Document text
Acy) ec.,A,6res Airnel (t. Wrci. _
STM,T-LE OF d7ML]:
(latch)
(Introductian:
It was ncl afternoon. broose wrs blovrinE from
the -,ast :Over arid the mr was war. fn i narked taxicab
orpocite a arare on lirst Ane, the 4LI-ter-iewer talked
to Fuey and brother. brother, whose first name
was not obt,inablc, was r-iler', :17 asleep 4n the back seat
of the cab. From time to ti-ir he a—oke and na-'e inter-
'ectionE. Tle intervie,-er sat in the driver!s seat with
his tyne-rr:.ter on t —o !ran bars —blab extender' beneatl the
neter. buoy sat o tho small extra seat in back of the cab.
Twenty 2" 1:norcln:e0 cab- were lined un
Forms to be Filled out for Each Interview
FORM A
Circumstances of Interview
STMT New York
NAME OF WORKER Marion Charles Hatch
ADDRESS 862 First Ave. New -York, N. Y.
DATE Oct. 5, 1938
SUBJECT STORIES OF AN ALCDHOLIC WORLD WAR VETERAN.
1. Date and time of interview
Sunday afternoon Oct. 2, 1938
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
2. Place of interview
Parked taxicab of Sentinel Cab Co., Allied System, across street
from its garage between First Ave. and East River, on 48th St.
3. Name and address of informant
Huey Davison.
"You have a room on Second Avenue have you not" I asked.
with a dramatic, decisive, even proud wave of his hand: "No address",
4. Name and address of person, if any, who put you in he answered.
touch with informant.
5. Name and address of person, if any, accompanying you
6. Description of room, house, surroundings, etc.
Huey's brother,whose first name I didn't get, was rolled up in the back
seat of the cab. He wakened and made interjections from time to time.
Huey sat on the small, extra seat in the back of the cab. I sat in the
driver's seat with my typewriter on two iron bars that extended beneath
the meter. Huey laughed and talked through the window opening, through
which by now some millionaire may be calling destination instructions.
The day was pleasant with a cool breeze from the east river and a warm
sun above. Twenty five unoccupied cabs were lined up and down the
street in front of the blank wall of an abandoned or unused warehouse.
(Use as many additional sheets as necessary, for any of the forms, each
bearing the proper heading and the number to which the material refers.)
EOM,
Personal History of Informant
STATE New York
NAME OF WORKER Marion Charles Hatch
ADDRESS
DATE
SUAJECT
862 First Ave.
Oct. 5, 1938
STORIES OF AN ALCOHOLIC WORLD WAR VETERAN
FOLKLORE
NE'Y YORK
1. Ancestry Irish descent but speaks clearly, quickly and without
brogue of any kind.
2. Place and date of birth
Probably born in America or came to America very young.
Both men about 55 years old.
3. Family
The information on this page is necessarily sketchy. All New York
alcoholics, penniless, engaged in committing suicide the slow way,
are suspicious. When Huey went away to buy a bottle in the middle
4. Places lived in, with dates of our interview his brother siad I could get
a certain story from him. I said I would ask
New York and in him for it when he returned. "No" maid his
Europe during war. brother "If you ask for anything he won't
5. Education, with dates answer a word."
"Did Huey have a good education" I asked his brother.
"No. We mums were more interested in fishing in those days."
6, with dates Probably not over a common
school education. Made few grammatical
errors.
The two brothers have stuck together through life and are now
7. Special skills and interests engaged in drinking themselves to death,
together. Besides joining the army together
Both were skilled they worked as bell hops in hotels. This
buglers in the army) was all I could get from them without
8. Colanmity and religious activities awakening suspicion.
Very affable and good hearted. "Don't they say something to you
for sitting in these cabs, sleeping here. "No No they're all good
sports. If they take out this cab we'll take the next one."
9. Description of informant
Huey is emaciated, red-faced, slight, clothing not noticeably poor.
His blue eyes belieing his woe -begone face gleam out of their red
background with slyness and devilment. His brother had a rougher,
10. Other Points gained in interview coarser face and heavier figure. One
see extra comment wondered how such happy, bright remarks
could come out of such a battered,
poisoned head.
FORM C
Text of Interview (Unedited)
STATE New York
NAVE OF WORKER Marion Charles Hatch
ADDRESS 862 First Ave. New -fork
DATE Oct. 5, 1938
SUBJECT STORIES OF AN ALCOHOLIC WORLD WAR VETERAN
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
Huey: "Now can you just keep your mouth shut"I Brother:
"First thing you'll do is give me the price of a half pint". Huey:
"He's a wash out". Huey: He'll give you the price of a half pint
don't worry. Now I can't do your stuff you gotta ask me the questions.
How about some butts? Oh, That's right you don't smoke. That's
Ivanhoe, one of the toughest cigarettes in the world". Brother:
"Away goes your typewriter if you take a drag out of this. Its
pipe tobacco but its all we got." Huey speaking:
I was fooling around in 1917, working for an express company.
So we decided to go to the war. We were all young fellows. So we
went into that war game, we walked into a certain place on 46th St.
and the doctors. One is by the name of O'Connell and the other was
Nelson. So we all walked it in there. He ...,,aid to us, "How many
of you men want to go/ to camp right away?" Out of 45 men there was
only two that stepped forward. Doctor, "Now you two step back again".
But we insisted so we went to Camp Upton, We don't know what happened
to the other gang. Separated. I went with an engineer to France.
My partner to the 77th Division, Lost Battalion. He's dead and I'm
here. When we hit Camp Upton Waits We started to hit the camp,
in Hoboken a gentleman there was. A barber in the city of N. Y.,
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the Company barber, decided he could get away with it. He didn't
have to go to war. So we landed pn the Hoboken docks. When we hit
the docks the first thing they said was "Throw your pack on the left
shoulder and walk up the gangplankl" This gentleman thought he could
beat it by putting his pack on his left shoulder and falling down.
This gentleman, at this time, goes up the gang plank. He's got it
all framed up how to beat the draft. So he goes up the gangplank.
When he gets in the middle of the gangplank he falls down pack and
all. Hal But they foOled him. Three sailors ran down the gang-
plank and threw him on the ship pack and all. And the next time I
met him was on the British front with the greatest barrage they ever
had. They made him a cook in the outfit to keep him back of the lines.
And cominl back after the armistice. All during his time in France
he was Iritint to his sweetheart in the United States and building
up his moustache. He had one of the most wonderful moustaches.
was trying to beat the Kaiser out at that time a nice big black
moustache. So we pulled through to the Embarcation point at Bassens
outside of Bordeaux, Genoucourt. This party that's telling you the
story now is the only person who ever sounded the boat call, as
sounded by the United States army in the A. E. F. and I sounded it
at Bassens docks. (In further explanation of the barber's purpose
in falling dawn the gang plank) Instead of getting him from the
bottom part and taking him ashore they run from the top part and took
him aboard. So he didn't beat the draft.
He
/There was a cook over there2 as a Polock. We were livinl
in b illets now this cook every night he used to get drunk and we were
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livinl in billets and General Pershing give the order we had to put
our shelter halves up. This cook came in every night. He had the
right of way to come in late but he used to step on everybody. He
step on your feet he would step on your hands he would step on your
feet. Oh, every night we used to argue with him. We raise hell with
him but we couldn't do anything with him. So we decided one night we
would change the subject. We were billeted up over a barn. Plenty of
cows and horses below, with the big hay door open. So we decided we
would fix the cook up. So we had few francs, so we went out and
bought a fromage, cheese, if you parlez-vous fran9ais, fromage that's
roquefort cheese. It sounds good. So when he came in that night
nobody said anything to him and we let him go to sleep. As soon as
he went to sleep and when he went sleep and we was sure he was asleep
we wrapped his hair in that Roquefort Cheese* get it and the Rats
were very plentiful there at the time, (laughter on our part) wait
but there's the pay-off. Wait till I get through with the pay-off.
So you know the door where they have block and f all, where they bring
up the bales of hay, upstairs? Were you ever on a farm? So we were
all laying there. We couldn't get no sleep to see what's going to
happen. Finally he comes in. Stepped on Meek, stepped on other guy,
they all squawked. Walk right on your feet, hands everything. Goes
over and he lays down. So after laid down it was our turn to let
the rats to ride to him. As soon as he lays down and goes to sleep
two guys wait. As soon as he goes to sleep start in snoring* take
the roquefort cheese and spread it all over his hair, head and everything.
Now this guy was a tough guy this cook. He had 'em all beat. So
finally about three O'clock in morning there's an awful uproar in the
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joint. We were upstairs over the cows. He jumps up and he runs
like hell. You know where he run? Right out through that window.
Right out that window on the second story. That's true I'm telling
you, We had it fixed up for him. As soon as he reached up and found
the rats in his hair he went right through the goddam window. Just
an ankle broke. He's a casualty of the war.
Hal Hal That's the
only way to figure it out. He's on relief now.
So long as we don't mention no names its 0. I. Wait Itil
I figure the year now. The year that, the year that Rosoffs didn't
clean the center of the streets where the car tracks were. Did
you ever tell a proposition. Go ahead., We'll write it up. One
night I'm roaming around so finally I stop a man on the corner of
96th street. I said, "Will you please lend me five cents. I want
to get down -town". So the gentleman gave me the five cents. I go
out and get a bus on Second Avenue. I get aboard the bus and I got
_
a package. A couple of old shirts I want to wash up, in my hand.
So I'm riding down second avenue on this buss and all of a sudden
the bus hit a bump of ice in the middle (Rosoffs and 'wound up on
the floor. And the bus driver, as soon as I fell on the floor, he
pulled the bus right over to the curb and locked all doors. I
didn't even know what was the matter and neither did the rest of the
passengers. He didn't ask me if I wanted any medical aid or anything
else. So finally they were all sitting there and a big car pulls up.
I don't know the license of the car. A swell car a, Buick eight,
pulls up. And he takes me out the side door of the bus, takes me into
his car. So he says, "Here you're allright ain't you?" I said to
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/A
always get rid of them so youtake after you're good and lousy,
all good and lousy. (Huey to his brother who returns:) (World from
somewhere coming in. You got the world. This guy is lousy himself).
The greatest rick in the world. The simple bums can, do anything.
(Brother, interjecting:) "I can give the remedy right away, Cut the
pockets out of the politicians' pants. I'm waiting for a cigarette.
(Had asked taxi drivers for cigarettes) They all smoke cigars. I'm
going to be back driver from now on and smoke cigars. (Huey continues:)
How we get rid of the crabs. Go to the company cook. Gives you a
btg of salt. Go down near the creek. You take all your clothes off,
A
right at the creek. Pour salt on the inside. Make that inside not
on the outside. They fly away on you. So after you pour this here
salt all over your clothes. Take them down to the lake. Just leave
them close enough to the water. The lice eat up this salt. They're
very thirsty. They're bound to be thirsty. Now when these lice,
all of them, you can see them anytime. When they walk down here to
get themselves a drink of water you grab your underwear and you
run like hell. Hal Hal (Brother interjecting again:) "It's a hell
of a way to ducktem. Put that in. Cab number 000141.
(I gave Huey 25f/, at this point, on his insistance and,
he goes for whiskey)
"Whats around the corner.
Brother: "Its just a hole in the ground. They're all
barrelled up. They don't even know whether First Avenue is above
FORE D
Extra C cmme nt
STATE New York
NAME OF WORKER Marion Charles Hatch
ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
862 First Ave.
Oct. 5, 1C38
STORIES OF AN ALCOHOLIC WORLD WAR VETERAN
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
Several weeks ago Huey Davison, who has a two -block long
fame as an inebriate, stopped me on the corner for a dime. I gave
it to him, on a verbal contract that he wouldn't ask me again, because
of my own straightened circumstances. To this he readily agreed.
Seeing him a couple of weeks later, parching for liquor, he hummed and
hawed but carefully refrained from asking for a new dime. Seeing
him again last Sunday morning it occurred to me I might dig some
stories out of him. I told him I might be able to let him have
another dime
in ten pages
I definitely
and that where I worked, a relief job, I had to turn
of stories each day. Perhaps he could help me out.
couldn't go over a quarter.
"While you've been talking I've already doped out a good
one. On the docks at Hoboken. "Fine" I said have to eat and I'll
see you in an hour. Where?"
"Well I just put my buddy to sleep, in a cab. You know
where. At the foot of 48th St. near First Ave. You know where I
hang out. Meet me down there."
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In an hour I came back and located the cab. One man was
rolled up in the rear seat and Huey was seated on the small folding
seat in the rear.
I live just around the corner and preferring to work with
a typewriter I thought I might invite them up but decided I would
have perpetual visitors so decided to get my machine.
Coming back with my typewriter I met
a block away from the cab.
"Oh we can't do anything with that bum. He's barrelled."
he said.
Huey on the corner
"But I thought I could type in there. I can't type in the
street." I said.
"We'll get another cab"
I felt Huey was making sure, if there was to be any money,
he would get it without having to cut the mellon with his pal. I
pressed a little in the direction of going to the cab with the
occupant. After passing this cab Huey turned about and siad "O. K.
we'll try it." This explains his first remarks as he entered the cab,
to the sleepy occupant who turned out
Here are a few other points
They insisted at first on
interview:
to be his brother.
relative to Huey and the
my
giving the quarter to
start with for cigarettes and a drink so they would be comfortable.
Knowing I would be stuck again at the end and knowing J could never
get a dime out of the Works Progress Administration on a legitimate
excuse for expenses, I shushed them and asked for a few stories first,
as samples, so they rolled cigarettes of "Ivanhoe"said to be very
strong pipe tobacco. Later I gave Huey a quarter and he went out
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and returned with half a pint of red whiskey, to still his raucaus
brother.
I tried to get Hueyls address as explained earlier. At
one time he told me he was on relief so he probably feared complicatons.
I understand he has a room on Second Avenue somewhere near 45th S.
I had difficulty getting his name. I said several times on leaving
him "My name is Hatch." This had no effect. Finally I asked "What
is your name." He changed the subject and talked on making up his
decision and finally said his name was Huey Davison "Spelled with
one fdl one fdl.
Throughout the interview from time to time the brother
would remark "Boy I could get you some stories if I took you around
the corner. 4ror as a variant. "He would get something around the
corner." I had a vague idea in my mind that what I would get would
be either violent or undignified, so evaded further questioning.
Later, my curiosity aroused, I pressed Huey for what he meant. Huey
thereupon said there was a hole, at the foot of 47th St., with from
10 to 20 bums sleeping there. He said he would take me there but I
should sit only in the spots he designated, in order not to catch lice.
I agreed to meet him later to go down the hole, figuring I would look
the place over and get out before the lice got into action. So I took
my typewriter home, Huey figuring the score of bums might be too much
for me and I would have to pawn it. I met Huey fifteen minutes later,
following our interview in the cab. By this time however he was so
banged up with liquor I decided he would be useless. He also said I
would have to buy drinks for the bums so I said I would postpone the
visit to a future date.