Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-01
MONDAY. MAY 1, 1871.
Rumnnism in New World,


The New York Evening Post is moved to speal
with just Indignation of the murderous scoun
drelism which is allowed to run riot in tn,
"largest city of America" Ordinarily, tn,
journals of that city appear to regard the doing,
of its hordes of bloody savages as matters o
course. They are so common, SO bold, and SC
seldom punished, that they seem to be accepted
and treated as established customs of the city,
which no one expects to see changed. An
unusually violent and bloody demonstration Of
the savage roughs is noticed, described as mat
ter of news, aud "improyed'' little, in a moral
way, much as the reporters would make record
of the doiDgSs Of thunderstorm or of dis
astrouss ore. The scoundrels are seldom pun
isheSsd They care little or nothing for the laws.
: Meanwhile the scoundrelism grows. Reddy the
Blacksmith and others like him acquire the
reputation of being very dangerous villains, and
are proud of it. From time to time they deserve
anew 10 be hanged; but they live on without
fear Of the courts, and are permitted TO flourish
as teachers and models of the youth of New
York city, who are in training to furnish all the
recruits that may be required to keep full the
ranks of New York ruff1anism.
The Posts article to which we refer, was oc.
casioned ty very bold and atrocious act Of
ruhianism, done last week, in public street Of
the city. Mr.. Avery d. Putnam, a New York
merchant, was riding up Broadway, in company
with two respectable women. One of the wo.
men being annoyed and nsulted by fellow
named Foster, Mr. Putnam interfered TO protect
laftf I,a 4I,o
borrowed a car-hook of the driver, stole after
Mr.. Putnam, and beat him terribly with the car.
hook, INJECTING fatal injuries. The weapon was
then returned TO the car-driver, who had quietly
waited for his passenger to finish the murderous
operation. Is il possible to believe that such an
outrage as this could be perpetrated with the
same encouragement and support, in public
thoroughfare of any other city in the country?
1t is customary to do such things in New York
Now and then they are reported in some of the
papers as "horrors," but they seldom elicit spec
ial remark. Occasionally, there is an outbreak
of indignation; but such flashes of righteous
anger, never kindle that consuming fire which
these New York ruf1ans ought to feel.
The Post thinks these outrages challenge the
laws and put them and their administration on
trial. but the challenge was made, long ago;
this case against the laws has been tried, and
the ruf1ans have won it. They always feel sure
of escaping punishment. New York city has the
most corrupt judiciary ever heard of below the
sun. We see this not only in such local histo
ries as that of Fisk & Gould, which would have
been impossible anywhere else, but, also, in thu
whole record of its dealing with street rufians
The laws of that city on trial! Many head.
have grown gray since the time when they be
came permanently powerless against money, pc
litical influence, and general depravity. The
Post desires earnestly to have the laws
''visit this offense with prompt and terrible
penalties" A murder was done in the fouest
manner, on Broadway. Let the murderer be
hung. But will he be hung? We notice that
an alderman has already tried to take the case
from the coroner. Should this ruffainly muir
derer be sentenced to DEATH and hung, as he de-
serves, his case would be an exception to the
rule; and, before the sentence could be execut-
ed, portion of the New York Press would do
something to give him the prestige of martyr
Certainly, the Tribune, whose tenderness to-
wards Ruloff and other most villainous crimi-
nails can not be restrained, would get up
one of its melting moods Of philanthropic ideal
ism, and plead in the tones of a saint to have
the uoiscreant nardonad