Nineteenth-century slot machine. (Image by Marcotis.)

Ragged urchins were everywhere in Brooklyn in the 1890s. One such lad, named Jon Wright, had an adventure that involved a hatchet, a slot machine and some chocolate. The Daily Eagle reported on his thievery in its August 5, 1891 issue. An excerpt:

“Jon Wright is a ragged urchin 12 years old and living at 39 Bergen street. He was arrested this morning by Officer James W. Webb at 4 o’clock while parading West Brighton armed with a hatchet.

When the officer asked him what he was doing out at that hour he explained that he was ‘hustling.’

‘You’ll hustle to police headquarters,’ said the officer.

On the way the officer noticed the boy’s pockets bulging out, and on searching found in them a couple of quarts of chocolates, such as come out of the nickel slot machines. The boy said he had broken open some machines with the ax because he liked chocolate. Beside, he had not been home for some days and was hungry. He was a cool little fellow and asked for a cigarette as soon as he got in the cell. He was held until his story should be verified.”