The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-03-07
Total Of escaped criminals from November
1899 till December 1913. =. ....... {

1899 till December l643. %. ....... $50
What singular spectacle this remarkable expo
ation presents of the daily doings of this Court of
Justice established amongst US to protect the CON-
munlty by the punishment and prevention Of crime
Out Of this large number only in one hundred and
sixty cases did the sureties justify the amount Of
bail, and that was of course only sham but in
the remaining cases that unnecessary piece Of
formaIity was dispensed with, and the criminals
were allowed to escape by the magistrates without
the least pretension the part of the suretes to
justify. 1t will be perceived that many of the Of
fences enumerated in the above table are of very
formidable chaTacter-forgery, burglary, grand lar
ceny. false pretences, receiving stolen goods, &C.
But whilst this kind indulgence is shown to these
criminals, it Is important 10 notice that this
same Court exercise great strictness and
sternness in the punishment of minor Of
fences. No later than last Tuesday, Richard
Aimty, a black, was convicted of stealing
ham from the corner of Mott and Walker streets,
and with very commendable promptitude, the Court
immediately sent him to the Penitentiary for two
months Rachael Kennedy, convicted Of stealing
bit of pork was also, with the same rigid regard
to righteous administration of justice, sent to the
Penltentiary for the same period. James Thorn
ton, guilty Of stealing few yards of calico, was
the same day sentenced to the Penitentiary for
sax months. Ryan Walsh, convicted Of stealing a
small quantity of molasses, at once sent to the
Penitentiary for three months.
Oh! righteous Court! Oh stern and unbend-
ing ministers of justice Oh incorruptible and
ever-faithful guardians of the laws! Who can dare
for one moment to question your integrity or abid-
Ing love of Justice What loafer who steals piece
Of pork escapes you? What shvering outcast, who
steals piece of cotton cloth to cover her naked
ness supposed to elude the vengeance of the law?
Really, it would seem as if the whole expense OF
keeping up the criminal courts with all their para
phernaa, was incurred merely for the purpose of
protecting the community from the depredatons of
few mise -able petty thieves and pickpockets. OF
the higher order OF criminals no notice is taken.
The receivers of stolen goods, the especial patrons
of crime-the burgar-thc forger-the disordery
house keeper-a these offenders of the higher
grades, have nothing to do but offer straw bail "
and laugh the bolts and bars of our prisons
And go down to Wall street-take a ramble
amongst the banks and trust companies and there
see the plunderers of thousands and tens of thou
sands after whom neither court, Judge, nor jury,
nor any one can send an officer. There they are
al large, perfectly secure from arrest If they had
stolen a ham, they would have been sent to keep
company with poor Richard Amy, the black man,
at the Penitentiary. But they have robbed and
pundered to the extent of millions, and what is the
fruit of their crimes They occupy the first posi-.
ton in society-live in the finest mansions in Wa
verify Place-have the first seats at the opera-and
SIT on committees for complimentary benefits Is
this TO last torever' Are courts grand uries, dis
trict attornes and all the insrumentalities of law
and justice to continue forever impotent and pow
eriess' Are we never to hear in our temples of
justice any echo of that justice, integrity and truth
which still, thank heaven, nger amongst the moral
and virtuous OF the community