divorces may be easily obtained by those who are willing to pay for them. There are many secret methods of procedure known only to the initiated, but there can be no doubt of the fact that justice has become so corrupt, in both this city and State, that its acts have lost that moral force which is so necessary to the national prosperity. Men of wealth can accomplish anything, and are sure of success from the moment their causes are presented in the Courts, while those who have not the means to pay for their freedom must remain yoked to their partners until death parts them.

CHAPTER LXVI.

p.a.w.nBROKERS.

The sign of the three gilt b.a.l.l.s is very common in the Great City, and where the ancient badge of the p.a.w.nbroker is not seen, the words "Exchange Office" answer the same purpose. 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. In New York, the Mayor alone has the power of licensing them, and revoking their licenses, and none but those so licensed can conduct their business in the city. "But 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 any instance where they have revoked a license thus granted, even when they have been furnished, with proofs of the dishonesty of the holders."

[footnote: Report of the Prison a.s.sociation.]

As a consequence, the p.a.w.nbrokers of the city are, with a few exceptions, a most rascally set. They are little more than receivers of stolen goods. The police frequently trace stolen property to them. Upon one occasion a whole basket of watches was found in one of these establishments. Another possessed a diamond worth over seven hundred dollars, which had been p.a.w.ned for two dollars and a half. It had been stolen by a servant girl.

Goods taken to these men are received by them without question. They advance a fraction of the value of the article which is to be redeemed at a certain time at a high rate of interest. If not redeemed, the article is sold. Some of these dealers do not wait for the expiration of the time when an article of value is concerned, but sell it at once, and flatly deny ever having received it. The rate at which all articles are taken is sufficiently low to render it certain that the sale of it will more than cover the advance.

The princ.i.p.al customers of these men 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 p.a.w.nbroker 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 pa.s.s 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 p.a.w.nbroker.

The majority of the articles p.a.w.ned 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. G.o.d help them all, the sinner and the sinned against.

DIAMOND BROKERS.

The best cla.s.s of p.a.w.nbrokers lend money only on such securities as jewels. These are known as diamond brokers, and of course are patronized only by the upper cla.s.ses, both respectable and disreputable.

'The tricks in trade,' practiced in connection with gems and precious stones, are almost infinite in variety, and the shifts of individuals, who are as extravagant personally as they are needy pecuniarily, to obtain them, are really wonderful in ingenuity and impudence.

To ill.u.s.trate by a case in point: A diamond broker, whose office is located on the central portion of Broadway, was recently visited by a remarkably handsome and elegantly attired young lady, who at once entered upon business in a straightforward style, which greatly impressed the broker in her favor, he being a thorough business man himself. She wished to negotiate for a loan upon some diamonds in the possession, at that moment, of 'a Safe Deposit Co.,' where he could obtain a view of them, if the 'preliminaries' to this step were satisfactorily arranged. These 'preliminaries' consisted in information as to the amount of money the broker could at once advance, what rate of interest he would charge, how and when payments were to be made, etc., etc. These matters were pleasantly and precisely settled by a conversation of some ten minutes, during which the lady looked at and examined, merely with a natural feminine curiosity, a number of precious stones, pearls, etc., which were displayed in the broker's cases for sale or show purposes. At last the lady rose to depart, appointing the hour of eleven the next morning as the time for their next meeting, when the lady would exhibit to the broker her diamonds, upon which, if they were as valuable as she represented, she was to obtain the agreed upon amount of money, on the terms already arranged.

As she rose to leave, however, the quick eye of the broker noticed that a valuable pearl was missing, and at once he 'made up his mind' as to the true character of his fair visitor, and the whereabouts of the missing pearl. He rushed to the door, barred the 'lady's' exit, and said, quietly but firmly, 'You have a pearl about your person which does not belong to you--restore it.' The lady a.s.sumed the looks and att.i.tudes of the most virtuous and violent indignation, but in vain.

The broker was inexorable and still barred the door of departure. 'You have been too light-fingered for me, I confess, madam. You are an accomplished woman, and have thrown me off my guard, but I must have my pearl, nevertheless.'

The lady still protested; the broker still persisted; finally the former, with a mingled aspect of wounded modesty and triumphant innocence, said: 'Sir, you may search my person if you like, and convince yourself of your gross mistake, but remember that you shall bitterly atone this outrage to which I am now forced to submit.'

Without further parley the broker took the lady at her word, and searched her person--delicately or indelicately as you are disposed to regard it--but thoroughly, certainly. No pearl was found, and the lady, imagining her innocence to be hereby established, expected to find the broker overwhelmed with confusion; but, on the contrary, the gentleman referred to simply handed the woman a bottle, and coolly and firmly commanded her to drink therefrom. 'And wherefore should I drink?' asked the astonished woman. 'Because it is an emetic,' was the broker's reply. 'And what has the fact of this bottle containing an emetic to do with my swallowing its contents?' inquired the lady. 'Why, everything, answered her involuntary host, quietly; 'you have _swallowed_ my pearl, and _this_, being a powerful emetic, will compel you to disgorge it. Come now, no nonsense, madam,' (still more quietly and _still_ more firmly,) 'or you will compel me to communicate with the police.' The word police, that magically terrible word to the evil- doer, terminated the dialogue. The woman (who proved to be an adventuress of the most 'fashionable' order, whose very professional existence depended upon the 'secresy' in which she 'operated,') was alarmed by the threat of publicity, and the criminal court, swallowed the emetic, and--need we say more than that the broker recovered his pearl, and the 'lady' left New York for a period.

CHAPTER LXVII.

THE MARKETS.

Two thirds of the people of New York deal with "corner groceries" and "provision stores," consequently there are very few markets in the city. The princ.i.p.al are the Fulton Market on East River, at the foot of Fulton street; the Washington, at the end of Fulton street, on North River; the Jefferson, at the corner of Sixth and Greenwich Avenues; and the Tompkins Market, opposite the Cooper Inst.i.tute. The Washington Market is more of a wholesale than a retail establishment, as is also the Fulton Market. The supplies of meat, fish, and vegetables brought to the city, are originally sent to the wholesale dealers at these markets, to be sold on commission. The dealers will frequently go into the country and engage a truckman's entire crop of vegetables or fruits, and then retail them out to the city dealers at their own prices.

The streets in the vicinity of the markets on the two rivers are always dirty and crowded. The buildings themselves are outwardly dirty and uninviting. The interior, however, presents a sight worth witnessing.

In the spring and summer it is filled with the most tempting displays of fruit and vegetables. One can hardly imagine that all this immense quant.i.ty will be eaten, but it does not require more than a day to get rid of the whole display. Fruits are high in the city and sell readily.

The market is never overstocked. The same may be said of vegetables.

Good vegetables are always in demand. All such things have to be brought so far to market, that by the time they reach the consumer's kitchen they are almost half-decayed. Those who can furnish pure fresh vegetables, or animal food, are always sure of doing a profitable business in the city.

Almost anything can be found in the Fulton Market. There are all kinds of provisions, eating-stands abound, bar-rooms are located in the cellars, cheap finery is to be seen in the stalls, books, newspapers, and periodicals are to be had at prices lower than those of the regular stores, ice creams, confections, and even hardware and dry goods are sold in the booths. The oysters sold here have a world-wide reputation.

_Dorlan's_ oyster-house is the most popular. It is a plain, rough- looking room, but it is patronized by the best people in the city, for the wares sold here are famous. Ladies in full street dress, and young bloods in all their finery, come here to eat one of the proprietor's splendid stews.

Dorlan began business in New York more than thirty years ago; and has made a handsome fortune. He has done so by keeping the very best goods in the market. He is one of the best-known men in the city, and is deservedly popular. He is conscientious and upright in the minutest particular, and gives his personal attention to every detail of his business. Although wealthy to-day, he may be seen at his stand, in his shirt-sleeves, superintending the operations of his establishment, setting an excellent example to younger men who are seeking to rise in the world.

CHAPTER LXVIII.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

The public buildings of New York are many, and, as a general rule, handsome. They are widely scattered over the island, and our limits forbid more than a notice of the princ.i.p.al structures.

THE CITY HALL.

This building is located in the Park, and is nearly opposite Murray street. It faces the south, and the ground line is perpendicular to Broadway. It is too small for the present uses of the city, having been built between the years 1803 and 1810. The front and ends are of marble, but the rear is of brown stone. It is said that the city fathers, at the time of its erection, thinking that the town would never extend beyond the lower line of the park, were anxious to save the additional cost of the marble at this side.

The clock-tower, and upper portions of the building, were set on fire by the pyrotechnical display in honor of the Atlantic Telegraph of 1859. They were rebuilt soon afterwards, in much better style.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Bible House.]