The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-19

Inc frequent commission OF acts OF vlO-
lence by members of the police force chal-
lenges public attention and gives evidence Of
state of decentralization among the men
charged with the protection of life and prop
erty which is truly alarming. The worst
feature Of these outrages is the in
difference with which the police au-
thorities regard them and the scarcely
concealed sympathy of the force with the
criminals who thus violate the law. The result
is the loss of all healthy check on the action
of body of men intrusted with extraordi-
nary powers over the general body Of citizens,
and the introduction Of a laxity of discipline
truly dangerous. When it is remembered that
the law arms the police and makes them not
alone agents of restraint, but allows them to
assume the responsibility of becom-
ing executioners at their own discretion, the
danger arising from laxity of discipline as
sumes O most serious aspect. Acts of off,
cious interference with the liberty of the citi-
zen, though vexatious, are capable of remedy
or proper punishment but where men have
the right given them by the law to shoot or club
to death on slight provocation an abuse of
power becomes real danger, destructive Of
all security among the community. We have
sad illustration of the evil of unre-
strained police power in the case of poor
McNamara, murdered in cold blood by a
squad of detectives in the middle OF the night
while endeavoring to defend his home from
an unauthorized and illegal invasion. And
now q case occurs which, in disregard of the
right of the people and in brutality, surpasses
even the cold-blooded killing Of Mcnamara
This time the victim, O Mr.. HOLMAN,
untaught by the fate of McNamara, had
the folly to imagine that ne had some rights
in his own house and requested two police
officers, who were disturbing the occupants, to
leave his premises. Instead of complying
however, the preservers of the peace set upon
the unfortunate man. beat him savagely With
their clubs, dragged him from his home, and
when his wife attempted to interfere to save
her husbands life the uniformed rufians,
with Characteristic brutality, kicked her. For
requesting two police officers to cease dis
turbing his house Mr.. HOLMAN has been
dubbed SO brutally that he lies at the point of
death. Similar treatment may be melted out
to any citizen while the present demoraliza-
ton in the police force is permitted to con-
tinue. The assailants Of HOLMAN have been
placed under arrest by orders of the Coroner
but the same farce was gone through in the
case of Leahy, who was allowed to leave
prison on bail in few days and is now at
liberty.
The police authorities show their sympathy
with the action Of Leahy and the men who
allotted him in his midnight raid on McNamara's
house by continuing him on the force He is
not even suspended though alleged to be guilty
OF the cold-blooded murder of an inofensive
man. The floral effect Of this sympathy with
violence is seen in the attack on HOLMAN. The
police begin to look on the citi-
zens Of New York as their SUBJ
jects rather than their masters, and it
would seem that Mameluke power is growing
up among us which despises all restraint
OF law and justice. Had the alleged murderer
of Mcnamara and his accomplices and abet-
tors been sent to Jail and kept there, as should
have been done, until jury of citizens had
decided what was the measure of their guilt
the moral effect Of such action would have
prevented the occurrence of similar outrages.
But when the members of the force see
that men whose hands are red with
blood illegally and unnecessarily shed
not alone escape all punishment or censure'
but are sustained by the police authorities
they naturally consider themselves at hoerty
to initiate the example of violence which Is
set them. The public however, has no IN
tention to allow itself to be victimized with
out protest, and we doubt not the police
Mamelukes will find that their violence and
brutality will not pass without exemplary pun
ishment.
SIN HAMPTON LORRAINE, of the British ship