Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-04-06
IScnrAsr OF rHs Au1rIr.nr euA.p.-Ye.-


under consideration bill for the increase of the
auxiliary guard, for the better maintenance of the
laws In this city, a copy of which was published
in the Star 2 few days ago.
In the Senate the bill excited considerable dis |
crsson. Among its earliest opponents was Mr.
johnson, Of Tenn, who entertained the idea that
the municipal authorities OF Washington have
power to Increase the police force ad HbituD
and that they should, therefore, do SO without
the enactment Of law by Congress for that pur-
pose. Robbery and murder are committed in
Baltimore and New York, and other cities, as
well as in Washington; and If Congress ought
to interfere with the matter here, it ought to in
terfere in other places for the same reason
MIR. IveTson also, opposed the passage of the
bill, and urged that a. Congress annually ex-
ponds large sums of money In beautifyinp and
adorning the city with public buildings, &c,
the citizens should themselves provide a noIice
force adequate for the preservation of order with
out any aid from the General Government Rnt
he had another objection to the bill, and that
was, thst thsy would be Obliged 10 take these
hundred additional police officers from the very
class OF society which commits all these depre.
dations and crimes; they would be men who
were the associates of rowdies, who had family
connexions with them, aud who sympathized
with them. Instead of enforcing law and order
they would be more apt to screen the criminals
from punishment, or rs commit similar crimes
themselves IL was only the other day that two
men in the employ of the government were shot
on Capitol Hill, and il now turns out that the act
was committed by two persons one of whom is
one of the policemen of the CITY, and still further
that the deed was witnessed by another police
officer, who kept the matter secret for a week or
ten days, because he said he was afraid Of his
life If he told " MIR |. thought the only remedy
for this condition of affairs would be to make
Washington military post, aud have four or
FIVE hundred soldiers stationed here to keep OF
der, who had no associations with the rabble of
this city.
Mr.. Houston called Mr. Iversnn's attention to
the fact that in the labor performed for the Gov
eminent. 1t obtained an equivalent for the outlay
to which he referred He urged further, that
the mass OF the payees employed on the public
works receive a Mere pttance for their services
hardly snttic lent to support themselves and fam
lies. He said that If the city Of Washington
should tax the property OF the General Govern
ment within her limits she could paw all the ex-
penses herself for Improvements and for presery-
ing the peace; but since the property of The gov
eminent Was exempt from taxation, it was proper
that the government should bear its share of ex-
pense. He strenuously advocated the passage of
the bill. :
Messrs. Brown, Seward, Douglas and others
were likewise in favor of the measure proposed
and urged its necessity by calling attention to
the occurrences of murder and outrage so fire..
quently transporting in our midst. ''Wby." said
MIR. Douglas, ''we all know that life is not safe
in this city, that quirt and nofens i've persons aIe
frequently murdec. Il in cold blood and that rob-
berries and assaults committed almost night
ly. People .have stood in their own doors a nd
seen Others shot down in the streets and were
afraid to go to their rescue, est they mig lit them
selves become the next victims of these lawless
gangs"
| Mr.. Fessenden attributed the prevailing rowdy.
ism 10 the bad example Of men in very hie d
places, and to the Incompetence of the police
regulations He said he had been informed that
the Judge of the Criminal Court is, from age or
some other cause, very incompetent TO disc harge
the duties Of that position. 10 is slated that he
has conscientious sCruples against capital punish
menf, and II that Is true ii alone proves his in
competency to administer the criminal law and
| especially in a time like this.
| MIR. Brown, in reply To the remarks of Mr.
| Johnson, of Tennessee, admitted that the CITY
| Authorities Were bound to take efficient measures
TO preserve the peace Of the city, but they id
not do it, and Congress had no power to compel
| them to do it. What, then, was to be done Is
\ the public and private property here to he ex-
posed TO depreciation Areths foreign ministers
who are accredited TO this Government TO be sub
Ject To insult, and their families and servants to
| assassination? IL is the duty of the Government
to see that the peace of the city is preserved il
the city authorities neglect to do il.
| Mr.. Wilson did not believe there would be
any security for life and property in this city as
long as Judge Crawford occupies his present DO
| sltlon The trouble was that the present police
officers were in sympathy with the men who
| Were daily and nightly violating law and order
lie narrated a where a man who boarded in
| the same house with him was a witness recently
OF an assault made with a bowie knife and the
| criminal was secured. and was ahout to he taken
| II the guard house, when police officer came d
| and took him into custody; but he had only gone
| few steps with him when he told him to clear,
and started off himself in the opposite direction,
| raising hue aud cry. While we have such DO
| lice officers and such judge we cannot expect
any improvement in the condition of affairs here
| The state of things now prevailing il the epiti-
| mate fruit Of the action of Judge Crawford, two
years ago, when a man was murdered by repre-
| sentative of the House
| After further discussion and an amendment in
/ crtaslng the amount OF appropriation for the
secret police service from - 600 to 8 no. 600 the
| bill passed the Senate by vote of 81 yeas to 9
| nays.
In the House the same bill, reported by Mr.
Goode, OF Virginia, was debated briefly, and
EHalIy laid on the table, and made the special
| order immediately after the general deficiency
bill shall have been disposed OF.
4 FULLY COMMITTED private eYamina-
ton, at the County Jail yesterday, Of the testi-
mony relative to the nu! der Of Mrrcel!us Stops
and the robbery Of ] G.. Cornell on Saturday
night Justice Dom fully committed Augustus
llclssier for the murder, and George Johnson and
Wm. Johnson as accessories. Vanlomau John
son was dismissed IN the murder case, but was
held under a bench warrant for riot and attack :
ing funeral procession, some months since
They Were all held for the robbery Of Cornell,
| except V. Johnson
Frederick ManyettP, who was with Stoops at
the time Of his murder, is retained in the Jail az
witness
| ANOTHER ARREsT.-The police having re-
celved Intelligence that Alexander Eggleston,
| alias "Taster," alias "Bub,'' was in this city,
went In search Of him, yesterday, but failed to
| find him This morning officers McHenry Car
ter, Irwin and G"rmley proceeded to the railroad
| depot and found Egg-ston about leaving in the
| early train for Baltimore. They took him in Gus
| tody, despite his attempts to resist ard be was
| lodged In Jail. lie was arrested under a bench
| warrant for riot at the June election
ASSAULT BY BETRAYED NOTWITHSTANDING
Mary Barker was arrested for ASSEMBLING Mrs
| Jones. This Young woman is the same who was
| taken from hack in which was a per,on NAMED
! Jones'. on his wag 10 he married, and who sL.
| claimed as engaged to her. The complainant
was the bride Al the trial Mary decla-- d she
| had nothing against Mrs. Jones, but only her
husband She was tired OF living and desired to
| b- placed in solitary confinement Justice Dorm
| held her To security TO keep the peace
CRIMINAL CouRr.-The Court met at the usual
| hour this morning.
VIM Bradley and James Davis were called I'd