Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-06
ALARMING PREVAJ ESCE OF
CRIME THE NORTH


ALARMING PREVALENCE OF
CRIME IN THE EORrH.
q few months ago certain class If politi-
clans asserted that life was insecure in the
Southern States, and the power Of the gov
eminent was invoked to afford that protec-
ton which would render every man secure
il bis person in every portion of the Soulh.
The Northern Republican papers raised
great cry over this assumed insecurity, and
urged thar troops be sent into The Southern
States 10 teach the people respect for law
aud the nights Of others. The papers Of
New York, Boston and Philadelphia fur
nish almost daily evidence that the very
state OF affairs of which Northern Journals
c)mplaiued as Characteristic of "the rebel
lious South" now exists in that section to
mere alarming extent than was
ever charged upon the South. One
scarcely picks up New York,
Boston or Philadelphia paper that does not
fad The particulars of more than one start
1
New York Times only q few days ago con-
tanned an editorial on the present condition
ofcIiminsl statistics 10 thai city, which with
curious -lchy, was headed "The Paradise
Of MurdeIers" This matter is more i'm
poTtant, however, than the manner Ct treat
ing il by this reputed organ of the Admin
istraiion in lie commercial metropolis. One
hundred and thIty-nine homicides have
been committed In New York within the
last few years. There is the ugly
list in full, given ia the paper
Fortvtwo of these criminals have,
It appears, been convicted mainly du-
ring the first and second Of the years re-
ferred 20. Two murdarers, during tho same
period, have been hung. During the pre-
sent year, from Jan. ], forty-fve arrests
for murder have been made. Eight only
OF these have received any punishment,
One has been sentenced to death, but will
never suffer that penalty in al human
probability. Ore has been sent to pri on
for life, which, IS at present. understood,
mans until he is pardoned The others
received sentences Of Imprisonment varying
from three years to one year. Twenty-Five
muTlCge-s, al Of them most 2trOciOUs Grim
in3is, now lie in the Tombs, and the papers
are sarcastically discussing the question as
to whether they are not uncomfortably
crowded. The New York EUep-
ing Post, Gn Administration organ,
sets down the average raie Of
murders n that city at one q day. In 8
recent article, commenting on the preVa-
lencg Of crime in that city, that paper gives
uttersnge TO sentiments which could only
lie justified ny 3 fearful state OF. social de-
pravi,y, and which in & SoDshern Journal
would be denounced az couutenaLcing mob
yic'erce. The EUening Post says;
"EIe Usu-pslion 0 the public authority
bv q mob l. always TO be deprecated; IL is
geIsr i.y more likely 10 lead to ainless
recitation than reform; but We ara lot
aware . al 2 few doses Of lamp-post admin
is.eE.d Icy indignant citizens wolf not
have lad q good effect duriug the decade
through which re have just passed"
In q great cit, live New York, where the
vicious aud Ieckl. SIS Of all climes are con-
gugatej, . greater amount of crime is to
be ezuecfed than in smaller communities
But the spirit Of law.es-uess is no. con.
fined lothe cities. 1t seems to psrvade
the entire North, until the danger to
human If in the rural districts, on the
CREST thorOughfares Of travel, is becoming
truly alarming, % will oe seen by the fol-
lowing article, which We take from the ed
iolial columns Of that s'aid ard diguifed
psper, the New York Journal Of Commerce:
"a marked increase has recently teen
noticed IN lie repatriation OF one ct The
most nious'Tous and feUdisb IF crimes
the attempt to throw passenger trains of
the track by putting obs TuctiOns on 1t.
Cree nr twice q week lately, If not ofteneT,
tl- telegraph has reD0rted these oUIraCes.
@ haubs,ruciions are y, sleepers or planks,
vlfca ale easily placed across the rails At
ngHt-,Ie villains almost invariably escsp-
irg Gg'eCri Il IN tho csIknsss. Being put
upau curves, and but 8 short time before
Ire approach If the train, the obstructiors
gre rarely discovered ia time TO prevent
running i-,o them. Luckily, in most
Of the cases lately reported, the COW
ca cher brushed the tie or plank aside
AID ssvad the train. st FarmiDgdala, Ble.,
CD Tie 30.h Of November, the track was
thus cts gucjGd upon an emOSDkment
twenty et high. Had the timber done its
81 boil1. Wo.k, several cars full Of pas
srrrars would have been hurled to death
. A few nights previously the COW catcher on
see ECs or express train, below Williams
Bridge. Tuck g tie on a curve, and carried
70 a'ouE til The plstfOrIn ct Williams
Bridge station detached it and prevented
catastrophe, These are terrible crimes
-iucolceivably cold blooded - murders
attempted by wholesale - and Instant
measures should be taken to procure the
glTsst and swift punishment If those enc !
mics Of the human race guilty IF them.
Kaji~ lad companies, railroad travellers, city
ava State authorities, should all Concern
IL ~ Sc YES de Ply ID discover these great
criminals and deliver them over to justice.
Il csut.- re that any twelve meu who
ever tr.-glad on railroad would be idiOtic
ourugi 20 sent'men58iiZe and SWIVEL over
--ch " e.ch and acQuit them If murder,
0T ." er1p murder, on the ground OF In
ssrir. Tho philosopher may easily trace
ch.recs1- TO be low opinion now set on
human life, "a consequence Of the guilty
Cordge. Of aries 10 refusing to cOnTic.
r.uHara-s. When the gallows resumes its
p-opar place as the avanger Of murder, we
Shall hear much less of attempts 10 sla lgh-
Ter Lauarlds Of human beings by pitching
lasmEum rail ays, 10 he crushed TO pulp;
drowned or roasted aiiTe!'
notwithstanding This state Of affairs is
admitted 10 ,xst-tbat life is insecure in
the c..icsand on the great thorougdfares Of
travel-ana one I The Administration pa
prs from which We quote Che New York
Ecen'ag POST indirectly advocates C resort
TO rp D law, 10 demand is made for troops
to project the lives of citizens by the papers
TIA only few months since were vocifer-
ols'y c'amoring for such treatment of the
sab. TLve sppears to be as much reason
nov for applying the Ku Klux law to The
y n o. trr.ra ever was IN the South. Let