The New York herald., 1870-03-02
THE MEsHEs OF THE LAW.

Tho Herman Homicide-H0w Criminals
Escape Justice in This City-CnB u Remedy
Not be Appliedt
People VINO have very vague ideas as to the DIM
culues with which the police OF tEs city nave Often
times to contend in order to bring criminals to Jus
tce have the habit Of laying to them all the blame
whenever malefactor Is not made to suffer legally
for his vilanics. case IN point s that OF the man
Herman. who died on Monday from injuries received
at the HANDS OF man named Hartnett on the Sth OF
last December. 1t VIII be remembered that Herman
was attacked by Hartnett and received ugly wounds
on the head from hatchet welded by his assaiant.
He was taken to the hospital, and the afIair occur
ring In Captain Jourdan's precinct, the would
be murderer OF course did not escape, but was
arrested on the spot and locked up at the
station house. The morning after the occurrence he
was taken before magistrate by the Captain and
was fully committed to await the result OF MS VIC
tim's INJURIES. An ante-mOrtem examination was
held four days ait er Herman was admitted TO the
New YORK Hospital by one OF the coroners, but the
wounded man was persistent IN MS refusal 70 prose.
TO be able to leave the hospital for awhile, when
Captain JOurdan at once had him brought before q
ponce magistrate ana used his best Efforts to have
biln make an affidavit against Hartnett. But all TO
purposes for Herman, for some reason or another,
would not consent. Captain Jourdan, after having
acted energctlcally IN the case from the start,
was 10th TO see his prisoner 60 scot :ree
without oeing punished IN some way or another for
expressed his indignation in relation to the affair IN
no measured terms 10 the magistrate, who COIN
eided with HIM IN his view OF the matter, and so the
latter thought the best thing he could DO under the
circumstances was to demand bail for Hartnett.
HIS friends, however had none TO give and could not
procure any, and 80 Hartnett was again conveyed
TO the station house. Herman meanwhile became
again III from his wounds. Then was held another
anLe-mortem examination, and soon afterwards the
man. 10 al appearances, completely recovered from
his injuries. lhlS being the case and the injured
man silll peraisnR NOT 10 prosecute his asSaiiant
the latter was liberated and the witnesses discharged
from the House OF Detention. Anew days ago Herman
turned up aL Bellevue Hospital and, as mentioned,
died from the effect OF the wounds he had received
aJ the hands OF Hartnett Captain Jourdan, on hear
ing OF tue occurrence bethougnt him OF his former
prisoner and at once made up his mind that ne
should be again PLACED III durance vile; put Hart
nett, 1t appears was not to be found. search was
made Tor lin oil over the city by the Captain and
his officers, but the bro had evidently flown. or
course his friends knew nothing OF his whereabouts
and as the case stands AartnetL may be able to
make himself NON est IOr the balance OF his natural
lie.
1t will thus be seen that Notwithstanding the ex-
erLions OF the police In the case from The start TO
have the w0uld-be murderer Kept In durance vie
that they have been all along 1oled through the un-
wllnRness OF the injured man TO prosecute aud the
lO0seness 0f the law through which criminals can SO
easily escape. THIS Is certainly case IN which the
ponce have done their DUTY, and II behOoves those
most concerned to place the blame OF the escape
0l the homiclde where 1t rightlully belongs.