Sin at the Seaport: NYC's Forgotten River Pirates and Rat-Baiters
In the mid-1800s, New York City's most depraved dives were clustered along the East River waterfront. Though difficult to imagine today, the quaint, cobblestone streets surrounding the South Street Seaport were once overrun with bars and brothels that catered to sailors, sporting men, and even river pirates. In 1850, the Chief of Police, George W. Matsell, estimated that there were between four and five hundred river pirates in the New York City area. The pirates were divided
