The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-02-07
CRIME In NEW YORK.

The New York Express of Wednesday
makes the following remarks on crime in that
city:
The fearful crime of murder seems of late to
be on the increase. Within the last week, two
brutal murders have been perpetrated. A wife
has again suffered death at the hands of her
husband, and an inoifensive stranger has been
murdered in cold blood on the Battery. Five
men under sentence of death are now confined
in the Tombs, and another has lately suffered
the extreme penalty of the law in the Kings
county Jail, Brooklyn. TO these we may add
Margaretta Lohrenz, who has confessed to
guilty participation in the murder by poison of
Victorine Grunzig. The demeanor of those
men, over whose heads the sword of offended
justice at present hangs, presents striking
contrast to that of their fellow prisoners who
have been convicted of crimes trivial when
compared with theirs. In fact, no one who has
seen them, could for moment suppose that
they were doomed TO terminate their mortal
career on the gallows. In general they appear
light-hearted, and even merry, aud con-
sciousness of their probable fate does not ap-
pear to occupy the least share of their atten-
ton. OF these, Sullivan, though he has been
clearly convicted of the murder of Edward
Smith, does not appear to have premeditated
the crime for which he has been condemned to
suffer. The fatal blow was certainly given
after the suarrel between him and Smith had
apparently ended but the evil passions which
had been evoked by the abuse he had received
from his wife, and the subsequent unca alled for
meddling of third party, could not in mo-
ment be Gained.
With regard to Carmel, Lopez, and Clarke,
we have nothing to say. The last Of these, at
the conclusion of his trial. after the sentence
had been passed upon him, and when every
one in Court seemed more or less affected by
the solemnity of the proceedings, which they
had been witnessing, coolly remarked, "that he
though less of being hung, than he Judge
Edmonds) did of bad breakfast" His sub
sequent conduct clearly proves that this was
no idle bragadocio. The whole matter with
regard to GrunZig, seems TO be wrapped IN
the deepest mystery. His mistress confesses
that she is the guilty party, and obtains for
him respite Of four weeks, but when, IN con-
sequence of this declaration, she is taken into
custody, she betrayes the greatest alarm and
surprise, exclaiming that she did not poison
any one. She now states that she went TO
Albany for the purpose Of petitioning the
Governor to grant respite 10 the condemned
man. and when there she was taken into
hotel, where several Germans were collected
and induced to sign an affidavit. the contents
of which she understood would have the effect
of changing Grunzigs sentence, and incarce-
rating herself two years in the State Prison
She did not understand il TO contain. confes-
sion from her to Tie effect that she had poisoned
the deceased, and endeavored 10 poison Grun-
zig. From the monthly prison statistics,
which we published yesterday, IT appears that
UPWARDS Of fsxteen hundred persons have been
confined for various offences in the Tombs
during the last month. The expenses entail
ed on the city by crime, must amount 10 an
immense sum in the year.