Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/488

 the advent of a feigned policeman, to take the two parties into arrest unless a round bribe be paid over. Foreign loiterers, especially if homosexuals, should avoid public urinals and retired parts of public gardens, when the hour is favourable to this highway-blackmail. (The motto must not be "Siste viator!") Exactly this sort of attack, made on a gentleman in Paris—where it is far from rare—is described in a Paris newspaper, as the writer ends this page. In Germany and Austria-Hungary it is much in vogue among the dregs of male prostitutes and pseudo-prostitutes. In one of Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld's many and valuable local studies, "Berlins Drittes Geschlecht", he cites such a case, in a letter from a provincial official; an elderly man, not in the least homosexual. He was followed in the street one evening, by a young prostitute, demanding money. The inexperienced stranger did the most unwise thing; he turned presently into an urinal, thinking that his whining persecutor would respect privacy, and would quit him. Instead the rascal followed him into the retreat, and stood in the door. When the official was about to come out, the blackmailer—with his dress disordered—stood in front of him, and said If you do not give me sixteen Marks at once, I will have you arested, and get you into prison, for an outrage to public morals in this place with me! So be quick! Out with the money!" The terrified stranger managed to hurry to a cab, in the middle of an increasing street-scandal; fortunately before a policeman appeared to make inquiries. By throwing a piece of gold at the rogue, and by having the coachman start oft at a gallop he succeed in getting away. A similar example was communicated some weeks ago to the present writer. In Rome, in the spring of 1907, a young Englishman, who was homosexual, coming home one evening to his hotel from a music-hall, stopped in a latrine, off the Corso. He was at once followed by a young boy-prostitute, who at once began pestering and disgusting the Englishman by exhibiting himself. Finding that there