"The River Thieves" - Julius Chambers - New York Tribune

THEIR HISTORY AND EXPLOITS THE JUNKMEN AND THEIR ALLIES--THE STORY OF A RIVER THIEF--A NIGHT'S WORK AND ITS FRUITS--THE HAUNTS AND WAYS OF THE "PIRATES." ... IN THE HARBOR--PROMINENT CASES THE HARBOR POLICE FOUR CLASSES OP RIVER PIRATES THE RIVER THIEVES A RIVER THIEF'S CONFESSION HIDING PLACES FOR THE NIGHT HOW SAILORS ARE MANIPULATED YARIED SUCCESS--TRACKS OF TRADE CAPTURE AND CONSEQUENCES NORTH RIVER--THE COFFEE GAME

Byline: Julius Chambers [Unsigned]; 1871-06-09; The New York Tribune; pages 1,8

Report: Quacks, Thieves, Scam Artists and Hucksters

Tags: East River, infiltrated, insinuated himself into a group, Julius Chambers, New York Tribune, river thieves

"A TRIBUNE reporter, thoroughly disguised, visited the haunts of these men [river pirates], and, after a long series of introductions, extending over considerable time, succeeded in gaining the confidence of one of the most notorious and desperate thieves on the East River. After some encouragement on the part of a private detective, and at the request of several of his friends, the thief gave the following outline of a night's work, not long since. It is needless to say that it is reproduced from memory, without pretense of exactness as to the words employed, as the taking of notes would have been very [illegible word] business . . . "

Description:Julius Chambers, in an unsigned piece, investigates the brisk trade in river thievery on the East River by gaining the confidence of a pirate who explained in detail how the capers were brought off.

Rights: public domain

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Julius Chambers, in an unsigned piece, investigates the brisk trade in river thievery on the East River by gaining the confidence of a pirate who explained in detail how the capers were brought off.