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Domestic News
March 14, 1818
Daily National Intelligencer
Washington, District Of Columbia
What is this article about?
Letter to Washington Mayor and Corporation warns of boys' street gambling (pitch and toss for cents) causing theft from parents/masters, deception, and villainy, potentially leading to executions; urges action to curb the evil, especially on Sundays.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
To the Mayor and Corporation of the City of Washington.
Gentlemen—You who have the ordering of the affairs in this great metropolis, are requested to attend to the evils that are daily increasing, and which in time will bring many of your hopeful sons to the gallows.
It is almost impossible to pass through the streets for the boys, who are engaged in every species of gambling, but pitch and toss is the most prevalent—for cents. If these boys lose, where are they to get the money due? They must steal from their masters, if slaves, and from their parents, if white boys. Thus originates a system of theft, of deception, and villainy, which will finally bring them to a state of high exaltation, viz. the gallows or gibbet; and the swearing, the squabbling, and blackguardism accompanying this evil, will tend very much to prepare their souls for the Devil. This is not only a system that prevails every day, and at all times of day, but especially on Sundays, instead of going to church, which tends exceedingly to hasten the catastrophe.
YOUR GRANDFATHER.
Gentlemen—You who have the ordering of the affairs in this great metropolis, are requested to attend to the evils that are daily increasing, and which in time will bring many of your hopeful sons to the gallows.
It is almost impossible to pass through the streets for the boys, who are engaged in every species of gambling, but pitch and toss is the most prevalent—for cents. If these boys lose, where are they to get the money due? They must steal from their masters, if slaves, and from their parents, if white boys. Thus originates a system of theft, of deception, and villainy, which will finally bring them to a state of high exaltation, viz. the gallows or gibbet; and the swearing, the squabbling, and blackguardism accompanying this evil, will tend very much to prepare their souls for the Devil. This is not only a system that prevails every day, and at all times of day, but especially on Sundays, instead of going to church, which tends exceedingly to hasten the catastrophe.
YOUR GRANDFATHER.
What sub-type of article is it?
Crime
Social Event
What keywords are associated?
Street Gambling
Pitch And Toss
Boys Theft
Washington City
Youth Villainy
Where did it happen?
City Of Washington
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
City Of Washington
Outcome
system of theft, deception, and villainy leading to the gallows or gibbet
Event Details
Boys engaged in street gambling, particularly pitch and toss for cents, leading to theft from masters or parents, swearing, squabbling, and blackguardism, especially on Sundays instead of church.