The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-12
Dur Murdercrs-Let Them All Hang
Together.


In three years not fewer than one hundred
and forty-one murders were committed in this
city. Crime was encouraged by the IMMUNITY
allowed it, and such was the certain immunity
from punishment that one criminal less fortu-
nate than the rest brought himself upon the gal
lows only by the reckless remark that chang
ing was played out" Although Reynolds
was hanged the truth Of his words lived after
him, and the conviction of Stokes was not
only surprise to the criminal, but to the COM
munity. No more singular or terrible COM
mentary could be made upon the condition
private quarrels were not only notorious, but
disreputable, who expected to be sustained in
killing his enemy by a jury sworn to execute
the law. Others as guilty as he had
escaped the penalty of murder. No
more deliberate crime was ever COM
by Mrs. Fair. She escaped because she is
q woman. as if there were any such thing as
sex in crime Mrs. Sherman, the Connecticut
woman, who apparently married husbands
only to murder them, and with them their
helpless children, receives only imprisonment
for her manifold offences. Like cases could
be named almost without limit, but the in
stances of punishment under the law are very
rare, indeed There have been but two execu-
tons in this city in three years. Crime con-
stantly increased in consequence of its i'm
munity from punishment The Tombs to-day
is full of untried murderers, while not one
fifth of the criminals Of this class were even
arrested. Out Of about twenty prisoners two
are sentenced to death and the others are
waiting for trial and acquittal. Before the
conviction of Stokes not one of these doubted
the good fortune which was to set him free.
There was no virtue left in the people, they
thought, and without public virtue they saw
no reason for their conviction and punish
ment. The verdict in the case of Stokes
awoke them from their fancied security, and
it is to be hoped will lead to their speedy trial.
Now is the time to strike with terror all
evil-doers and incipient murderers Because
one man has been convicted and is to be pun
ished, when it was not expected that justice
would be done, is reason for pressing all the
cases awaiting trial to o just conclusion.
Some of the prisoners in the Tombs may be
innocent and if they are it is only right that
they should go free; others ore guilty, and it is
due to the community that they should be
pronounced SO by q jury and sentenced to
death. We have reform judges and reform
District Attorney. There is strong feeling in
the community that justice shall be done in
every case waiting adjudication. If the Off
GERS who have been chosen in the name of re-
form intend to perform the trust committed to
them they cannot avoid this responsibility.
The trial of Tweed is important, but it is not
sufficient to insure the peace and Sc
curity of the city. Murder must be
punished as speedily as the forms Of
Justice will allow. In the name Of q
long-suffering community we appeal to the
new District Attorney and the new Judges to
see that it is done. Let the next few weeks be
remarkable for the rigors of the law. One
after another let the men now in the Tombs
charged with murder be brought from thei,
cells and put upon their trial. If they are
guilty they must pay the penalty of guilt.
Nothing must be allowed to weigh against
this one consideration. Stokes was convicted;
let the others be convicted also when their
crimes are established. Above all, let this
work be done speedily. When oil are tried
let all who are convicted be hanged together.
| Crime has run such bold course that it needs
an equally bold punishment. All these men
who so heedlessly murdered their fellow beings
expiating their offences on the same gallows
would be spectacle CHASTITY, it is true, and
repulsive to every gentler instinct; but the
lesson it would teach would be as lasting as il
would be salutary. The lesson is needed. Nc
more favorable time than the present can be
found for teaching it to those who would
otherwise commit crime in the expectation o.
immunity from punishment.
| If the crime of the last few years is to &C
UNPUBLISHED it will become even more common
in the future than it has been in the past One
murder, if followed by the escape Of the muir
derer, is sure to beget other crimes. The
influence of offences like those of Laura Fai,
over the whole land, loosening moral sensible
ties and stimulating vice and crime. Othel
women as unprincipled as she are encouraged
to acts like hers by her escape through false
and pernicious sentiment. If Stokes had
escaped every man who quarrels with anothe,
about mistress would have considered him.
self justified in taking the life Of his rival. Il
Foster, the car-hook murderer, had escaped
and it long looked as if the gallows would have
to give him over-every BLACKBOARD who takes
offence at not being allowed to insult ladies
with impunity would have considered drunk
enness his justification for murder. The enc
of such o carnival of crime would be terri
BILE. That end may yet come unless stern
punishment is melted out to great offenders.
lae