- Herbert Moore leads a gang of crooks by a sheer force of mentality, while his pal Burley Butts leads by brutal force. Between them they plan to rob noted philanthropist Mr. Stanhope, on whom Moore has been spying. For their ill purposes they use little Oliver, one of Butts' unwilling pupils. On a dark night they embark on their venture. Gripping events ensue in rapid succession: Oliver enters the house. He makes his way, with a bulls-eye lantern; here we have a remarkable light effect, a sudden flash, the lights go up, and little Oliver faces the muzzle of a revolver. Mr. Stanhope is surprised to see the youthful criminal. He quizzes him. But little Oliver cries and tells his story. Stanhope is moved by the boy's tale. In taking out his handkerchief to dry his eyes, Oliver drops a silver half-dollar. Mr. Stanhope attempts to return it to Oliver, who brushes it away and tells him to keep it, informing him that the silver half-dollar is the gang's insignia and it can open in the middle and be used in an emergency as a saw for cutting rope, wire, or glass. Stanhope's interest is aroused, and he places the little souvenir in his pocket. Later this piece of metal is one of the means of saving his life. Oliver then pleads to be let free, and Stanhope allows him to go, after taking an oath that he will not attempt to steal again. This attempt failing, the gang sets a trap for Stanhope, but little Oliver passes a note and key to his benefactor when the thugs lower him into a vault. When Stanhope finds himself in the narrow vault, he struggles hard to free himself from the bonds which almost cut to the bones. He frees himself sufficiently to get the silver half-dollar, which he now puts to good use. After hours of effort he breaks his bonds. He tries to straighten himself and then finds the heavy key and the note in his coat pocket. He is scarcely able to read the instructions. The greenish light gives him the appearance of a man risen from the dead. Gradually his dulled mind absorbs the portent of the note. He desperately feels for the secret keyhole. His search is not in vain. Presently, he swings back the granite door and he is confronted with a vista of the city's filth and slime. He crawls through the outlet and makes his way through the sewer channels. The stench from stagnant sewerage pools, cesspool waste, mud and dirt, nearly suffocates him. But on and on he struggles, up to his knees through this liquid filth. Even an attack by a horde of sewer rats does not swerve him from his path. He fights the rodents off and they scamper. At last, weary and exhausted, he finds his way to the sewerage main, a ladder leading to a manhole giving entrance to the street. Bespattered with mud and filth, disheveled and bedraggled, he rushes through the streets and to the police station. The gang is soon surprised by big Colt six-shooters and little Oliver and his brother find a home in Mr. Stanhope's happy household.—Moving Picture World synopsis
- When Joe Stanhope, with beaming smile and warming cordiality, stood in his drawing-room, as was his monthly custom, and distributed clothes and edibles to the ragged and the hungry of his community, he was too happy and preoccupied to take particular note of a gentleman who represented himself as Herbert Moore, an agent of the Charity Organization Society. Moore, with silk hat, Van Dyke beard and suave manner, walked among the bowed and wretched creatures with apparent interest. Secretly, however, he was taking a mental photograph of the layout of the philanthropists palatial home. Leaving Stanhope, graciously instilling others with hope and happiness, Moore returns to the den of his gang, satisfied that he is ready to make a return visit to the philanthropists house, and get away with a big swag. The gang, of which Moore is the brains, lives in a dive fitted up with trap doors, ropes, pulleys and such paraphernalia necessary for the success of their calling. Members of the gang return with some swag. Butts, the gang leader, takes charge, while his surly tools retire and debauch time with cards and spirits. Alert Butts, however, spends his time more profitably. He has new pupils, two little boys, whom he teaches the methods of the underworld with as painstaking care as the apostles taught their disciples. While engaged in showing unwilling Oliver, the younger of the boys, the way to pick pockets, with the aid of a belled dummy, Moore comes in and explains that he has a job on hand. He tells Butts that they need a bright boy who could enter the house through the window and then open the front door. Naturally, little Oliver, much against his will, is pressed into service. Gripping events then succeed each other in rapid succession. The gang embarks. Oliver enters the house. He makes his way with a bulls eye lantern, a sudden flash, the lights go up, and little Oliver faces the muzzle of a revolver. Mr. Stanhope is surprised to see the youthful criminal. He quizzes him. But little Oliver cries and tells his story. Stanhope is moved by the boys tale. In taking out his handkerchief to dry his eyes, Oliver drops a silver half-dollar. Mr. Stanhope attempts to return it to Oliver, but the child brushes it away, and tells him to keep it, informing Stanhope that the silver half-dollar is the insignia of the gang, and that it can open in the middle and be used in an emergency as a saw with which the user may cut rope, wire or glass. Stanhopes interest is aroused, and he places the little souvenir in his pocket. Oliver then pleads to be let free, and Stanhope allows him to go, after taking an oath that he will not attempt to steal again. Weary Oliver leaves Stanhopes house and with reluctance returns to the den, where he joins his brother and the gang. He finds the gang in a surly mood. Their ill success they blame on him. He is cuffed and beaten. The gang lounge about moodily. At last, Moore thinks of another scheme. Stanhope is lured to their den with an appealing message for assistance. When they get him they try to force him to draw a big check. Stanhope refuses. The gang grows desperate. Burly Butts is riled beyond control. The animal in him predominates. He makes a sign for the ropes which little Oliver knows is Stanhopes death warrant. Knowing what will happen to his benefactor, Oliver decides to frustrate the plans of his masters. He steals into a corner, and writes a scrawly note, informing Stanhope that he will find a keyhole in the wall of the vault. Oliver wraps the key in the note of instructions, and when the gang lowers Stanhope through a trap door into a vault below the flooring of the den, Oliver, unnoticed, steals up, and drops the note and key into the victims pocket. Thus, by the irony of fate, little Oliver, who has been taught how to pick pockets, without detection, puts to good purpose his training, and is the undoing of his very teachers. When Stanhope finds himself in the narrow vault, he struggles hard to free himself from the bonds which almost cut to the bones of his body. At last he frees himself sufficiently to get the silver half-dollar, which he now puts to such good use. He works patiently for hours, sawing at the rope. Fiber by fiber, the rope gives way to the pressure of the sharp metal. With a last supreme effort, snap! Stanhope breaks his bonds and he is free, to die struggling blindly against four stone walls! A greenish light streams in from the cracks on the top of the vault. He feels around. He tries to straighten himself and then finds the heavy key and the note in his coat pocket. He is scarcely able to read the instructions. He strains his eyes until they stand out from their sockets. The greenish light gives him the appearance of a man risen from the dead. God, says he, if I can only read this. Gradually his dulled mind absorbs the portent of the note. He desperately feels for the secret keyhole. His search is not in vain. Presently, he swings back the granite door, and he is confronted with a vista of the citys filth and slime. He crawls through the outlet, and makes his way through the sewer channels. The stench from stagnant sewerage pools, cesspool waste, mud and dirt nearly suffocates him. But, on and on he struggles, up to his knees through this liquid filth. Even an attack by a horde of sewer rats does not swerve him from his path. He fights the rodents off, and they scamper. At last, weary and exhausted, he finds his way to the sewerage main, and a ladder leading to a manhole giving entrance to the street. Bespattered with mud and filth, disheveled and bedraggled, he rushes through the streets and to the police station. The gang is soon surprised by big Colt six-shooters, and little Oliver and his brother find a home in Mr. Stanhopes happy household.
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