The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-11-29
The Prevalence Of Crime

- 49,
4 few months ago the country was
Mortified and alarmed by the rapid sue
ssssion Of murders and other atrocious
crimes that were committed in all parts
Of the land. Country places and small
villages always before deemed beyond
the reach Of the criminal pestilencs that
usually haunts crowded cities, were the
scene OF the most wanton and shocking
violations of the laws of God and man
Glnoo that time there has been a kind of
lull in the storm, and although scarce
ly week has elapsed during the summer
and fall which did not bring with it the
commission of some great crime, yet
there were not so many tales of robbery,
or outrage, or death, as filled the col
umns OF the daily press last Spring 1t
appears, however, that the diminution
was only temporary. The news we are
receiving daily from various quarters OF
tho country indicates that the ERA OF
crime" has commenced anew Nearly ev.
cry exchange that we receive adds its
quota to the daily record of crime, and
we would have little difficulty In filing
. column of our paper every morning
with brief mention of the murders,
rapes, robberies, thefts &c, we find re-
counted in our exchanges.
At this time, the great crimes seem
confined generally to the large cities
but eaenses of lower grade are every
where alarmingly prevalent In st. Louis,
such is the insecurity of lite and proper.
ty that the citizens scarcely dare to walk
the streets after nightfall An emer-
gency police has been organized, but few
arrests have been made, and murders,
robberies and burglaries are still of daily
and nightly occurrence In Nashville
there is perfect reign OF terror. The
outskirts of the city are infested by des
peradoes of every kind and color A
Nashville paper of recent date, now upon
our table, mentions two murders, four
burglaries, in one Of which the burglar |
was killed, and four highway robberies,
all Of which occurred in that city or in
It's immediate vicinity during twenty
four hours. This was only the
record of one days proceedings One
of the most highly respected and promi-
nent citizens of the place was murdered
by highwayman only few days before.
A vigilance committee has been formed
andt the NEST stringent and sunmarymea
sures will be resorted to to punish evil
doors. The military order prohibiting
oitizens from carrying weapons has been
ressinded, and the people are arming for
their own protection.
And even in Boston, "the Hub of the
Universe" whose orators and writers
daily lecture the benighted inhabitants
Of the United States about great moral
ideas" and the rights and wrongs of the ,
Negro. such is the prevalence of crime
that . vigilance committee has been
formed and large force of volunteer
policemen patrol the streets nightly
There, too, the citizens are arming them G
'eltss and 1t is stated thai one firm alone
,oid tbroe hundred revolvers in a single C
lay. Accustomed to attribute all evils e
10 the influence of the South, the Bostoni- y
lns viii probably do their utmost to see
n the alarming increase of crime in their I
,wn midst another Instance of "the bar 6
'arism Of slavery"
Thus far our own city has escaped
Thanks to the vigilance of our worthy
dsyor and the police, Wheeling has en-
Dyed . season of quiet and security
low long this state of affairs will con-
inus, we cannot tell, but We trust that IL
ur venerable municipality may eyer 81. q
ape tbs soourge which is disorgapizir-
asisty In other places and -
ven good oitissns p
rms Of Ia --s
compelling