Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-07-13

The extent of crime in the United
States, at the present time, is fearful even
to eontemplate. In the midst of the war,
when the restraints of Jaw were so lightly
regarded and corruption extended its de-
moralizing influences te, the very heart of
society, lawlessness and violence were not
20 general nor did they present themselves
in such alarming and shocking phases.
The press of the country, especially, the
journals of u large towns and cities.
daily TEEN with the most horrible details
of crime. One foul deed is hardly COM
mitted. before it is supplemented by an
other of equal horror and atrocity. A few
weeks since, n morbid appetite for the
sensational was satiatcd by the New York
car murder. when a peaceful and unof-
Tending citizen, Putnim, was stricken
down by the drunken %ruf1an, Foster, for
Putnam's protests against his shame
full conduct towards two lady occu-
pants Of the car. Foster was arraigned,
tried, convicted and sentenced to be
hanged on the 18th inst, but a stay of
proceedings has been granted, and strong
efforts are being made by those who re-
gard capital punishment as a barbarity, to
induce the Governor of New York to
commute the punishment to life imprison-
ment. Turning from the Sodom of Ameri-
ca, and, We could add Of the world we're
it not for Paris, and coming only nine
miles westward to Newark, New Jersey,
we confront another tragedy of bloodshed
of recent occurrence aud more terrible and
shocking IA details if possible, than the
Putnam murder. A lawyer of fine cul-
ture, high social standing, most respccta-
bic family connections, great professional
eminence and a family consisting of a wife
aud several children, Oliver s. Halsted,
IT,, is brutality Stayed in the den of his
paramount by a drunken and Infatuated
rival in his adulterous guilt. This viola
tion of the marriage vow and abandon
ment of the delights Of the home circle
for degrading intoxications in a lurking
place of Lust within a stone throw of
Halsted's house, not only throws a glare
Of suspicion upon the high bon ton circles
Of society, but exhibits the pernicious and
destroying sequences of Free Love teach
ings, for which that section of our country
J is disgracefully noted. A modern Bor-
gia, by the name of Lydia Sherman is
about to be tried at Derby, Connecticut,
for a series of atrocious crimes. around
which hangs a cloud of overwhelming
testimony as to her guilt. She is charged
with the murder of three husbands, and
eight children six of whom were her own
offspring.
Whilst the criminal annals of other por-
tions of the country are so dark and hide
ous with the work of fiendish passion, the
painful duty of chronieling such horrors
in our State is withheld from us. Our
people are eyil-minded enough to do many
wicked and shameful acts, we must admit,
but with the lingering Generalization of
the war and all the operations of the Ku
Klux, we nave made no advance towards
the standard of lawlessness and crime,
which the wicked have de6antly reared in
other localities. We have no fears that
they ever will take this forward step.
Their early education to revere the majes-
ty Of the law and the almost universal OBJ
ssryance of moral requirements forbid the
introduction of the thousand baneful
"isms" that have proved the fruitful
source of crime where they have been
~sedulously taught, and n copious fountain
of plentitude to the Jail, penitentiaries and
the galloxs.