New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-16
trunk has good deal to do with it, and the


girls fair face and golden hair, and the pro-
vOking mystery which hung about the murder. 1t
was not tho deep damnation of her taking off
that reused the popular wrath, but the melO-
dramatic g,istO of the taking off itself. 1t was
reasonable to infer that, when this sensational
act of the never-ending drama of crime was over,
the public will sink back into its old torpid indif-
ference. This girl, it is true, has been dragged
before US, a tangible victim Of tho seducer
and aborti0nist. But is seduction or abortion
new thing7 ROscnzweg murdered her in tho
exercise of profession long legitimated by
the cognizancc and tacit approval not only Of
tho police but society. He and his colleagues
occupy houses as well known as any
other business establishments in New
York, advertise them, faint the fortunes they
have amassed in the face of the world with
out hint of rcbukc. We let them slip un-
punished until this wretch is unfortunate in
bis practice and tros to conceal his victim. 1t
is the trunk and doubled body wo meant to
avenge, not the murderOus craft which has its
hundreds of patients under treatment to-day,
in houses Of which any policeman in New
York could give tho street and number. we
hone to punish Roscnzweig; but what good will
that doi Abortionists viii advertise in Tho
Herald the next day and occupy their OLD
places with not ono whit less turbulence; and
young and old scducers will bring them their
daily victims as they do now. Does the dry
ing ND Of one ulcer heal the scrofula1
What, then, is to be donef The prevention
of certain forms Of vice is q reform that be-
longs to the church and the family, not to the
law, So long as American fashionable and
wOnd-bo fashionable society is loud, gross,
illiterato MS now, men will be scducers and
women their too easy victims. In England
tho result is that the expectant mother resorts
to q lying-n house, and the illegltlmato child,
when born, is disposed of to baby farmer,
who for G5 puts an end to it. Here, in houses
such as Roscnzweig's, the child is disposed OF
before birth, and the mother stands her chance
of going with it. There is no reason why these
houses should not be dealt with as summarily
as the Baby Farms have recently been In
England. The Committee of the House OF
Commons also have sent in their report, and
suggest several reforms in the criminal law
from which we might gain some useful hints
"a to the mode in which the disgrace and pun
ishment may be partially removed from tho
woman to the man the only way in which
crime can be prevented by the legal ARM The
most important of these suggestions are that
"the provisions of the criminal law with re-
"gard to tho seduction of very young girls
"shoud be extended to a''somewhat later age;
"that the utilization of illegitimate children
"on their putative fathers should be per-
emitted before birth; that greater facili-
cites should be given for ascertaining and
enforcing the fathers liability for the main
tenance of the child, and that that liability
"should be extended in amount; that all llle-
legitimate children should be under the super
"vison of the district Poor-law medical Off
"cer." The solution of this especial problem
in crime is one of the most difficult with which
we have to grapple, and it is more likely to
be reached by cool, practical methods such as
these than the occasional prosecution of a
wretch like Rosenzweg-whomw we hope to see
punished for mis- crimes, but after whose pun
ishment we do not think it will be well to sit
down and reckon the victory won.