New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-19

THE DISTRESSED FAMILIES OF SOLDIERS.
While the Common Council were chafering and
bargaining week after week for amoneTships for
their friends, before providing fund for tie
relief of the families of volunteers the sum in hand
has been expended, and now the wives aud children
of our soldiers are crying for bread, while the Con.
troller il poweress to render them any assistance for
weeks to come. Some Of the soldiers wives have,
under the pressure Of poverty, given way to violent
demonstrations against the relief agents, which,
though wrong and indefensible should serve 20
awaken the city authorities realizing Of their
responsibility 10 these helpless sufferers. On Tues
da, evening number of these people, perhaps three
or four hundred called by appointment at Guntzers
saloon at the corner Of Fourth street and Avenue A.
for their tickets for amounts overdue, bu were told
by the ward agents that they were not yet ready.
Many Of these women were evidently in distressed
circumstances. Some Of the more bold, whose desti
tuition was not 70 apparent, created disturbance,
and threatened to destroy the building and but for
the presence of the police force might have carried
teir threats into effect; it they attempted to
violently seize Mr.. Heinrich, of the Ward Commit
tee, who was obliged to appeal for protection to the
police. Eventually however, the women withdrew,
to meet yesterday at 10 o'clock, in Tompkins square,
and move in procession to the City Hail. Yesterday
they met, as agreed upon, and after grooming the
Ward Committee, went TO the Mayors Office The
MAYOR told them he had signed the ordinance, and il
row rested with the Controller to give them
the needed relief. To the Office of the Controller
they next repaired, and there told that there
would be no money till the let Of January, as the
loan hal yet to be raised whereat much dssatibiac-
ton was expressed. Subsequently, the residences
of several of the Aldermen were visited and 1t IN
alleged that somo Of them had to be projected
bv pocemen, 60 violent were the proceedings Of
these people.
is evident that something must be done for them,
and that speedily, for their care is growing desperate.
ONLY Yesterday the Coroner held an inquest upon a
soldiers wife in Avenue b. Mrs. Catharine Lind
mann, who, with her infant child, asiound dying Of
starvation A few hours after her Sad condition was
discovered the Door woman expired. 1t il said that
81 was too modest to go in quest Of relief, and well
she might be it, in the case above cited, the Ward
apentholds his Office in drnkingsaloon. Forthe sake
of sweet charity, let us have no more such terrible
suffering What spectacle for our boasted Philan-
tbropyl While Aldermen in their council chamber
trade and dcker for the spos Of ams-gving, the
caunt. boow-eyed wives and little ones of our brave
volunteers throng the vestibue, and vainly cry for
relief, till Bill the BarkeePer and Bully the Bruiser
have secured the privilege of handling the money.
We trust, now that this matter has been placed in
the hands of the Controller, by judicous manage
ment of the allotment system, and the provision OF
sufficient fund by the city, there may be no further
cause of complaint. Above all, there must be no
moro starving wives and babes Of soldiers to rise up
In rsproach against ~