Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1838-09-10


We noticed on Friday, most fragrant violation o
individual ghtsby the orcible detention in the watch
house on Thursday night last and the subsequent i'm
prisonment of some twenty or thirty deenceless ano
unsfending femaies, taken up by these ndefaugabit
guardians OF the night for INDUCING in the liberty OF
walking through the public Streets without their gra
cious leave.
Ii turned out upon their examination, precisely as
wepredicted it would viz that there was no legal ac-
cusaton against the accused, and, OF course, they
were discharged. The perpetrators OF this unmanly
and cruel outrage, deserve to have their wives and
daughters subjected to the same treatment, unless
they make instant reparaon for the injury they have
inflicted.
We have arrived at fine state of morals indeed, If
every female who may have to walk throu gh
the public streets Of evening, and thinks proper TO
converse with friend or relative she chances to
meet, shall be adjudged guilty of infamy, charged
with the blacklist crimes by every mlnion in power
and dragged by them through the public streets like
a malefactor, thrust into loathsome dungeon, and
be compelled to remain there nearly two days before
a hearing of her case is granted. This is assump-
ton of power that the sage founders Of the blue
laws never contemplated, much less thought of put
ting force And yet, prePostereus as the act is we
find it committed with perfect mpunty in the streets
Of New York-in New York! the frcest city, in the
freest country, that the sun ever shone upon
BY whose authority they were taken up We know
not nor do we care. Bat that they were detained
an unwarrantable time after the charge preferred
we have documentary proof to show conclusivey.
If they were guiltless the magistrate afterwards
pronounced them why they not set at liberty up
on the discharge Of the watch? Answer that
Messrs. Magistrates who are so tenacious of your
dignity and your back room prCrcgatives. Why were
those innocent and nsulted females incarcerated
among elons exposed TO the gaze Of every beholder
the keepers thought proper subject them to for up
wards of twenty four hours, unheard and unstened
10 in their defence?
Taking il for granted that Some of them were sub
ects OF accusation mayt not be possible that others
may have been suspected wrongfully, to whom 1t was
of the most vital importance that speedy asjudica-
ton should be had. But the result proved, not
of them had been legally arrsstcd-not one had COM
mted an act forbidden by the laws, nor was amena-
bic for any offence other than being converse
in the street with individual OF opposite
We are warranted in stating that some three or four
of these females stated to be respectable members
Of society," and their friends have engaged counsel to
prosecute the watchmen who arrested Them for false
imprisonment.
The eRormity Of this outrage cannot be contempla.
ted at the FIRST glance Of the subject. Hundreds, and
even thousands of vrtuous and respectable females,
are compelled, by business, to remain down town un-
Ill late hour Of evening. They live long distan
ND town; they have TO walk home alone I; they meet
an intimate friend Of their fathers family on their way
home; he is coming down town on important BUSH
ness or he would see his young female friend safe
hone. He detains her in conversation for few
minutes and she then hasiens towards her home. A
brutal, and in all probability half drunken watch
man, who has seen her talking with her fathers friend
fellows and arrests her fer so doing He drags her
TO the watch house. legion of gnorant, brutal and
depraved wstchmen, here crowd round the unfortu-
nate and prosecuted GIRL stare in her face laugh and
jeer her suffering, perpetrate obscene and rbald
tests, and finally thrusts her into lsathsome cell
with all infamous creatures until the morning.
In the morning, the magistrate Heaven save the
mark is TOO busy TO investigate the case-she is put
into the common receptacle for wretches at the
House OF Detention,-Police Officers, by virtue of
their authority as conservaters of the public morals,
visit her, frem the most feeling motives, ascertain II
she has any money-fnd cut whether they can make
any money by her-ascertain that she is virtuous-
take her by the hand-squeeze It tcnderIy-talk to
her soothingy-stare her out Of countenance- find
out her residence-call there to her. and finally
effect the consumation Of their plans. This is not
fancy sketeh such things have occurred at our Police
Office and viii occur again, unless strong
ures are taken to prevent the same.
Who caa contemplate this state Of things without
feeling determination TO resist IT, Il necessary We
tell every young in the city who has any respect
for himself and for a virtuous young woman, TO GO
armed IL this demonaca conduct is 10 be earned on
Go well armed, and watch the watchmcn; and If
you see Of them laying his hands, rsthlessy and
ruffianly, upon q respectable woman whether young
or DID, strike him to the earth, you wosld beast
ofprey lie, not the innocent suffer for the guilty.
III the magistrates wish 10 correct the public mo-
rails and amend the state Of society, let them visit
the theatres in their judicial cspacity-not 10 laugh
and joke, and gossip with the play actors. Let them
put step to the shameful scenes enacted nightly at
cur public theatres. Let them drive away the crea-
lures n the shape OF men) who keep Of one and the
same time, houses Of III fame and hacks; who send
into those thesires abandoned women, to decoy
strangers, clerks, and young merchants from the
country to their Infamous oens there punder and rob
them, and thus lead the way for clerks to rob their
employers; for from the merchants the money has 10
come, soona or later. We have counted not less
81. az r. "A. nj ID