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STATE
NAME OF
ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
Forms to be Filled out for Eacn Interview
FORM
Circumstances of Irtervi-.Av
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
New York
WORKER WILLIAY WOOD
7012 67th. Place. Glendale, L.I.
October 17, 1938
OLD TRADITIONS OF BROOKLYN STREETS
1. Date and time of interview
Collected by this staff -worker from various
sources see Form D, which follows:
2. Place of interview
3. Name and address of informant
4. Name and address of person, if any, WAO put yoa in
touch with informant.
5. Name and address of person, any, accompanying you
6. Description of room, tv:use, surroundings, etc.
(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.)
STATE
NEW YORK
OF 11-J\E2.
ADDRESS
DATE
SUP.JECT
"CRAZY DENTON"
FORM
Tuxt of Literview (Unedited)
_
WILLIAM WOOD
70-12 67th Place, Glendale, L.I.
October 17, 1939
ODD TRADITIONS 01 BROOKLYN'S STREETS I
FOLKLOBE
NEI'. YORK
Crazy Denton, so-called because of his religious fervor, made a living in the
'90s by peddling fruit and vegetables from a wagon. Long Island farms supplied his
stock, and the Bushmick section of Brooklyn furnished him with customers. Not all
housewives were as fortunate as the good women who were privileged to buy rom
Mr. Denton. Besides giving his personal assurance that the goods were fresh and of
the finest quality procurable, he pointed out to his lucky patrons those paths of
rectitude which he believed would lead them to eternal joy in the hereafter. The
eerness which he displayed to fill their mundane requirements was paralleled only
by the solicitude he seemed to entertain for their spiritual needs. While emptying
scoops of potatoes and beans into the aprons of his feminine admirerA, in exchange
for the money they handed him, he poumd benedictions upon their heads with gratuitaus
and unstinted liberality.
Denton did not believe in short measure, either in the dispensing of vegetables or
blessings. The more thriving he found business to be, the greater and more diversified
were the benisons he invoked. He queried his =stoners as to the state of their
immortal souls in the same breath as he inquired about the replenishing of their
kitchens. Godliness and fresh greengroceries were peaised with equal ardor in sales
talks that were as voluble as they were unique. Here is a typical monologue:
-2- Continuation of Form "C"
"Good morning, Mrs. Jones! ,:rod bless you! I have the nicest spinach you ever saw. Yes,
five cents a pound; all fresh. Thank you, ma'am! /re you saved? Row about some nice wax
beans, lady? Do you believe in Jesus? ,hose tomatoes are just off the vines. Remember,
ludy, Christ died to save sin yes! sure I'll pikk you out good ones. Cone to Jesus,
lady! I have some nice bananas. Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? '6here can
you buy nicer green peas? Give your eart to th Lord! 'bat's the matAr with them
apples? Lol here ain't u rotten one among them! hese carrots are the best on the
market lie died on the cross to save you and me four pounds for fifteen cents.
The Lord be with you! Cone to Christ!"
On Saturday nights the zealous and inspired Denton used to demonstrate his gratitude for
earthly favors by iving his weekday customers the benefit of his exposition o' the
scriptures; at least, those of themsto hiv, the sense of righteousness to listen to his
open air sermons. Using the back end of his truck as a pulpit, he exhorted streettilcorner
congregations to renounce the flesh and the Devil; to forsake the transitory pleasures of
a wicked world; to turn from their evil ways; and to seek in all their fullness the rich
blessings of the Christian life. Ah! Could but the story of Crazy Denton end here:
Alas for the frailties of human nature, and for the wily snares that Old ,eelsebub sets
to entrap the feet of poor sinners! Rumor had it that the venerable gent eho fain would
have converted the transgressor and who tried so hard to bring back into the fold those
sheep that had gone astray yes, rumor had it that some the self-appointed
evangelist himself would step into one of the carefully -laid gins of the Archenemy.
It was noised around that Mr. Denton actually descended so far from grace as to indulge
in periodical jav that while in his cups he very irreverently neglected his religion,
and very carelessly abandoned his vegetables. Some of his more charitable customers
would have ascribed these rumors to the malevolence of unscrupulous competitors, had
it not been that after a few days' absence from his route, an odor not unsuggestive of
strong waters was noticeable on Mr. Denton's breath.
EDIWSKI PICKERS
The Eundski Pickers were a strange occupational croup whose scattered membership
plied their business in Brooklyn during the early years of the present century. Their
calling was definitely unconnected with the harvest fields; nor was it related with
the garnering of some strange genus of flora. In terms of today* it cannot be
regarded as having been either an allurieg or a romantic profession. It is not
believed to have been especially lucrative. Admittedly odoriferous, tee hundski
Pickers diffused a redolence in nowise auestive or the autumn woods; and this is
one of the reasons that persons of delicate sensitivity avoided rather than courted
their society.
Followers of this occupation were far from being prepossessing in general
appearance and attire. Indeed, the very nature of the work they performed must have
made aenecessary and superfluous any attempt at neatness of dress or cleanliness of
person. Both sexes were engaged in the industry, and ita mouton workers were said to
have _,een little more attractive than the men. The public at large viewed the Hundski
Pickers and the tusks they assumed with a feeling akin to loathing., despite the feet
that a valuable service was bein performed in the way of keepine the streets clean and
the atmosphere less pungent.
Although attended by many disadvantages, the craft was one of an independent nature;
and each of its numerous practitioners found solace in tie knowledge that, as a rugged
individualist, he was beholden to no petty foreman for the privilege of continuing to
make a living. His hours of labor were not determined by, nor did the amount of his
remuneration depend upon a greedy and exacting employer. He was not ushered in to the
scene of his occupational activities by the raucous screeching of a steam ehistle. He
punched no time clock, his fiemnoial gains were limited only by his own industriousness
and by the abundance of the protiuot leach he collected and sold. Every Hundski Picker
conducted his own private enterprise. Be sought out and found the oeveted material in
which he dealt, with all the persistenoy of a hunter stalking deer in the vast forest,
or of a Califorhia miner seeking the holden treasure. A pair of alert and disoerninh eyes,
a set of deft and nimble fingers, and a suitable receptable to hold his captured trophies
made up all the equipment necessary for a start in business.
The Ehndski Piekere richest fields of exploration were those districts wherein the
residents were lovers of dogs; the more canine pets, the hreater the reward for labor. The
principal theatres of operation were the gutters, the sidewalks, and those back yards which
contained kennels. The objects of the quest were the deposits of organic matter extruded
by tne animals. lath a dexterous motion, acquired by experience, the collector's hand
would grasp each deposit and transfer it into the can or box under his arm, or into the sack
he carried over his shoulder.
Lathy those scavengers had regular routes; and, while competition appears to have
Leen keen at tines, there seams to have been a "gentlemen's" acreement under which they
usually refrained from encroaohing on one another's territory. Pedestrians looked upon
these people with unfeigned dishust. Even street urchins have them as wide a berth as
possible. To the eyes of older children they were an abomination.
Conflicting rumors existed relative to the ultimate destination of the materiel thus
gathered, and the use to which it was put. None oh the reports that have come down to us
can be regarded as absolutely authentic. It is quiee likely that inquisitive persons of
the period, Who may have wished to ascertain the facts, were discouraged from makinh active
investigation because of the 01,110XiOUS smells which issued frau th dung—hatherers ad the
loads they eore. It mould have required a great deal of. endurance to follow one of thorn for
any distance.
The cohcensus of opinion was that the materiel was purchased by a company who menu,-
faetored pills and powders. If this explanation was the correct one, it is evident that the
popularity of the medieines was of short duratioh, for the ilundski Picker* vanished from the
streets of nrooklyn as mhsteriously as they had made their appearance. Their occupation
passed into oblivion.
Ga2IAN b1DS Oi BROOKLYN
A few stroliine musicians, time -more and bedreeeled in appearance, are the only resainine
heritaees of those picturesque street players mbese tuneful melodies once reverberated
throeeli the fareflu_e areas of old ereoklyn, hhat resident of Lhis City ice:' Churches,
whose memory arecidates the ;:orld ar, annol reoall the aorman Bands? T-eey Isere com-
posed of instrumentalists neeherine free eix to a dozen men of various ages and artistic
abilit.each reup had their own especial reperteires, as well es t -e peueliar
uniforms which lent ax uir of distinetion Red color notwithstaedine teat, in"ift'oyi cases,
these uniforms were ill-fittine and ehe worse for wear.
The nstrumeees on whech they performed eere of that sonorous eypo eeldh inearpreted
so well he :_elk -tuns el the i therland.
1,t; S EI:etti)
telbe, eromeone and ocruet were
mech in evidence; cesA week' the band consisted ei mere than six players the bass viol was
considered to be an indispensable adjunct to tSe eqeipment of these musie-mekers.
The flute
clarinet, oboe and other reed instruments were tee a td eechestral apparates ,f the
larger -sized Groups of itinerant beadsmen.
hanever one of the derman bee0s stopped at a street corner and struck up a
popular tune, the children of the neiehboreeee eele deece to the mueie. 3ceasieeally
some ieeudent and mischievous urchin, eager to win the plaudits of his less-darine play-
fellows, -would provoke the indienation and wrat,h of the eelodiste b, sackiee a lamer' ender
teeir very 11QSCS$ this uneraeefel eesture to ledicete ehee the aceid juice of the fr it was
a soothine anodyne with ich to assuage the neetal paees inflicted be- ,:heir discordant
notes. Sometimes the musicians accepted with resienation such affronts to their
professional technieue; but humeri nature ha e a limit te its endurance, even meone people
as aesthetic as those who composed the r,:ereen Bands. 1.requentle it happened that a soulful
trombone -player woeld seldenly descend frolL ehe erphean heiehts te ,i_ch hie ewn.autistry
had carried eim; and, witf expressiene oe fencer unbecomine to he cendie,t of a virteoso,
he woeld eive chase to his youthful tormentor Tor the distance of a city block. Seldom
was the quarry out -distanced; and nearly always the offended Genius made his breathless
return to the street oorner, unaveneed.
After two or three choioe musical selections deemed suffielent to around the
emotional generosity of the audience* one of the bandsmen* rated mere highly perhaps
for business aeumen than for rhythmic preeminence mould mingle with the asseibled
creed* hat in hand* to receive the donations of inspired people. Offerings flom
the immediate bystanders were augmented by contributions of mall change often
carefUlly wrapped in paper thrown from upper story windows by appreciative and
kinds -hearted housewives of the vicinity. Having collected all the largess in sights
the recipient would count his oaths then, if he viewed as adequate the total 'mounts
he would signal the maestro to express musicianly gratitude in a final rendition.
It mas customary for the personnel of these sidewalk bands to proceed after
each 0000ert to the nearest ad min. There, the landlord or bartender usually
dispensed free beers ands if it were about meal time, the musioiens would regale
themselves with delectable morsels of pumpernickel and sausage so dear to the
Teutonic palate.
/any of the German Bands were composed solely of isesigmats• Sometimes a
whole group made their home in a mingle apartment* time reduoing to a minimum
the oost of living. As hae been shown* they received at least a goodly proportion
of their food and beverage gratis. Perhaps it was tiresome to wander through the
streets all day and in all kinds of weathers in search of a livelihood 'stash* to say
the least, must hate been very uncertain. Tots some of these musicians are said
to have enjoyed excellent earnin]s* despite the humiliating oharaeter of their
vocation and the unjust buffoonery and ridicule to which they were often subjected
by the thoughtless and shortwvisioned people who nicknamed them "Boddie Smben!
(beggar boys).
Vibes that remembers the days when Brooklyn's streets were resonant with spiritst
folkmtunes and entrancing* lovely melodies that touched the hearts who, that will
have the temerity to compare them 'with the maningloss symphony of Tin Pan Alley*
Shall say that the German Bands are not entitled to a distinguished place in the
annals of Brooklyn's folklore?
-7-
A typioal repertoire inoludise such numbers ast
Ich Hat Einen Namera4en
Trinken Vir Nooh Min Tr4fthen
Aus Dan Eleinen Berikeltopfchen
Du, Du, Liegst Mir La Berson
Die Lorelei
Mariechen 7ieint Ln Gar ten
Die alobt An Rhein
A.ch, Du Lieber Augustine
Bilbohen
Bei Lie, Hei Lo
Lrumer Petrus
Jetzt Gallen Wir Maly ikber
o Bast Du Die Seh8nen Blauen Augen hehr?
Traumerei
lieih
Donau tltzer
Barcarolle (FrceTales of Hoffman")