The New York herald., 1870-08-01
The Twenty.third street Horror.

that foul deed increase, public feeling on the
subject, instead Of diminishing, continually
grows more earnest in its determination to
discover the assassin. Never before had the
general sense Of security in the bosom of civil
lized communities received such shock. In
former cases of similar mystery and atrocty
the victims were nearly always proven to have
led equivocal lives or to have awakened fierce
resentments; but here, the murdered man was
an individual of unblemished personal and
business character, especially noted for his
amiable traits and his exhaustless charity.
The testimony on this point is universal and
enthusiastic. We are forced, then, to the con-
clusion that he has been sacrificed, not to the
fierce passions that real or imaginary wrongs
arouse, but to the meanest and most cruel in
stincts Of pillage and bloodthirstness that de-
grade responsible humanity to depth far be-
low the level of the irresponsible brute. In
one word, that Mr. Nathan has been assassina-
ted by robber is all that can be deduced from
the facts as they thus far appear. Promising
this much, the next question is, of what spe-
cific nature was the intended robbery? Was
it mere vulgar stroke for few hundreds in
coin and bank bills, or handful or two of
jewelry or was it bold, far-reaching attempt
to get possession of bonds, securities and i'm
portant papers compromising the names and
means Of other people?
Here the task of the police is definitely
spread before them, aud here their first real
labors begin. Nothing can throw light upon
the inquiries thus made but searching investi-
CATION into the habits and relations toward
him and toward each other of all who stood
nearest to the deceased. The eye of justice
must commence its survey from the centre, and
not from the outside of the circle of which the
victim was the pivotal point. 1t must radiate
its scrutinizing gaze, frst from him toward
the rest, and then it may be shifted to each Of
the subordinate points and travel back from
them to the centre This is an unfortunate
necessity, but it is nAexble, and no mere SEN
timental considerations must be allowed to
stand for one moment in the way when a deed
so frightful as this murder assails the very
foundations of society. If we be not safe in
surrounded by our kindred and our servants,
with the guardians of tue law patroling
beneath our chamber windows, terrified citi-
zens may wisely ask, with white lips, Where
is there any refuge? Hence, we must hold the
agents Of justice to the most rigid accounta
bility. They must not attempt to put us off
with the plea of their own opinions, their con-
venience or the subterfuges of their official
routine; they must do their whole duty, with
out haltng dallying or swervng on the way,
or they must acknowledge their total unftness
for the vital trust that has been conided to
them. We must not be told that such and
such an inspector is tired of the intelligence
that hundreds Of people may have to impart.
The lips of babbling child may yet supply
the very clue of evidence that is now lacking
Providence often selects the humblest instru-
ments for His designs. The history of crime
is full of instances where the most triling
agencies have served when pompous sef-suffi-
cheney utterly failed TO detect the felon. We
must not hear that officers of the law are
placed at the disposal of those on whom the
inHexible eye of the law should remain
immovably fixed until truth begins to clear
away all doubt. We must not have
mere commonplace theories, according
to the more or less limited range Of the theo-
rsts intellect, obstinately persisted in to tn
exclusion of other suggestions There must be
no false delicacy, no fabrication Of excuses,
mo shadow of turning" no symptom, how
ever remote, Of influences brought to bear in
one or the other direction. Each and every
man must simply perform his entire duty.
The hyena is loose among us, and he must be
hunted down, at all hazards, no matter what
the cost. These remarks are elected by symp-
toms, faint as yet, but real Of an effort made
to mystify the public mind and to shut off
information None who remember the Bur-
dell case can fail to recall the persistent devices
set up to darken testimony. The re esult of the
Coroner's inquest then satisfied nearly every
attentive observer that Burdell was murdered
| by those who were under the same roof with
him, yet Judgment was intercepted and those
whom all believed guilty went free. In after
| years death cut off the statement that one of
these suspected parties was about to make, as
we believe, concerning something darker than
mere peculatons from the government. The
| testimony of an humble witness was derided
and choked down, yet nothing positive ever
| occurred to overturn it.
Now, in this portentous matter, let us have
no despotism of official or professional opinion.
Let there be light-broad, free and complete.
| What was the whereabouts and what were
| the dongs and outside associations OF the
inmates of that house during the day and
evening preceding the murder? What was
the particular work there of the carpenters
employed in the house? Did any one Of them
ever previously see, handle or own the ship
carnenters ssdogN found near the front door