John T. Nagle, at
the time in charge of the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the Health
Department, to tell him of it. Dr. Nagle was an amateur photographer
of merit and a good fellow besides, who entered into my plans with
great readiness. The news had already excited much interest among
New York photographers, professional and otherwise, and no time
was lost in communicating with the other side. Within a fortnight
a raiding party composed of Dr. Henry G. Piffard and Richard Hoe
Lawrence, two distinguished amateurs, Dr. Nagle and myself, and
sometimes a policeman or two, invaded the East Side by night, bent
on letting in the light where it was so much needed.
At least that was my purpose. To the photographers it was a voyage
of discovery of the greatest interest; but the interest centred in
the camera and the flashlight. The police went along from curiosity;
sometimes for protection. For that they were hardly needed. It is
not too much to say that our party carried terror wherever it went.
The flashlight of those days was contained in cartridges fired from
a revolver.
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