The New York herald., 1871-01-12
EnGEGRANT SWINDLERS.
Another Of the Pat Mcdonald Cans.
Gone to Grief
Brief Review Of Emigrant Runners and
swindlors = Police Proclivities Herewith
Trial. Conviction and Sentence Of
Samuel Whittsn for Emigrant swim
ding, and What Judge Bedfora
Says a q Wind Up

One OF the most common, most atroclous ana leasA
thought or and again the most pernclous species Os
crime existing in this city Is that which comes un.
der the category OF emigrant runners and emigranq
swndlers. The brood OF "runncrsn have been al<
lowed to run rampant for years and years uDy
checked, ana It has been only when some more tha
ordinary case OF turpirude-of robbery, Of actual
violence and violation OF the pcrson-in which cap.'
tains and mates OF vessels, emgrant house runners
and keepers OF emigrant boarding houses were en-.
gagged that the whole damnny proof Of the inadequa.
cy or perhaps the subvers0n Of thcla relating To
emgrants in this port used to to light Congress-
from time to time passed laws 10 protect the emit
grants coming to our shores from the dangers and
evils that beset them on the passage from captalnsa
officers and the crews Of vessels. TO Q certain exl
tent these were preventive OF the evil, but is wad
rived emlgrants male and female alike, were ex,
posed to oil the dangers OF seduction robbery ana
violence. brood OF harpies known as 'runners'hn
had this game all TO themselves, and most efecs
tually, and oftentlmes fatally, did they drive their
perniclous AMI detestable calling.
THE EMIGnANr swINDLER
Is an ofrshoot OF the "runner,n the latter through
the action OF the Commissioners OF Emigration
being almost on extinct animal, Or SO kept within
bounds that his natural propenslriea have no
room for full display The "emigrant swindiern
oS~s
as the chance offers. His peculiar prey however is
to be found In the person taking his or her dee
partare froa, instead Of coming to, these shores
Some atroctous acts OF this species have lately coms
TO light, In which, sad 10 say, members Of the
Metropolitan forco OF our city were actors,
aud disgracefui participants. Witness tine
facts that came out on the trial OF
tie notorious Pat Mcdonald, who is now serving ont
his term in Sinr Sing .0r his swndl,ng achieves
II r4S
ceve frein the "b,essed conservaors OF the lawa III
10 be iounl IN the fact that tue chances nnetys
nine tO hundred tGat tile victim VIII ever tura
up 10 squeak" voyage ioA3 ana It's dangers.
home's aureinonts 10 keep him There, voyage DacS
alid liz ianeri, and the ten thousand chances that
the victim VIII ever recn. ME the man who so
treacherousy and Daseiy treated him, give almost
perfect npInity u TIE sWinuler aad his acc0mpllce
so anxious are the Commissioners OF Emtgraton
nsrs'i that they ofienas lii the brought before
the City Judge yesterday, which IS given below--x
give the victims or these sharpers free passage id
Europe on condition tnat tney walt IN the city t0
prosecute the roobers--tnat s, whcrc the swindle ia
| detected before they leave
SAM WRITTEN SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS.
| The Case OF ine People vs. Samuel Whi,ten waa
called up yesterday In tue Court OF General Sessions
The accused WIS charged with stealing from Patrick
Daley, decreplt Oil nan, on the 7th or this month";
twenty-one sovereigns. the case was so clear that
the the accused & psaaei & gully wnsn WI arragne,G as mq
fore tho magistrate was that on the 7tQ
inst, he was at pier No. AS North riverf
I
CITY OF Brussels, wnen Waitteu approached and told
him tnat he would De OF his fellow passenRersj
lie invited the uilSuspcctiig Old man to accompanE
| him TO the market To purchase onions and emOnS
1or their use during the voyage, and while thew
were going stranger came upa and asked Whlttcn ID
pay IN Tor carrying his three trunks board thsA
| steamship be asked Daley Tor some money, prod
Having obtained possession OF Dalcys gold, WhiLteT
cleared 0ut. The poor man discovering that he waa
swlndlcd out OF all his money went TO the station
| house aad told his story. Captain Mcdonald and
one or his officers went Immediately in pursuit OF
Wlitten, and being perfectly conyersanL with hix
movements captured him within an hour. and upon
searching him founi all the gns, which Were
| Judge were returned to Daley. Z
The captain was IN court and gave the City Judges
q mental photograph OF WhlIten He said his reuu1
tatOn was very had and for years lie continually
prowling around the crs "layingp Tor emigrantd
TO punder them. His Honor having learned these
facts and OF course accepting the plea 0f guty pro<
n0unceu sentence IS foliows:--
Judge Bedford, in passing sentence, said:--whts
ten, you have pleaded guilty to dastardly crimo-A
robblns Lo0r Old enigrant or twenty sOveregbs.t
every Cent the OH man had III the world. Ir therd
be any set OF vagabonus In the city who deserve tho
inl penalty 1t Is that clts5 OF thieves who prOwk
ABOUT seeking intf0ducnons to the newly arrives
aud friendle,s e.nierant, win his confidence and
have, adding destltution his friendess condition.
Every cmgrant thisi that comes before me shaE
have the same penalty tnat rat Mcdonald and yonrx
self receive which Is hard labor lor I'VE years In th0
State prisoh. Y
There was perceptibie buzz OF appreciation from
Jurors and spectators as these fell IRON the
Bench and Whitten was removed from the bar