I forgot to mention that the previous quote (and the one following) came from "Pariah People," originally published in Cincinnati Commercial, August 22, 1875, and reprinted in OCCIDENTAL GLEANINGS (1925) edited by Albert Mordell.
Here's another passage from the same piece:
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During this episode at Fatty Maria's, a disgusting occurrence, which well illustrates the brutality of the Bucktown rough, occurred almost immediately across the way. There is a young white woman now in Bucktown, who spends the greater part of her existence in the Workhouse for drunkenness, and whose degradation is such that she has even ceased to be known by name. On the day previous to our trip this wretched creature had been discharged from the Work-house, and returned to her old haunts. Some one had decoyed her into a low den, made her drunk and taken the most cowardly advantage of her condition, afterwards thrusting her into the street. Soon after some roughs half carried, half dragged her into Kirk's bar-room and poured some more poison down the poor creature's throat for similar purposes. When they heard the police approaching they dragged her out upon the sidewalk and propped her up in a sitting position upon some paving stones near
the curb. Here she failed to attract attention while the officers passed down the other side, although in her drunken helplessness she fell sideways upon the stones, her hair streaming over the curb to mingle with the filth in the gutter.
While the police were expelling Collison from Fatty Maria's a crowd of ruffians, white and black, lifted the unconscious woman, and carried her to a vacant lot in the hollow in rear of Kirk's, where they tore off part of her clothing. Before the police could reach the spot, the fellows fled beyond pursuit. The officers brought the wretched creature to a neighboring shanty, Kate Miller's. Kate agreed to take care of her, but expressed fears that the rowdies would return for their victim! It is comforting to think that in ten years hence Bucktown will have ceased to exist.
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- Duane
www.pulprack.com
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