New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-01-13

the cigar box away to await his return. L
seems that some gentlemen who called
were offered the courtesy Of a cigar, but
fortunately as appeared a~fterward, for the
safety Of their skulls, declined.
On a morning after the return Of Judge
Merrill he was leaving the house to get
cigar, when his wife remembering this
present, went to bring it. She, WITH fem.
mime prescience, remarked on handing it
to him "May be this is an Internal ma
chine to blow you up" to which he
responded, 81 guess not" and proceeded
to open the box. Some click or grating
as, though not uncommon in a musical
box. is not heard in taking off the lid
from a case OF Partagas, attracted the
ear OF Judge Merrill and entirely
destroyed his disposition to smoke at that
moment. lie sen. the lady and children
out OF the room, and lifting the cigar box
carefully, deposited it in the bath tub and
TUNED on the water. After two hours
soaking the box was taken out, its con
tents inspected. and it was delivered to
the police authorities. 1t was found to
contain, imprinis. a thin board, on which
were firmly fixed several ordinary matches;
above the tops Of these matches was a
double thickness Of sand paper so adj
justed as that any movement of the
board below would ignite the match. and
SO communicate with loose printing pow.
der scattered throughout the box as to
make the explosion Of some fearful com.
bustibles, contained in a lower compart-
ment of the box. inevitable. The police
authorities. upon examination Of the in
ternal machine. We're only divided in
the opinion as to whether this exple-
sion would have contented itself with the
destruction Of the building in which it
was found, or would have demolished a
house CT two in addition. Any way. the :
lives of an upright judge and an estimable
family were spared, and the fendish rob-
bers who had been arrested in their vii.
lainies were disappointed. May they
gnash their teeth against the prison bars
Auburn with their great example!
The public atmosphere is thus replete
with the fraud and with the violence
which grows out of unsuccessful! fraud. |
Like any other endemic itspreads through. |
out States and nations. Crime spreads as
steadily as cholera, and apparently under |
one similar law-tha: wherever the ele-
ments exist favorable TO its deyel-
opment, the disease Of crime rests,
and throws the desolation Of de-
spair upon nll whose moral condition
may be favorable to its c~ontagion. But
if criminal! contagion carries its curse
into all infectible districts. it is gratifying
to the morals: to know that it may be
accompanied by a system: Of moral quar-
lntine and lisinfec.ion which may, e.
east. prevent its fatal diffusion.
Louisiana. though q long way behind
New York and Pennsylvania IA the skill
}: her adep:s-whc, it may be remarked,
re bU: copyists Q: some New York :as-
is very prompt in adopting
which will arrest and stamp out
his epidemic corruption.
The action Of the Republican State Leg.
ct its last and presen. session
'roves that the antidote is tas: pursuing
he poison, and We are permitted to hope
at an early period the commission of
fiicial crime, or the abuse Of legislative
uthority. will be made as impossible in
.ouisiana rs il any ether State or com.
whatsoever. It is an additional
round OF such hope that the Republican
arty has determined that no political
shall be committed in its name,
ut that al offenders shall be Indignantly
elivered over TO the secular arm, FOR a
enlistment adequate TO their crimes.