Another class of those who live in open defiance of the law consists of
the "Roughs." The New York Rough is simply a ruffian. He is usually of
foreign parentage, though born in America, and in personal appearance is
as near like a huge English bull-dog as it is possible for a human being
to resemble a brute. Of the two, the dog is the nobler animal. The
Rough is not usually a professional thief, though he will steal if he has
a chance, and often does steal in order to procure the means of raising
money. He is familiar with crime of all kinds, for he was born in the
slums and has never known anything better. In some cases he can read, in
others he cannot. Those who can read never make use of their talent for
any purpose of improvement. Their staple literature consists of the
flash papers and obscene books. They are thoroughly versed in the
history of crime, and nothing pleases them so much as a sensational
account of an execution, a prize fight, or a murder. They are the
patrons and supporters of dog and rat pits, and every brutal sport.
Their boon companions are the keepers of the low-class bar rooms and
dance houses, prize fighters, thieves, and fallen women. There is
scarcely a Rough in the city but has a mistress among the lost
sisterhood. The redeeming feature of the lives of some of these women is
the devotion with which they cling to their "man." The Rough, on his
part, beats and robs the woman, but protects her from violence or wrong
at the hands of others. A large majority of these scoundrels have no
other means of support than the infamous earnings of their mistresses.
Unlike the brute, the Rough is insensible to kindness. Civility is
thrown away upon him. Usually he resents it. His delight is to fall
upon some unoffending and helpless person, and beat him to a jelly.
Sometimes--indeed commonly--he adds robbery to these assaults. Often
gangs of Roughs will enter the pleasure grounds in the upper part of the
city, in which a pic-nic or social gathering is going on, for the sole
purpose of breaking up the meeting. They fall upon the unoffending
pleasure-seekers, beat the men unmercifully, maltreat, insult, and
sometimes outrage the women, rob all parties who have valuables to be
taken, and then make their escape. Pleasure parties of this kind are
usually unprovided with the means of resistance, while their assailants
are well armed. It sometimes happens, however, that the pleasure seekers
are more than a match for the Roughs, who, in such cases, are driven out
after very severe handling.
The Rough does not hesitate to commit murder, or to outrage a woman. He
is capable of any crime. He is a sort of human hyena who lives only to
prey upon the better portions of the community. Sometimes he degenerates
into a burglar or common thief, sometimes he becomes the proprietor of a
panel house or a policy office. Crime-stained and worthy of punishment
as he is, he walks the streets with a sense of security equal to that of
the most innocent man.
This feeling of security is caused by the conviction on his part that he
will not be punished for his misdeeds. The reason is simple: He is a
voter, and he has influence with others of his class. He is necessary to
the performance of the dirty work of the city politicians, and as soon as
he gets into trouble, the politicians exert themselves to secure his
discharge. They are usually successful, and consequently but few Roughs
are ever punished in New York, no matter how revolting their crime. This
is not all, however. There are well authenticated instances in which men
of this class have been carried by their fellows, oftentimes by
ballot-box stuffing and fraudulent voting, into high and responsible
offices under the city. The recent state of affairs under the Ring
illustrates the results of this system.
In the year 1871, 179 persons were "found drowned" in the waters of the
city. Of these, many are supposed, with good reason, to have been the
victims of foul play at the hands of the Roughs. In the same year, 42
persons were murdered in New York, and one man was hanged by the officers
of the law.