Satan's Invisible World Displayed; or, Despairing Democracy: A Study of Greater New YorkStead, W. T. (William Thomas)
History
Satan's Invisible World Displayed; or, Despairing Democracy: A Study of Greater New York
Stead, W. T. (William Thomas)
New York (N.Y.) -- Politics and government; Police -- New York (State) -- New York
Mr. Costello had supper, and then went off to the police-headquarters at
seven o’clock, in order to secure an order for the release of his
canvassers. Suspecting nothing, he walked straight into the office, where
he found himself confronted by Inspector Williams. This Inspector was
famous for two things: he had the repute of being the champion clubber of
the whole force, and it was he also who first gave the _soubriquet_ of
“Tenderloin” to the worst precinct in New York. The origin of this phrase
was said to be a remark made by Inspector Williams on his removal from the
Fourth to the Twenty-ninth Precinct. Williams, who was then captain, had
said, “I have been living on rump-steak in the Fourth Precinct; I shall
have some tender loin now.” Mr. Costello picked up this phrase, applied it
to the Twenty-ninth Precinct, coupling it with Williams’s name. Williams
never forgave Costello for this, and on one occasion had clubbed him in
Madison Square.
When Costello saw the Inspector, he felt there was a storm brewing, for
Williams was in one of his usual domineering moods. The moment Mr.
Costello entered, the Inspector accused him of stealing a document out of
Captain McLaughlin’s office, and detained him for five hours. It was in
vain that Mr. Costello explained that the document which he had sent home
by his book-keeper, and placed in his safe, was his property, and would be
produced in court when it was wanted. During the five hours that he stayed
there he noticed what he described as “very funny work” going on. The
Inspector was telephoning here and there; detectives were coming in and
whispering, as if receiving secret orders; and at last, at midnight, two
detectives came in and whispered a message to the Inspector. Thereupon
Williams turned to Costello, ordered him to accompany the detectives, and
consider himself under arrest. A foreboding of coming trouble crossed
Costello’s mind. He asked his book-keeper to accompany him, as he felt
that there was something going to happen, and he wanted him to be an
eye-witness. This, however, did not suit his custodians. On their way down
to the police-station one of the detectives said to Stanley, “You get
away! We do not want you at all.” Costello said, “Well, if you have to go,
you might look up Judge Duffy. I may want his services as well as these
men.” Stanley left, and Costello, with the two detectives, made his way to
the police-station.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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