After John’s disappearance the redoubtable Billy Gallagher added to his already onerous duties of prison messenger, that of official prison guide. After a while Billy learned the “lingo” and became as proficient as a “Bowery drummer” or a Coney Island “barker.” When the Commissioner had learned that John Curran had made a fortune as Tombs guide, he prohibited Billy Gallagher from asking fees for his services. Billy was a favorite with everybody, and could always be depended on for his veracity. Apple Mary who knew Billy for many years used to say, “God bless Billy Gallagher,” to which everybody would say Amen. Billy Gallagher devoted more time to the Bowery bums who so often infested the ten-day house, and they took advantage of his generosity. They frequently palmed off on him a lot of “fake” jewelry on the strength of which he paid their fines. After a time Billy had a carpet bag full of tin watches and paste diamonds, on which he had made small loans. Charley Sheridan, who was one of Frank Lantry’s district captains, was “boss” of the ten-day house for several seasons. He was tender hearted and often talked to the fellows from the Bowery and Mulberry Bend in a fatherly way and more than once paid their fines. Of course they “beat” him in the end as they do everybody who trusts them. They go on the principle that they have everything to gain and nothing to lose by a lie. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER III MODERN EXCUSES FOR CRIME Modern penologists tell us that a large number of our present day law breakers possess criminal instincts and in a sense are not entirely responsible for the unlawful deeds they commit. What generates these instincts it would be difficult to say. Perhaps early training, erratic temperaments or mental diseases of various kinds may account for them. We are inclined to think that much of our modern criminality is nothing less than old fashioned depravity. By nature most of us are so cross-grained that we find it easy to go wrong, and there is no telling where evil tendencies may lead to. Sometimes it needs only a spark to draw out the crookedness in man and make him a full-fledged criminal.