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John Allen (1823–1870) was an American saloon keeper and underworld figure in New York City during the early-to mid-19th century. A former religious student, Allen was considered one of the most notorious criminals in the city and was known as the "Wickedest Man in New York". A public crusade against him, headed by lawyer and journalist Oliver Dyer, resulted in a reform movement known as the "Water Street revival". The campaign, in which Allen and other notorious underworld figures had been "reformed" by religious leaders, was later revealed to be a fraud following exclusive exposes by the ''New York Times'' and the ''New York World'' forcing Allen to leave the city. ==Early life and criminal career== Born to a prominent and well-to-do religious family in upstate New York near Syracuse, two of his brothers became Presbyterian preachers while a third became a Baptist minister. The rest of his brothers, however, settled in New York City where they became "professional burglars and footpads", most especially Theodore Allen who became one of the city's earliest underworld figures. Allen was attending the Union Theological Seminary when, around 1850, he left the institution to join his brothers in New York.〔Martin, Edward Winslow. ''The Secrets of the Great City: A Work Descriptive of the Virtues and the Vices, the Mysteries, Miseries and Crimes of New York City''. Philadelphia: Jones Brothers & Co., 1868. (pg. 322-344)〕〔Asbury, Herbert. ''The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the New York Underworld''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1928. (pg. 50-56) ISBN 1-56025-275-8〕 He lived with his brothers for about a year, who tutored him in burglary, and did ''"quite well by his own account"'' but was eventually cast out by his brothers after confessing to being a police informant.〔Asbury, Herbert. ''All Around the Town: Murder, Scandal, Riot and Mayhem in Old New York''. New York: Alfred A. Knoff, 1929. (pg. 123-131) ISBN 1-56025-521-8〕 It was during this time that he married a "lush worker" known as Little Susie and the two moved to the waterfront district of the infamous Fourth Ward in 1855. While Susie continued her trade of "rolling drunks", Allen was employed as a runner for a crimp house. His particular job was to lure sailor, or any passersby, into the establishment where they would be drugged and shanghaied for outgoing vessels short on crew. Allen himself was eventually suffered a similar fate two years later when, while drinking with his employer one night, was drugged, robbed and woke up hours later ''"in the forecastle of a ship bound for South America"''. Allen made his way back to New York six months later, and soon after his return, his former employer had been found ''"beaten to death with an iron belaying-pin"''. There was no evidence connecting Allen to the murder, but he was considered a suspect by police and decided to seek different means of employment.〔 He and Susie moved to the district around Sixth Avenue and Thirteenth Street, in what would later become the "Tenderloin district", and began working for procuress Hester Jane Haskins. The husband and wife were among ''"respectable-looking young men and women"'' employed by Haskins to travel throughout New England to lure young women to New York with the promises of work. Once these women arrived, they were abducted and forced to work in brothels. When Haskins began kidnapping young girls from more prominent families, Allen and Susie decided to leave her organization. Haskins was arrested only a year later.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「John Allen (saloon keeper)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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