Knots Untied; Or, Ways and By-ways in the Hidden Life of American DetectivesMcWatters, George S.
General
Knots Untied; Or, Ways and By-ways in the Hidden Life of American Detectives
McWatters, George S.
Detectives
In the Tribune of August 5, 1864, appeared a letter from Officer
McWatters, from which, notwithstanding our narrow limits, we cannot
forbear to make a short quotation, since it so well evinces his spirit,
both as a man and a writer, as well as his lofty appreciation of the
honor and glory of his adopted country's institutions. A portion of the
letter is addressed to working-men, urging them to loan to the nation,
in its hour of peril, such sums of money as they could save; and the
letter concludes with these noble words: "Fellow Working-men: I have,
by hard scraping, saved one hundred dollars. I am going to lend it to
the government. I ask you, in the name of humanity and patriotism, to
'go and do likewise.' Your country demands your assistance; respond
generously, quickly; think of the proud eminence on which you stand
before the working-men of the world,--_as American citizens!_--and
acquit yourselves as though you felt your dignity."
KINDLY AND WISE PROVIDENCE.
Often is it, perhaps, that little deeds of gentle and silent charity,
care for the suffering, and unostentatious benevolence, speak more
eloquently for the heart of a true man, than those of valor on the
field of battle in the noblest cause. In the Tribune of June 1, 1863,
is copied a certain appeal made a day or two before, and which we
recopy below:--
"TO THE POLICE OF NEW YORK: Thousands of soldiers--your
fellow-countrymen--are now lying in the hospitals about Washington,
suffering from wounds received in battle. Their chief torment is a
craving thirst; water is unwholesome, and cannot be given in quantities
sufficient to satisfy the craving. The only safe and effectual remedy
is found in the juice of lemons, and for a supply of this fruit the
kindness of individuals must be appealed to. Twenty-five cents from
each member of the force would afford incalculable relief to those who
now pine for the want of this simple luxury. Will you help? All money
paid over to Inspector Carpenter for this purpose will reach its
destination immediately."
This appeal, effectively "displayed" (in the job-printer's parlance),
and printed upon small handbills, was secretly circulated among the
police, and soon resulted in a contribution by them of the unexpectedly
large sum of over six hundred dollars, for lemons for the sick
soldiers. Though a small affair in the matter of money, it proved a
great one in other considerations. It was not only a beneficent act,
but a very judicious one. From whom the appeal emanated was a profound
secret among the police, until, on the 8th of June, 1863, there
appeared in the Tribune a notice of a "report" by the late Inspector
Carpenter, in which, referring to this matter, he says: "To Patrolman
McWatters, of the Twenty-Sixth Precinct, is due the credit of
projecting this trifling donation from this department to relieve the
sufferings of our sick and wounded soldiers."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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