The Secrets of the Great City: A Work Descriptive of the Virtues and the Vices, the Mysteries, Miseries and Crimes of New York CityMcCabe, James Dabney
History
The Secrets of the Great City: A Work Descriptive of the Virtues and the Vices, the Mysteries, Miseries and Crimes of New York City
McCabe, James Dabney
New York (N.Y.) -- Description and travel; New York (N.Y.) -- History
Miss R----was astounded at such cool villainy, but fortunately her
courage and self-possession did not desert her. Bidding the woman await
her return, she left the room, and went straight to her lover, who was
fortunately in the house at the time. She told him all that had
occurred, and they at once sought her father, and laid the matter
before him. The old gentleman advised them to go to the parlor and
confront the woman, and at the same time sent for the policeman on that
"beat." The woman seemed surprised, when she saw the lovers enter the
room, and she rose to her feet in alarm. "This is Mr. F----," said Miss
R----, calmly, "and I have just told him of your infamous proposition."
"You have beaten me," said the woman, "but I'll take care that you
suffer for it."
She was about to leave the room, when Mr. F----placed himself before
the door.
"You cannot leave this house," he said, sternly. "We have sent for a
policeman, and you must wait till he comes."
The woman sat down without a word, and in a few minutes the policeman
arrived. He recognized her as an old offender, and after congratulating
Miss R----upon her coolness and good sense, led the woman away. The
black-mailer was sent to prison, and the wedding proceeded without
interruption.
DESPERATE CHARACTERS.
The incidents already given, will show how this system is conducted. As
a general rule, the wretches are easily disposed of with the aid of the
police, but sometimes it requires all the ingenuity of the most
experienced detective to ferret out and foil the plot. These wretches
know that respectable people dread scandal, and they profit by this
knowledge. They are sometimes bold and unscrupulous in their way of
conducting their business, and at other times endeavor to palm
themselves off as injured innocents. They rarely meddle with women, for
the difficulties in their way are greater; but, as they know that
almost any story about a man will be believed, they fasten themselves
like leeches upon the male sex. Young men about to make rich marriages
are bled freely, for few will care to risk a scandal which might break
off the whole affair. If a young man refuses one of them on such
occasions, she goes boldly to the lady he is to marry, and declares
herself the innocent and wronged victim of the aforesaid young man.
This is her revenge, and the majority of young men, knowing them to be
capable of such a course, comply with their demands on the spot. There
is nothing these wretches will not do, no place they will not invade,
in order to extort money from their victims.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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