ver, prefer to submit where they have such goods as
rice, sugar, coffee, or tea in their possession. They know that it will
be impossible to convict them, and they prefer a slight detention to the
consequences of a struggle with their captors. The merchant or master of
the ship, from whom the goods are stolen, may feel sure in his own mind
that the articles found in the possession of the thieves are his
property, but he cannot swear that they are his, it being simply
impossible to identify such goods. And so the magistrate, though
satisfied of the theft, must discharge the prisoner and return him the
stolen goods. The only charge against him is that he was found under
suspicious circumstances with these articles in his possession. From
three to four river thieves are arrested every week, but, for the reason
given, few are punished. Sometimes, in order to secure their conviction,
the police turn over the thieves to the United States authorities, by
whom they are charged with smuggling, this charge being based upon their
being found in possession of goods on which they can show no payment of
duties. Sometimes they are prosecuted, not for larceny, but for
violating the quarantine laws in boarding vessels detained at quarantine.

Several times the most daring of the river thieves have robbed the piers
of the European steamship lines. In one instance, they passed under the
pier of the Cunard steamers at Jersey City, cut out a portion of the
flooring, and removed several valuable packages through the opening thus
made. They then replaced the flooring, and secured it in its place by
means of lifting-jacks, and decamped with their plunder. The next night
they returned and removed other packages, and for several nights the
performance was repeated. The company's agent, upon the discovery of the
loss, exerted himself actively to discover the thieves, but without
success. The watchmen on shore were positive that the warehouse, which
is built on the pier, had not been entered from the land, and there were
no signs to be discovered of its having been forced from the water side.
Matters began to look bad for the watchmen, when, one night, the harbor
police unexpectedly made a dash under the pier and caught the thieves at
their work.

The North River gang are said to own a fine schooner, in which they
cruise along the Hudson almost to Albany, and carry on a system of piracy
at the river towns. Farmers and country merchant