The jail, officially titled the Manhattan House of Detention for men, 100 Centre Street
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"Police Reports: A Colony of Amalgamationists," New York Times, March 22, 1861, p. 3 Early yesterday morning one of the most infamous disorderly houses, located near the corner of Oak and Roosevelt streets, was visited by the Police of the Fourth Ward, who arrested the proprietor, an Irish woman, 28 years of age, Mary Fleming by name, and a large number of the inmates, comprising persons of all colors and both sexes. At the time the descent was accomplished the officers found negro men occupying the same rooms with white women, and vice versa. The miserable horde was conducted to the Station-house, where they were confined for the night, and yesterday morning all of them having been arraigned before Justice OSBORN, the males, both white and black, were reprimanded and discharged, while the women were committed to Blackwell's Island as vagrants. The police authorities took this action against the vile den on complaint of Mary McQuade, a girl 17 years of age, who robbed her parents, who live at Troy, of $40 about three weeks ago and fled to this City. While loitering about the streets she was met by one of the harpies who procure girls for houses of prostitution, and induced to go to the place in question. She was treated well until all her money had been spent, when the proprietor of the place proposed that she should cohabit with a negro, and upon refusing, she was shamefully abused. She finally applied at the station-house on Wednesday afternoon for redress, with the result as above narrated. She was sent back to her parents yesterday.
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"Conflict With Rowdies -- An Officer Shot," New York Daily Tribune Friday, May 3, 1861, p. 8 Soon after 12 o'clock on Wednesday night, Officers Robb and Flynn of the Fourth Ward Police, while on duty in Roosevelt street near Batavia, discovered David Starling, a notorious character, in collision with some sailors, and ordered him to desist and go home. The rowdy complied with great reluctance, and at once proceeded to load an old single-barrelled pistol which he kept in his place. Thus equipped he again went abroad, and meeting with one Charles Tucker, a boon companion, laid in wait for the officers above named. In their rounds, about 3 o'clock, Starling and Tucker accosted the officers, again using abusive and threatening language. The disorderlies were warned to leave, but Starling, after advancing a few feet, stopped, and pulling his pistol returned, and placing it near the breast of Officer Robb, fired. The ball took effect on the shield through which it passed, and struck a brass button on his under coat, which checked its progress. But for this fortunate circumstance the officer's life would have been sacrificed, as the weapon was aimed at his heart. The moment the weapon was discharged, Officer Flynn knocked Starling down with his club, but he would not stay down till the operation had been repeated four or five times. Tucker, who rushed to the aid of his confederate, made a desperate assault on Officer Robb with a formidable dirk-knife, but the blow intended for his abdomen fell short, and the steel passed through the sleeve of the officer's overcoat without doing further damage. At that moment he received a stunning blow on the head from the locust of Officer Flynn, which sent him reeling into the gutter. He rallied in a minute or two whereupon the desperadoes renewed the battle with increased vigor, and a close hand-to-hand fight between them and the officers continued for at least five minutes before Starling and his confederates [sic] were overpowered and taken to the Station-House. They were subsequently arraigned before Justice Osborn at the Tombs and locked up for trial, in default of $3,000 bail each. Starling, who keeps a place [at the] corner of Roosevelt and Batavia streets for the entertainment of sailors who cannot find accomodations elsewhere, has been repeatedly arrested for felonious assaults and thefts. He is an Englishman by birth, and has long been a terror to the more quiet citizens of the Fourth Ward. After the affray was over Officer Robb found the flattened bullet lodged in his coat. |
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"Murder in Cherry Street," National Police Gazette, June 1, 1861 |
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Primary Source Collection 5: Crime News |
| Amalgamationists: | Advocates of interracial sex and procreation. | |
| Blackwell's Island | An island in the East River, now called Roosevelt Island. By 1860, the city operated a complex of public institutions there: a prison, an almshouse, aworkhouse, a lunatic asylum, a charity hospital, and a smallpox hospital. | Click here to see image of penitentiary |
| Boon companion: | Friend. | |
| Descent: | Raid. | |
| Disorderly houses: | Brothels. | |
| Locust: | A police club, often made of locust wood. | |
| The Tombs: |
The jail, officially titled the Manhattan House of Detention for men, 100 Centre Street |
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