Author Archive: Retro

An intrepid reporter and his loyal friend battle a bizarre secret society of criminals known as The Vampires.

A young lady, who “hates the law” rises from the tenements to society. Financial reverses lead her to commit a series of burglaries as “The Bird”. She becomes involved with the detective investigating the burglaries. After she confesses and pays for her crimes, they marry.

Two girls and their brother live at the little homestead left them by their late father. The brother, having disposed of a portion of the small estate, comes home with the money to show it to his sisters, telling them that they may now enjoy a few of the luxuries of life. As it would be after banking hours before he could get to the village, he places the money in the safe and returns to his office, some distance away. He has hardly departed when the maid, a slattern individual, who has seen him put the money in the safe, attempts to get it. Failing to work the combination, she calls up an erstwhile friend requesting him to come and help her. While these two work, the sisters are locked in the sitting-room, terrorized in a most unique way. The brother, however, arrives after a series of tantalizing delays and apprehends the criminals just [...]

This picture is intended to portray the evil of the gangster in New York. The first scene shows New York’s other side. The poor musician is engaged to be married to a young woman and leaves for another city to accept an engagement whereby to improve his condition monetarily.While he is away the little one is forced to work at sewing to support her invalid mother and herself. Later on, in going to deliver some of her work, she meets “Snapper Kid” who is the chief of one faction of the gangsters of Pig Alley in the slum quarters. There are two factions of these gangsters. Like the musketeers of old, they go about, each side alert that they will not be taken unawares by the other. About this time the little girl’s mother dies and she finds herself alone, but the musician returns with replenished purse to become the protector of the little orphan. [...]

Two paperhangers are employed by a sanitarium to hang up some posters. Chaos Ensures.

The outlaw and his pals plot to rob the general store. He goes into the store with the intention of attracting the attention of the storekeeper while the rest of the gang enter from the rear. But the girl is the one who meets him and the outlaw feels a vague desire to reform at sight of her. He calls off the gang and orders them to let the store alone. But they are determined. While he is out of the camp gathering wood for the fire, they plot to overpower him. When he comes back they overpower him and leave him tied while they set out to rob. He frees himself by rolling into the fire and burning his bonds. He sets off in pursuit. He comes upon them in the act of robbing the store, forces them away at the point of his gun and accepts the thanks of the girl. Then he [...]

The incident here depicted shows a young American dispatch bearer, who, surprised by a band of Hessian foragers, seeks shelter in his father’s house. The old man has just time to hide the boy in the fireplace when the Hessians enter. After a fruitless search they express their intention of putting up at the house. As a subterfuge, the daughter takes them upstairs to show them their quarters, while the father hides the boy in a clothes hamper. The Captain, on his return downstairs, sees the basket, and suspicious, asks what it contains; not satisfied with the old man’s answer, sends a bullet crashing through into the boy’s body, killing him. The poor old man is frantic with grief and vows to avenge his boy’s brutal murder, so stealing outside with his daughter, they surprise the sentry and carry him off. The daughter, dressing in the sentry’s uniform, takes the post, while the father scurries [...]