Danger! A True History of a Great City's Wiles and Temptations

The opening salvo of this turn‑of‑the‑century study declares “Danger!” and immediately thrusts listeners into the tangled world of New York’s underbelly. Drawing on the authors’ long experience as trial lawyers and on fresh police records, it maps out how rapid scientific and educational advances have become tools for both thieves and their concealment. Readers hear vivid sketches of street hustlers, clever con‑artists, and the grim realities of the city’s oldest prisons.

Beyond the lurid details, the work serves as a cautionary guide for anyone tempted by urban temptations, especially the young men and women dreaming of a better life. It blends hard data, courtroom anecdotes, and moral reflection to show how vice thrives even as reform movements gain ground. The result is a compelling snapshot of a bustling metropolis wrestling with its own darkness, offering insight that still resonates today.