New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-22
THE POLICE.

A few evenings ago at one of the numerous
drinking saloons in Broadwsy brutal assault was
| perpetI ated by man upon the person OF young
woman The policeman on the beat arrested the
criminal. took him some distance down q side
street. and then set him at liberty. What the
relations of the parties were-whether the police
man claims the wretch as friend by whom it
was necessary to atand-we know not but certain
il H. neither at the Tombs nor the Police Courts
has the case since been heard of. This affair is
one among many of similar character; but If q
word be said against the Police, the members Of
that body are highly and virtuously indignant
Never was sensitiveness less justified by the facts.
The Police corps has good men in it no doubt, but
,be mass are notorious for anything but an exem.
plsr, fidelity in the discharge of their duty. The
na,rolmen. in whose hands lie the guardianship OF
the City, leave their Station houses at regular
hours; and in the majority Of Yards nothing is
heard from them until the expiration OF their time
of service Let us accompany one OF the pstrol'
men and see how he performs his functions. From
the Station house he repairs to his post which he
commences 10 traverse, trying the doors and WIN
dow shutters of each house to see if they are So
cure: and having finished his beat, he halts. An
acquaintance may come along at this point, and
the pstrolmsn IL ready accordingly for half an
hours chat Proceeding onward, he encounters
the next patrolman and, being both seated on
barrel or &C al box discuss the events OF the day
These being settled within an hour, our converse
tiopal guardian moves on toward his starving
noint. and on the way answers his Sergeants rap !;
but before he has twice traversed his beat, he has
stopped to exchange views with half dozen &C
ouaintances. Gangs of young rowdies, seated under
awnings at the corners of the streets, are unmo-
Tested by him if they are only quiet as he passes
If fight occurs he may not come at oil, OF arrive
when il ia over. 1t would be disagreeable to ar
rest an offender, who might prove to be friend
with whom be daily smokes and drinks, and heaven
forbid that the duties of friendship should be VIC
lated. Or, to arrest q stranger, would require
him TO be up at in the morning to hand the I'M
known over to the Police Court So 1t is best to
keen ont of the way until the row is over; then,
AZ he has seen no blows struck he is not required
70 make an arrest. A noisy drunkard, how
ever. may get dyed in the Tombs for ten days
for bic arrest does not require an early turnout
on the part of the policeman. Though at many oil
the corners of Broadway and other streets gangs
of rowdies are nightly in the habit Of congregang
and insulting lone women who may chance to Piss
or not unfrequently assaulting some person, the
patr olman does not Interfere with them further
than TO tell them to disperse. They accordingly
do go but return as soon as the policemans back
ia turned We have heard complaints made
these rowdy assemblages, and the excuse given by
the policemen for not breaking them up 10 that
the MAGISTRATE will discharge such as are arrested
The difficulty, however, is that the policemen are
boon companions Of the rowdies during the day.
II is believed that regular and heavy payments are
made TO the police by the keepers Of houses Of
prostitution, for the protection OF their business
and no influence is more potent in the making and
unmakiDg Of policemen than the influence welded
BY the proprietors lessees and occupants of these
houses Thousands Of dollars are annually paid
! by them for political purposes thousands more
doled out in small items of new clothing and
Sresents to the police, and still other Thousands in
providing prizes for target excursions.
The recent case Of high officer on trial for
misdeneanor affords some insight into this whole;
sale moral corruption. Men were chosen to Office
two weeks ago, whose intimacy with abandoned
women, and whose proprietorship of their houses
and furniture is matter Of public nOtoriety. aud
Others whose highest qualifications were their in
| innate relations to some Low GROCERY and f.