Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-02-17
The Dreadful State of Affairs in New York
From the New York Sun, 9th.]

from tne NEW 1Ork Sun, Stn.I
We are surrounded, epveloped, nay
immersed in crime, and in the dark
mysterious agencies of crime. In the
cryptic places, and dungeon hcles of the
thieves quarters in New York, the low
est and most degraded wretches, who are
lost to conscience, to hope and to mercy
assemble nightly to concoct crimes
against person and estate. Murders are
daily crop. Dear friends, we'll in the
morning, 90 out to business, and are
brought home mutilated corpses. Old
men 90 ont to sweep the sidewalks, and
are cut to pieces with knives. Gentle.
men sitting quietly in their own rooms,
awaiting company, are seized, bound,
gagged, robbed, and threatened with a
bullet if they resist Ro5beries are CON-
mitted in the public STREETS, as q sort of
makeup farce to the heavy tragedy Of
the murders. Slungsh Dts, the deadliest
of murder weapons, ave used with deadly
frequency and freedom. Said venerable,
well informed stranger to citizen the
other day, mo man is safe, nor woman,
either; for by your defective detective
arrangements you seem to say so." Nay
more, VIC have every reason to believe
that some recreant members of the po-
lice organization itself are in league
with the thieves, murderers, assassius,
and house-breakers. There was Skid
more, who, when arrested a year ago,
turned out TO have been the chief villain
of gang of such for a long time, who,
before his discharge from the service,
took advantage of his position to screen
himself and his associates. His house
was full Of burglars tools and imple-
ments of violence. he was cunning,
merciless wretch, who took delight in
murder as an amusement, and in rob.
berry as means of living and dissipa-
ton. He used the most cowardly of all
the weapons ever invented for the per-
petra,ion of crime-ihe sneaking white.
livered airgun that does its business
without noise, and takes life in open
day, in the midst of crowded streets.
We regard the introduction Of this new
weapon of secret murder as the most
dreadful omen of public danger. 1t has
filed the air with terrors aud inconceiv.
able breads. 1t is as if conspiracy of
the most deadly and determined chsrac-
ter had been entered into, by fends in
human shape, for the destruction of the
human race. Vigilance committees are
being formed in town and country, and
it is this alarming riot of crime that has
driven good citizens to this last resort Of
desperation. The vigilance committee
of Westchester is understood to have
been formed to support an extraordinary
secret police force, in addition to the or
binary force, and to act in conjunction
with the uniformed policemen that are to
be seen in the street; but the secret force
Is so 10 be managed as to defy the most
scrutiny of the thieves. We
may sdd that the Westchester side of the
Harlem river is soon to be made very
unsafe place Tor thieves.
The organization of the New York
Vigilance Committee is progressing; but
we have already made known as much
as our reporters know of its plans, and
nothing further need be said at this time.
Newark, Orange, Hudson City, and
other towns on the western banks OF the
Hudson, aud the people of Staten Island,
are seriously talking Of Vigilance Com
mittees on the Westchester plan.
We do not understand that in any case
i has been proposed 20 resort TO the San
Francisco Vigilance Committed extrem-
ties; but it will not sstonish Us if num-
Der Of burglars are shot within the next
fortnight, nor need the community think
1 remarkable that ooroners' juries justify
he vigilsuts ihat 90 the shooting.
At about one o'clock yesterday morn.
ng, Augustus Meshere was found on the
'idewslk on Division street with his head
severely cut, seemingly by bullet. he