Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-05
Secrecy of Kennedy's Seizures.

One of the most surprising circumstances in
connection with the Brinsmode case has been the
fact that in New York city, in the year 1869, a
young lady could remain in the hands of two or
more men. who had captured her. for forty days,
and nothing he known to the public about il
Here Is the shocking fact that the police force
whose duty is solely to protect the liberty and
rights OF the citizen traveller in New York
and to make it sale for such persons as this lady
not only failed to protect the young lady against
infamous outrage. but actually knew of the crime
Tor weeks white II was IN progress, and con
ceaed the fact Scores of police officers proba-
bly hundreds of them. knew that Kennedy had "A
Young lady in 47th street house for more than
II month-that she was held by illegal force
against her wll-hut not man of them did his
duty as police officer aud rescued her from the
outrage. Does anv one say that Kennedy was
their superiorY What has that do with IT,?
IL IA police officer catches the Superintendent
picking pocket or committing IA burglary is he
not TO arrest him? l. he TO keep the secret. and
let him rob or murder with impunity? Is Ken
nedy, or whoever happens to be Chief of Police
above law of all kindsl
We find curious explanation Of the secrecy
OF the police we review the history of this busi
ness OF arbitrary arrests We already shudder at
the verge on which our liberties had been placed
by the commitment of this power of arrest to
Kennedvs and Bakers around the country. and
the chorus OF radical papers approving all that
they might do.
The following order is one of the steps which
was taken in the process of destroying The free
dom OF the citizen. Ii is circular of M Ken
nedy's bv order OF the Board of Police Commits
Sioners more than year ago, under which PO
cemen are still supposed to be acting IL m de
statioa-houses in all respects equal to Venetian
oublietteS. Ii enabled Kennedy and Baker to
keep young lady in their power for more than
month. insult her in the most infamous manner
treat her very mudh a. the Sultan treats an of
Tending woman. aud il would have enabled them
to plunge her into the East river. if these sub
servient guardians of the public peace and lights
had preserved the discipline 10 which il seems
they are subject for just such purposes Read
this specimen ct an American order:
GENERAL ORDER NO 275
CENTRAL OFFICE. No. Alb Become Street,
Corner of Elm,
NEW YORK, September 10, 1861
Captain -. - Precinct: The following
resolution having passed the Board. YOU will read
il TO the members of your command and see that
il Is strictly conormed to:
Resoiued. That nas mnch as the publication of
arrests and the attendant circumstances has
caused serious embarrassment Ia the Department
ana has frustrated the attempts To arrest persons
guilty OF OifenSes against the Government, all in.
cept such as i entered in the daily returns, be
strictly forbidden, and that any violation of this
rule will be deemed cause for dismissal
JOHN A KENNEDY, Supt
DANIEL CARPENTER Inspector
From the moment OF the issue of that order
the police cells have been as secret a the grave
No one knows who has entered them who re
mains in them. No warrant required from
magistrate. no complaint from citizen Enough
that the Provost Marshal Suspected a man or
woman OF dSloyai practices 10 his standard of
dlsloysity the suspect was seized and disappear
Ell We know OF hosIs of such seizures, ON sus-
picion or on anonymous information; We have
hetni ct grossly Insulting treatment citizens 20
seized; but We DO not know mOT does ANY one
know of hundreds, perhaps thousands. OF cases
which ptssel under the operation Of Order No
2l5 which should henceforth lac classei with The
proceedings OF the Council of Ten or the Spanish
lnquSition IN Journal of Commerce