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                            CITY CRIMES;

                                OR

                    LIFE IN NEW YORK AND BOSTON.
                      A VOLUME FOR EVERYBODY:
                     BEING A MIRROR OF FASHION,
                       A PICTURE OF POVERTY,
                    AND A STARTLING REVELATION
                       OF THE SECRET CRIMES
                         OF GREAT CITIES

                     {First published 1849}

[Illustration: Title page of _City Crimes_, 1849 edition. Reproduced
with the permission of The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.]




CHAPTER I

_A Young Gentleman of Wealth and Fashion--a noble resolve--the
flatterers--the Midnight Encounter--an Adventure--the
Courtezan--Temptation triumphant--how the Night was passed._


'What a happy dog I ought to be!' exclaimed Frank Sydney, as he reposed
his slippered feet upon the fender, and sipped his third glass of old
Madeira, one winter's evening in the year 18--, in the great city of New
York.

Frank might well say so; for in addition to being as handsome a fellow
as one would be likely to meet in a day's walk, he possessed an ample
fortune, left him by a deceased uncle. He was an orphan; and at the age
of twenty-one, found himself surrounded by all the advantages of wealth,
and at the same time, was perfect master of his own actions. Occupying
elegant apartments at a fashionable hotel, he was free from any of those
petty cares and vexations which might have annoyed him, and he kept an
establishment of his own; while at the same time he was enabled to
maintain, in his rooms, a private table for the entertainment of himself
and friends, who frequently repaired thither, to partake of his
hospitality and champagne suppers. With such advantages of fortune and
position, no wonder he exclaimed, as at the beginning of our tale--'What
a happy dog I ought to be!'

Pursuing the current of his thought Frank half audibly continued--

'Yes, I have everything to make me truly happy--health, youth, good
looks and wealth; and yet it seems to me that I should derive a more
substantial satisfaction from my riches were I to apply them to the good
of mankind. To benefit one's fellow creatures is the noblest and most
exalted of enjoyments--far superior to the gratification of sense. The
grateful blessings of the poor widow or orphan, relieved by my bounty,
are greater music to my soul, than the insincere plaudits of my
professed friends, who gather around my hearth to feast upon my
hospitality, and yet who, were I to lose my wealth, and become poor,
would soon cut my acquaintance, and sting me by their ingratitude.
To-night I shall have a numerous party of these _friends_ to sup with
me, and this supper shall be the last one to which I shall ever invite
them. Yes! My wealth shall be employed for a nobler object than to
pamper these false and hollow-hearted parasites. From this night, I
devote my time, my energies and my affluence to the relief of deserving
poverty and the welfare of all who need my aid with whom I may come in
contact. I will go in person to the squalid abodes of the poor--I will
seek them out in the dark alleys and obscure lanes of this mighty
metropolis--I will, in the holy mission of charity, venture into the
vilest dens of sin and iniquity, fearing no danger, and shrinking not
from the duty which I have assumed.--Thus shall my wealth be a blessing
to my fellow creatures, and not merely a means of ministering to my own
selfishness.'

Noble resolve! All honor to thy good and generous heart, Frank Sydney!
Thou hast the true patent of nature's nobility, which elevates and
ennobles thee, more than a thousand vain titles or empty honors! Thou
wilt keep thy word, and become the poor man's friend--the liberal and
enlightened philanthropist--the advocate of deserving poverty, and foe
to the oppressor, who sets his heel upon the neck of his brother man.

The friends who were to sup with him, arrived, and they all sat down to
a sumptuous entertainment. Frank did the honors with his accustomed
affability and care; and flowing bumpers were drunk to his health, while
the most flattering eulogiums upon his merits and excellent qualities
passed from lip to lip. Frank had sufficient discernment to perceive
that all this praise was nothing but the ebullitions of the veriest
sycophants; and he resolved at some time to test the sincerity of their
protestations of eternal friendship.

'Allow me, gentlemen,' said Mr. Archibald Slinkey, a red-faced, elderly
man, with a nose like the beak of a poll-parrot--'to propose the health
of my excellent and highly esteemed friend, Frank Sydney. Gentlemen, I
am a plain man, unused to flattery, and may be pardoned for speaking
openly before the face of our friend--for I will say it, he is the most
noble hearted, enlightened, conscientious, consistent, and superlatively
good fellow I ever met in the course of my existence.'

'So he is,' echoed Mr. Narcissus Nobbs, a middle-aged gentleman, with no
nose to speak of, but possessing a redundancy of chin and a wonderful
capacity of mouth--'so he is, Slinkey; his position--his earning--his
talent--his wealth--'

'Oh, d----n his wealth,' ejaculated Mr. Solomon Jenks, a young gentleman
who affected a charming frankness and abruptness in his speech, but who
was in reality the most specious flatterer of the entire party. Mr.
Jenks rejoiced in the following personal advantages: red hair, a blue
nose, goggle eyes, and jaws of transparent thinness.

'D----n his wealth!' said Jenks--'who cares for _that_? Sydney's a good
fellow--a capital dog--an excellent, d----d good sort of a whole-souled
devil--but his _wealth_ is no merit. If he lost every shilling he has in
the world, why curse me if I shouldn't like him all the better for it! I
almost wish the rascal would become penniless tomorrow, in order to
afford me an opportunity of showing him the disinterestedness of my
friendship. I would divide my purse with him, take him by the hand and
say--Frank, my boy, I like you for yourself alone, and d----n me if you
are not welcome to all I have in the world--That's how I would do it.'

'I thank you gentlemen, for your kind consideration,' said Frank; 'I
trust I may never be necessitated to apply to any of my friends, for aid
in a disagreeable emergency--