The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-30
A Tale of Two Cities,
From, me N. Y. Tribune.

Ff0ht the ". r, ITtOuflc.
The news columns of this journal have
printed two stories in the last few days that
should not pass without comment. One is
tale of life in New York city, the other of life
in Richmond. Each points a terrible moral,
and indicates want OF strength in our society
which should receive the attention of every
lover of his race.
In a dark neighborhood of New York city
we find q rufian named Larkin ompanied
by one or two of his friends, setting forth in
the middle of the night, maddened with liquor,
determined upon a quarrel. This man was
known to fame as 'the backer" of celebrated
pugilist and leading politician of Tsmmauy
Hall. He was the representative OF control
ling element of New York politics, no worse
and no better than the men around him-a fair
sample Of what might be called the politician
of the period. He enters low grog shop,
calls for drink and food, and forces quarrel
bat we have scarcely known. woman
was standing by, "her terror being so great
as to deprive her of both motion and
speech There was a sailor in the COM
papy, whose comment was that he "had
Just seen one of the prettiest fights he had
ever Witnessed" What was the nature of
this contest 7 Campbell, a powerfully built
man, over six feet in height, threw himself
upon his opponent Larkin, who was also
muscular and strong. When the police came,
Campbell with the right arm thrown around
Larkin, and still grasping the carving knife
was pressing the unconscious man back
against the wall with the left. 1t required the
combined efforts Of the officers to tear Camp
bell from the body of his almost lifel-s oppo-
nent. Blood formed in pools upon the floor.
The table and articles upon it had blood upon
them. There was blood upon the gas jet, and
the wall bore the impress of Larkin's bloody
head and hand" "rhe physicians state that
in all their experience in posi-. .mortem examina-
tions they never before saw person so fright
fully beaten and stabbed. Seven Of the wounds
were considered fatal, any one Of them alone
being sufficient to produce death" Here are
two men without enmity, without knowledge
OF each other, without rivalry, without mo-
tive for quarrel. They meet casually, and out
of the brutality of their nature springs this
| fearful personal combat, in which one is
hacked to death and the other alive only by a
miracle. When Larkin was found he held a
pistol in his hand which had not been dis
charged. But for the agility and saw age
assault Of Cam pbell, it is possible that both OF
them would have been victims of their demon
ism. The moral OF this is only another
appeal in favor of temperance. 1t is
! the old, old story OF wine taking posses
sion Of the man, and making him devil
| especially with man OF brutal nature and
low instinct. When honor and decency die,
very little remains. To man who can live
| like Larkin, and be the associate of bullies
! and prize fighters, and the representative OF
the worst element of American society, human
life is of little moment. The death he met
was the death he sought to give. The philoso,
pher may see in this whole combat the stern
law of retrl6ution but he will see beneath il
an absence of honor, OF true courage and de-
eency, which is saddeHipg. Why need we
read of the cannibals in the South Sea Islands,
| uhc ynise GalIs md
daTken our own homes
On the morning OF Tuesday last, the
editor of a Richmond journal, driving in from
his country residence, was entering his office
accompanied by one OF his staff AS he saun
tered up the steps, his companion heard 9
shot. The editor "fell within two feet of him
and still held his cane and gloves in his hand
He had fallen on his face. He made no excla
nation, but groaned, and instnctively put hil
hand behind him where his pistol was" II
was the groan of death, for gun-shot had
entered his heart. The editor was known tC
the Amerigan people as a violent Secessonist
and the conductor OF q journal which had done
much towards destroying the peace of Vir
ginia. His assassin was young Virginian
the son OF rich family, we'll born as Virgins
birth goes aud held in high esteem. He haC
taken room opposite the editors office, anC
locked it. Aiming himself with one rife pistol
Colts repeating pistol, Derringer pistol
and shotgun, he had deliberately wsiteC
until his victin made his appearance in th
street, and then killed him. When the office
came he surrendered himself and simply said
''You will see me protected" to which tn
minister of the law replied, certainly" an
this Virginia gentleman, well born and highl.
connected, with the blood of assassination
upon his hands, went out into the world t
receive the acclamatiOns of his Glass.
AZ il.a& ~ Is fn1i n