Today in San Francisco History - "A Hoodlum Raid"
Sometimes we like to let the past speak in its own words, and even better, on subjects that never show up in history books.
Here's an item from an 1880's edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, written at a time when the lively iniquities of the Barbary Coast were in fullest swing. The gang of "hoodlums" involved are the very kids who gave rise to that piece of homegrown slang -- in fact, it appears right in the headline:
A Hoodlum Raid -- How they Swindled a Cheap Coffee House
Last night, after the dives had discharged their sweltering and depraved patrons into the streets, a gang of young hoodlums invaded a Market-street coffee-house. The oldest of the gamins might have been 16, but in rascality he was an octogenarian. The crowd occupied six tables, and for fifteen minutes made the establishment ring with the clatter of their cups and saucers. Having grave doubts of the solvency of the gang, the restaurateur kept a watchful eye on the young scamps, and was not reassured by seeing them slip out, one by one, with the remark, "Them fellers at the last table will pay for it."
Finally, after about $3 worth of coffee and doughnuts had been disposed of, the alleged cashiers of the crowd began to move. Two walked out, and the third, a sturdy young rascal, coolly sauntered up to the counter and, helping himself to a toothpick, started for the door. "Here," said the coffee man, "who's going to pay for this?"
The young (hoodlum) affected the most intense surprise. "Ain't Crusty paid for it?" he asked. On being assured that Crusty had done nothing so uncharacteristic, he had a spasm of virtuous indignation, which was aggravated by catching sight of the absconding financier on the sidewalk. "Here Crusty," he cried, "come in and settle fur this. You won't? Why you dirty etc., etc., etc., I'll knock the fool-(tar) out of you." and he rushed at the delinquent to punish him summarily. The moment he got over the threshold "Crusty" gave a whoop, and before the poor coffee man had recovered from his astonishment the whole gang was scampering round the nearest corner.
Investigation showed that they had taken all the spoons and knives with them.
San Francisco Chronicle -- October 20, 1880