The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-09
CIT Y N E w S.
CRIME OF THE CIT Y.
HThe Report of the Chief OF Police for the
First Hnlf OF the Present Year.


How. A. G KNGsLAND, MAYOR
6IR;-rhe report hereunto annexed, exhibits the
condition and operation OF the Police department.,
from January LIST TO July l, 1902. From the state
ment of arrests it will be seen, that during the
time mentioned, there were sixteen thousand four
hundred and twenty persons taken into CUSTODY ior
felonies and misdemeanors OF this number, Two
thousand six hundred and ninety four were offences
Of violent nature against the person, namely, as
sault with intent TO kill, 81 assault and battery,
2,2O8: assaulting policemen. 50; attempt at rape,
I: fighting in the streets, 236; murder, 10 rape,
III robbery in the first degree, AZ for the same Of
fences during the previous ok months, there were
g. 1872 persons arrested, showing decrease of four
hundred and sixty-eight.
There were $3.50 persons arrested for disorderly
conduct while there were 40 persons arrested for
the same offences during the previous six months.
The whole number Of arrests during the six months
ending with the 3Ist OF December, 1851 was 49,
453, being 2,033 more than were arrested during
the period embraced in the present report.
There were 2 146 offences reported as having been
committed against property, OF which number ,3ll
tmore than one half) were petit larcsnies
With this report your Honor will find annexed,
copies Of those reports made on former occasions,
relative to the necessity Of establishing a river
police, and lighting the several piers Of the city with
gas These reports embrace Q number of facts OF
and point with unerrng certainty to the Importance
of Immediately adopting some plan more effectually
to protect the lives and property of citizens along
the piers and slips Of the city, from the depredations
of river thieves.
The daring manner in which some Of these depre-
dat0rs commit their thefts almost exceeds belief;
and but for the unquestionable authority upon
which the facts are attesed they might well be re-
Cattle butchered and dressed farms adjoining the
city, and brought to this market for sale-while
dr0ves of sheep, carried away in night from the
immediate neighborhood Of the farm house, without
alarming the owner-ships boarded, and robbed of
valuable cables, rigging, Sc, while the officers
sitting in their cabnsthe cabins of vessels entered
at night, and the pockets Of the sleepers rfed Of
their contents, and other valuables carried away
without disturbing the oficers-and other like Of
fences of such frequent occurrence, as not
to excite surprise when related.
Many new facts that have since transpired, might
be related in this report showing the impossibility,
ment, of aording the protection that the increased
and constantly increasing wants Of our seaboard de-
mand but two or three instances of recent occur.
renee will suffice.
A few weeks since a respectable citizen left his
place of business to attend his usual avocations.
The night set in, and with it came storm Of I'M
wonted violence; as the hours passed away during
tho night, the family Of the gentleman became
alarmed on account Of his not returning home. The
night passed away and he did not return, and on
the following day, search was made for him, but in
vain and it was thought he had been waylaid and
robbed, as he was known to have had considerable
amount Of money in his possession. No trace Of
him could be found until the succeeding day, when
his body was found floating in the river, without
mark Of violence upon it, and his money still re-
manned in his pocket The verdict Of the Coroner's
Jury only showed that he met an untimely end, in
the same manner that thousands of others had done
before. Far more truthful would have been the
verdict had the jury found that the deceased came
to his death by neglect the part of the city
thorites to provide suitable lights for the piers and
slips of the city.
Within month past the brig Enterprise, Capt.
Drew, arrived in our barber, and anchored off the
Battery The officers and crew, by reason of the
severe toll of long sea voyage. were greatly ia
hgued so that when they retired for the night they
slept sound, and heard not the river thief when he
crept tealthiy on board of their vessel entered the
cabin, where the Captain and mate reposed in appa
rent safety, and carried away goods and money of
the value Of from three to five hundred dollars. So
adroitly was the robbery effected that the Captain
extraordinary means had been adopted and that he
had been subjected to the narcotic effects Of choro-
form. On the night of August "a, 1852, the ship
Thomas Watson was lying a. the pier foot of Oliver
street, in the Fourth ward, and as an additional
prevention against theft, the Captain employed a
ship keeper named Charles Baxter, whose duty it
was to watch the ship at night while the Captain
and crew slept. On the night in question, Robert
Adams, the mate Of the ship, retired to rest at
about II o'clock. The doors Of the cabin open in
wardyand the ship keeper. after closing the DOORS
laid himself down on the deck, directly across the
doors, SO that person could enter the cabin with
out passing his body. On the same evening, in
q bowling saloon in Cherry street, kept by Ger
man, might be seen two men busiy engaged
at rolling ten pins. The game ended hasty glance
at the clock informed them that the time to put their
plans into operation at hand, and they i'm
mediately sailed forth. The eye of the faithful
policeman on the beat, (Clahane,) was upon them,
and he marked them veil. They Immediately pass
ed to the other side of the street, and entered
ther bowling saloon, where they met their confede-
rates, and eng aged in earnest conversation with
them. Their plans had been previously arranged,
and short time suffced to perfect them, and they
all started out Of the saloon together Three Of the
desperadoes passed down Roosevelt street, towards
the East river, and the others took opposite di-
recti0n, leaving Clahane's beat, to await on the
other side Of the city the result of the operations Of
their confederates. The three desperadoes hurried
down to the river, stepped into light skiff, with
mufed oars, and rowed out into the river-and soon
afterwards two Of them might have been skulk-
ing around on the pier at the foot Of Oliver street,
Watching the person on board of the ship Thomas
Watson. They saw the mate enter the cabin,
and heard the door close, and then they patiently
tarried in their lurking place, until they thought
lessy and stealthily they crept up the side Of the
ship, and in O moment afterwards they stood
upon the deck ray of light shed from the dark
lantern that one of the villains had in his hand,
lying directly across their path to the place where
they expected to find their booty. To awake him
would Illustrate all their plans, and yet they must
pass over his body to carry those plans into execu-
patent leather shoes from his feet, and taking q
pistol in his hand, to shoot any one who should
modest him, he leaned over the body of the uncon-
scious ship keeper, placed his hands against the
doors Of the cabin, and then gently pushing against
them, he had the satisfaction TO see them open to
his touch, without a cresk or jar. Stealthily he
descended the cabin stairs, while his companion,
with bludgeon in his hand, remained sentinel over
the sleeping ship keeper. 70 secure the mate's
watch, and rife the pockets of their contents, re
quired but moments time, and then the river
thief essayed to join his companion the deck of
tho ship but in doing so he Internationally
vi hie fnnt ND "a
him from his sleep. Immediately Baxter sprang
upon his feet, and seized the villain by the neck
desperate struggle ensued, the thief to
eccape, and the ship keeper determined to hold him
fast-the report Of q pistol was heard-the ship
keeper released his hold, and fell upon the deck Of
the ship, crying 9 I'm shot," " I'm shot, while
the tive thieves fed across the deck, jumped upon
the dock, and ran along to the end Of the pier, and
across the deck Of q schooner to the place whore
their confederate waited them with the skiff. and
soon they were far away from the scene OF their