The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-04-21
Tho Effort to Suppress Obscene Publications.

we nave felt 1t our duty, as lG snouiu 10
the duty of the press at large, to call atsen'
lately, in New York, to put stop to the
of appalling moral poisons
in the various forms of obscene publlca-
tions. At different times within the past
two months we have chrOnicled the steps
which have been taken to this end by Ger
ed public benefactOrs. 1t was pleasure TO
as to record some time ago, that q society
for the crusade against all manner OF o.
scene publications had been formed In thls
city; moreover, to recount the descent
upon the shop of a noted traficker in this
brutal infamy. We are now made aware,
by the Tribune of April 5tb, of another
vigorous measure of that kind. We do not
know whether the principal mover In its
execution is in connection with the society
to which we have referred; but we are
very certain that the example which he has
thus set, as will be seen by the appended
extract, is of precisely the kind which we
wish to see followed. 1t is @ foul and in
supportabie nuisance that respec table peo-
pie, in passing through some of our most
crowded streets, must be offended in their
virtuous sensibility by the spectacle OF pru-
RENT crowds thronging around windows
wherein are exposed prints which must DC
of the most unblushing indecency to at,
tract thus the eager gaze of the evil minded
or over-curious passers-by. We trust that
efforts of the most decided severity will be
made to crush the serpent head of this des-
perate ipiquity. We are fully alive to the
wide extent of the demand which supports
this diabolical traffic, and which must first
be destroyed before it will DO possible to
stamp out the supply. But this is no reas-
on why the attempt to purge our city of
this fearful evil should not be pushed on.
AS the sale of physical poisons is restrained
by law, SO there is no reason why the sense
less people who crave this deadly moral
poison should be allowed to find it within
be eradicated n consummation which we
most devoutly wish for, but, pend ng at
happy accomplishment by the only power
which can effect it, we hail the efforts of
those who are doing their best to limit, if
not possible to prevent, the supply:
" A LARGE SEIZURE OF OBSCENE PUBL
CATIoN.-Anthony Comstock of No. 463
last two months very earnestly to suppress
the sale of books and pictures of an i'm
moral tendency, made decisive effort yes
terday, which resulted in the capture of
over $50, 900 worth of indecent books and
pictures. aud materials for their manufac-
ture. He had opened negotiations with a
widow, living in Brooklyn, for the transfer
of the property Of her husband, who had
been the chief manufacturer of these goods
in this city. She said she had been offered
$4,000 for them by New York dealer.
While Mr.. Comstock was in her house an
expressman drove up to the door with a
large number of boxes in his wagon. She
finally told him that the boxes contained
the plates and electrotypes belonging to
her husband. Mr.. Comstock bought the
goods for $500. They included 14O steel
plates and 40 copper plates for printing OBJ
scene pictures, and electrotype plates
for printing 81 obscene, books. The steel
plates the woman said had cost her husband
between $l2, 900 and SIS, 900, and she fur
Their added that he would have left her
wealthy If he had not been compelled to
spend nearly all his money feeling detectives,
who came to him and threatened to arrest
him unless he gave them what they asked.
Through this woman Mr.. Comstock obtained
information of q bookbipder who lives in
East Fifth street, near Avenue A, who binds
books for most of the dealers in obscene
works in this city. The binder, receiving
a promise that his name should not be dis
closed, delivered to Mr.. Comstock us, 600
steel and copperplate engravings which had
been left at his Office by numerous dealers.
Assistant District-Attorney Sullivan and
Morris X. Jesup, President of the Young
Mems Christian Association, have consent
ed to go to Washington and Albany to adj
vocate the passage of law by which the
sale of immoral books, pictures, and arti-
cles can be suppressed."-N. Y. Tablet.