The New York herald., 1870-02-21
HANGING PLAYED OUT.
Menagerie of Murderers Running
About Loose.
Recapitulatory Resume Of Recent Homi.
cldes in This City Whose Perpetrators
Have Been Released on Bail-HOw 1t
Is Done, Who DO 1t and Why 1t
is Done-A Proposed Remedy at
Once Conclusive and Effectual

judicial public safety; and yet hardly less hostile
to she general welfare is the number of murderers
daily to be seen walking our streets. by murderers
are meant those who have taken human life, the last
embracing Bill the grades from wilful taking OF life
with malice prepense TO that mdest and most venia
classification OF h0micide-mansaughter Ia the
fourth degree-punlshable from Six cents fine to two
years. Imprisonment In the State Prison. The ques-
tion naturally arises how 1t is that persons accused
OF these grave crimes-the gravest on the criminal
calendar-are allowed the freedom Of the city.
The cases to which reference is made have
either undergone preliminary examinations be-
fore q coroner or the Court OF General Sessions or
both and have given bail TO appear for trial. or else
the complaints have been dismissed BY the Grand
Jury. The cases Of some, however. have never got
beyond the jurisdiction Of coroners inquisition-
the gnost OF possible future condemnation being ex
orcised on the first exhibition OF It's dim ana
shadowy outlines. There is no getting over this
primary estoppe Of what in the end otherwise might
be productive Of painfully disagreeable results, a.
hanging or longer or shorter terms Of service in
the state Prison. But the conclusion appears TO be
all the same only one is shorter and the other Ia
longer way Of reaching it. AS the facts fully show,
the matter OF giving ball. the longer route OF the two
Is often mere formality.
1t is unnecessary In this age Of enlightenmentto
explain in detail the causes-for 1t is q simple case
OF cause and enect-brnging about the state OF
affairs described above, TO tell how >he thing is done
to show up the fact that justice has no longer her
eyes bandaged, but sees what goes into the scales,
and that money and political influence are what
turn the scale. 1t has long been known that chang
ing for murder is played out In New York." but the
youthful renegade Reynolds, has been the frst who
has dared boldly and openly to assert the fact. The
facility with which those committing homicide
tSafSn
shown than in the cases enumerated below. As all
the cases are Of recent occurrence. most OF them
happening last year, only resume OF the facts is
given.
such was the excitement caused by the killing OF
Feix Larkin, the night OF November rs, 1868, in
fearful anu bloody was the rencontre. and pub
lcity was given to the C0r0ner's tnquistion, con-
Of " ,ne N ~ sns s1s
yet fresh in the public memory The result then as
Ii well known, was finding Campbell the proprietor
Hines, the COOK, guilty oil the homicide, and re-
manding them TO await the action OF the Grand
| Jury. A subsequent and the final result was the
oners.
THE ROGERS MURDER.
Fresher still IN public recollection, since being Of
more recent occurrence, is the Rogers murder. He
was clearing, December 81 1858, the sidewalk In
when, as will be remembered, without provocat0n,
he was assaulted and stabbed by passing rufilan
pal OF the latter meantime holding the COZ coat Of the
murderous assailant Notwithstanding the vlgllant
and unremittn0 efforts OF the police to discover the
murderer and his accomplice, and the stimulus OF =
| large reward both are still AZ large.
RAILROAD HOMICIDE.
The next In the list OF homicides taken chrome
logically, happens to belong to that class OF homl.
cdes to which the highest form or cupabillty at
tachng Itself Is gross and inexcusable carelessness
Following this carelessness, however, was the
taking or human life, and the still further result Of
the guilty party going unwhpped OF justice through
furnishing bail and never being brought TO trail
| was driving his horse aud wagon in Second avenue
near Sixty-dlth street, and one OF the wheels
Of the vehicle got entangIed In the wheel OF Of
another wagon. His wagon was on one OF the
Second Avenue Railroad tracks, and while Mullins
was trying to separate his conveyance from the
other, q dummy engine ran into them, inflcting IN
juries from which he died. 1t was proven that the
engineer William j. Harris, was going at high rate
OF speed and down grade and was unable IN con.
casually. jury empanelled by Coroner Flynn to
investigate the cause or DEATH declared IN their
verdict Harris guilty OF culpabe negligence" and
their verdict to this effect Is still record month
later he was given his freedom and isfree still.
KILLED BY MEDICINE
Our next case IS an alleged medical murder, one
tenth of the number OF which, by the way probably
never become known, snce though the most & cul,
concealed. The victim III this particular case was
one James Stropp Being taken sick he sent for DR..
Amand, then having an office In Bleecker street,
and possibly keeping hrs Office there stll The doc
| tor gave him dose Of carbolic acd, and shortly
afterwards, on January 90 1869, his patient died.
| Coroner Keenan, investigated the case a verdict
| was found ascriblng death to malpractice and the
papers were sent to the District Attorney. lie was
admitted 10 bah and the case has never been tried.
KILLED BY AN OYSTER KNIFE.
Michael Mcclure, car driver year ago on the
| 10th OF last February was stabbed by Thomas Dunn
with an oyster knife, causing injuries from which
he died. The two met IN Twelfth street, near First
avenue when dispute arose which terminated IN
| the fatal stabbing OF Mcclure. Dunn was admitted
| to bail and ehus the case stands.
ANOTHER CASE OF MALPRACTICE
Mrs. Ellen O'Iara, who lived at No. 80 south Will
liam street, February H. 1852 came 20 her death
| through the alleged malpractice OF DIR. Walker.
| COroners jury, duly called together by Coroner
| Flynn made an examination In the case and gave
verdict to this effect. On the same day the doctor
admitted to bail and there has been no trial Of
| the case since
HOMICIDE WITH THE PISTOL.
Early last June Richard Grdis was killed by tho
shot OF pistol liquor store, OF FIRST ave
| nue. ana Twenty y-hfth street. There were several
parties IN the Darroom, all o whom had been drink
| ing more or less. dispute occurred between the
bartender ana another man. the latter charging the
| former with having on Y previous occasion passed
| upon hun some counterfeit money. Joseph Hart-
nett, having gone outside, drew pistol and fired
through the window at Costello. the bartender, bui
fortunately hitting one THIS was the first pistol
| shot nred.. subsequently man named Carter nred
into the crowd killing Girdis. Upon an inquistlon
| by Coroner keenan, hartnets was Rdjudged a. not