there were four really important gangs in new york at this time. there were other less important institutions besides, but these were little more than mere friendly gatherings of old boyhood chums for purposes of mutual companionship. they might grow into formidable organizations in time, but for the moment the amount of ice which good judges declared them to cut was but small. they would "stick up" an occasional wayfarer for his "cush," and they carried "canisters" and sometimes fired them off, but these things do not signify the cutting of ice. in matters political there were only four gangs which counted, the east side, the groome street, the three points and the table hill. greatest of these, by virtue of their numbers, were the east side and the groome street, the latter presided over at the time of this story by mr. bat jarvis.