New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-01-09
NEW-YORK TRIBUNE.
REPORT OF THE CHEF OF POLICE

ii tho ist Of May and ending with the 3lst Of
o.,oJ,er. le49 Embraced in the Report you viii
g., large amount Of statistical information rsls
,.vs 20 crime in Tins City the violation u Corpora
A., ordinances and the condition Of thus Depart
rueut There 10 also connected herewith table
Allowing the arrests for feiouies mlsdemeanOrs and
other osenses committed in the corresponding pc
rod of time In the year l-4s, 80 arranged mat
yoar Honor will be readily enabled 70 compare
she number Of arrests By referring 10 tins table
/. viii be seen that the number d oheDses result
ing from the Of intoxicating drinks mas gresI
}; diminished during the six months " !ef9-
IL the year ls4s the whole number Of srres~ io'
assauI. and battery, abandonment, disorneriy con
duct intoxicatOn, lighting insanity ana prostitutes
were lOG7S, while Ia tue corresponding Psi'Vu
Of Is4g tbs arrests Tor the same description VI
offences were 10. 29l showing dIniintoh oi '7~
This IL q matter worthy Of CODgfstuiation esPeci
all, when il ia considered that pestileDce was
rsging ia the CITY and preventive 10 winch Ia
tox,csting drinks freely prescribed. The con
trast 10 striking when we compare tle HIfncef
VI arrests FOR iDtoxicatOD dlsordery conduct and a.
,ealt and battery which are the immediate effects
ii Indulgence in strong drinks. Ia s4s there were
10 l32 persons arrested for those offences, and ia
less there were 9,Gzs, showing dImDutiOn Of %.
By referring To the report Of arrests, II viii be
seen that during the year lsis, there were l4,I'',
and the corresponding period o. 1919, there were
t4zI4 persons arrested, being an lhc'ssse ol o.
over lsp.
There have been ! ,iG2 complaint lodged with
the Corporation Attorney Tor violations Of CWpo
ration ordinances, during the nix months, Of wmch
number 2s7 were against hacks ~ against stages
$50 against carts, and l22 Tor throwing garbage Ia
the street.
During the lsst session Of the Legislature law
was enacted making Il = misdeDesnor 10 tfro"
ssfbaRe DC IN the streets OF the Cry Ci new
York which il will be- seen has had benehcal
effect For violating the City ordinance IA tins re-
spect S25 complaints were made 10 the corpora
ton Attorney during the corresponding Penoo d
lsss being $40 more than Ia 1919
During the six months Of ls4y, there were 2l,o2l
persons accommodated with lodging, beng an IA.
crease over the corresponding iperOd OF l'4- 81
47I4 There were 2,jC2 lost children restored 70
their parents being ~ less than dunBg the cores
pondne period ID ls4- There were - hres extn
su,sbed by members Of the Department % persons
rescued from drowning. and 552 stores and dwell
Engs found open.
In connection with this report deem 1t 10 be my
duty " call the attention OF your Honor u deplor
able aud growing eyJ which exists amid TINS com
lnunity and which is spread over the principal busi
ness parts Of the city II is evil and reproaehto
our municipality, for which the laws and ordinances
afford adequate remedy
| aIude To the constantly increasing numbers o
yArsnt Idle and vicious children OF both sexes
who infest our public thOrOughiares hotels, docks
&c. Children who are growing up IN ignorance
and prohigscy, only destined 10 HE OF misery
shame and crime and ultimately to telon doom
Their numbers almost incredible, and % those
whose business and habits do not permit them p
searching scrutiny the degrading and disgusting
practices Of these almost infants IA the schools Z"
vice, prostitution and rowdyism, would certainly
be beyond belief The offspring Of always
careless generally Incorporate. and Oitentmes
immoral and dishonest parents they never see
fha astda af N splo ol G
excellent system Of public education is concerned
land which NAV be truly said 10 be the foundation
stone OF our free institutions II Is to them an en-
tire nuity. Len, IN many instances, 10 roam day
snd night wherever their inclination leads them.
large proportion Of these juvenile Migrants are IL
the daily practice OF pilferine wherever oppOtun!
offers and begging where they cannot steal. In
addition 70 which, the female portion OF the young
Get class, those who have only seen some eight o
twelve summers are addicted to immoralities Of til,
most losthsome description. Each year makes
feariu additions to the ranks OF these prospecuV'
recruits Of inismy aud sin and from tins corrupt anu
fostering fountain flows on ceaseless stream 10
our lowest brothes-to the penitentiary and the
state Prison
Reports have been made 20 me from the Captains
ei the is I'd 3D. 4h. 5th 9TH 5th sth 10th nth and
18th Patrol Dissatisfaction which II appears thai
the enormous number of 2 953 children engaged
~ above described in these Wards alone. And OF
these f,cothrds are females 1ctreeN eigh and stf-
teen years Of are This estimate | believe TO be
far Bhort OF the number actually thus engaged As
founding as II may seem. there are many hundredso
parents IN this City who absolutely lrive their Oh
spring forth 10 practices OF theit and semi bes'ialty
that they themselves may live lazily ON the means
thus secured selling the very bodies and souls OF
those IN whom their own blood circulates for the
means Of dissipation and debsuchery. These e1R
try0 ccurtexans and fclons may be divided into sey
sral classes. as follows;
lsf. Those who oongregate around the piers &c
where merchandise is chiefly landed Cunning and
sdroii in their operations they daily pilier immense
quantities OF cotton. sugar, spirits coffee, teas, &c
from the bales, hhds. casks, bags. chests. &c with
which the wharves are generally, more or less,
loaded and in the absence OF other articles OF plum
der, they wrench the knobs IRON doors, steal build
ing hardware from unfinished dwellings. lead and
copper pipe, and even tin roofing They Will
even. with the owner and consiguee looking
ON. cut open coffee bag IN manner SO sly
and srtisucal. that he is forced to believe the
bag burst by accident and IN few moments
some Is or 20 lbs. transferred inum the plank
has ID the pier TO their capsclous baskets or
aprons. IL is no uncommon thing for a hogshead ct
sugar 10 be short from so 10 100 lbs through their
andetected deprcdstions. and the same system O
petty abstraction prevails in regard 10 all exposed
articles Of moNeable nature. la one instance an
entire bale VI cotton was stolen piecemeal, 10y this
process. and the perpetrators were only caught
when they returned tot the purpose Of flching the
bag itself
To guard all the property exposed along ouT
decks, would require policeman upon each per in
the lower W srds-s disposition OF the fore, which
the present state OF the Department Will IN no wise
warrant and which indeed would not in my opin
ron be advisable under any circumstance.
The number Of children engaged in this neisri
Gus occupation. is estimated at seven hundred ami
seventy IN the districs. enumerated
Arrests are, ineeed frequently made, bat II IS
my duty TO in6nn YOU Honor that 81 tar as | csn
team nun the Captains Of the river districts, these
Juvenile rogues generally manage TO escape Pa
rents appear in their behalf with tears and Promises
d mare careful supervision in future, ami the petite
pisierer 10 released from durance, with simple rep
umand nom the sitting magistrate, 10 return in one
hour to the docks a more confirmed. thieying vags
bond than ever
This course OF procedure has become 81 universal
that policemen are discouraged. and as the owners
" the property viii seldom take the trouble "a Rp
RsG upon the witness stand il seems IN be proper
snst some further remedy should be sought.
An we Investigation OF tins unpleasant subject
would beg to direct your Honors attention 10 the
Numerous junk shops, and places where second
hand articles are bought and sold now existing in
ts city his notorious 10 those no as ministers o
the law, are Obliged 10 keep record OF these estab