Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1875-12-25

The Causes Of Crime-1he Distress %
the Year and hon IL is Mct-A Murde,
Week-Sympathy for Marderers-
Feminine Derotioa-1iVeed- Beeche,
business.
J New YORK, Dec. go, 1875.
THE CAUSES OF CRIME.
The Committee investigating the caus-
cs Of crime in this city are unoarthing
some terrible facts. Among others is
the testimony of one of the frs physi-
clans Of the city, DR.. Elisha Harris,
who declared that the increase of crimi-
nails in this city in the past few years was
greater in proportion than the increase
of population from births and immigra-
ton together.
DR.. Willard Parker, an authority of
equal standing, said that liquor was the
chief cause of the vice, crime, idiocy and
insanity in the country. All who have
looked into the cause and cure Of crime
agree that the vicious classes must be
made to work harder. 1t is notorious
and patent fact that with all the increase
of wages and regulation Of hours in the
last ten years, the condition of the lower
classes does not seem to be the better for
! the change. The complaint 10 "'"da ~
all employers that there is very little,
almost no fair return made for the wages
paid, no matter how liberal these may be.
The average of work done in day with
all the labor saving helps of the time, is
hardly half what it used to be in the old
times, Now, that there is such an out
cry for work, employers bethink them
selves whether they cannot obtain their
own right of Il days work for days
pay. The fact has rather been lost
sight of, that employers had any rights
beyond that of paying the most wages
for the very least that stupid and idle
help chose to do. Now that the cry for
bread comes so urgent there is a chance
| to find whether the poor are willing to
work for their money rather than starve.
Those of experience among the lower
classes of New York, are not wanting
who do not hesitate to say that these had
rather starve than work hard. Certain
ly they will all beg, loaf, Or cheat in a
mild way, sooner than stir themselves to
do brisk days work,
THE DISTRESS OF THE POOR.
CURIOUS incidents come up among the
labors for the poor. One woman was
found with her five children in the sixth
story of wretched tenement house,
where she made miserable living by
washing. Her children were without
shoes in bitter weather, and kind mer-
chant sent supply all round. The old
est girl objected to them because they
were laced with shoestrings, and button
boots were the style. The same family
lost their father, miserable wretch,
who drank himself to death, and were
obliged to ask for charity to bury him.
The teachers of the mission school who
helped them before, agreed to Dear The
expenses, whereupon the old woman
went out and ordered q hearse, with
plumes, to attend the funeral of the de-
parted sod.
Amember of the city authorities toldof
poor fellow who had seen better days,
who come to him for help as he was
without a position, or money. The
official handed him five dollar bill,
which he could spare none too well him
self, but he was rather sorry for it, when
he found the first use the fellow made of
it was to go to the markst and order
pair of ducks for dinner, taking most Of
the money which might have kept the
family in food for week.
This may be considered apropos of the
study of crime, for such thriftlessness is
a crime not of the least diminsions. 1t
ought to count heavily against the labor
ing men of this and other cities, that
with the high wages of the last ten years,
very few of them have saved money.
The idea at the time was to make money,
not to save it, and to make it in many
ways beside working for it.
ONE A WEEK.
A murder week seems the regular
allowance, not counting homicides of
less degree. The last sad and shocking
tragedy is that of a young Hebrew girl
who has not long been in this country
and who was brutality killed by her be-
trayer last Sunday night. The parties
both have the reputation of being excep-
tionally religious, and careful in observ-
ing all the rites of their Church, and the
girl was much beloved by the family of
the murderer. While servant in the
family she nursed him through long
illness, and he seemed to have really |
loved her in return. But his wife was
coming over from the old country and
there was trouble ahead, and no way |
presented itself out of the difficulty, but |
murder. So he took the girl to walk
with him in the lonely outskirts of East
New York. And stabbed her, kneeling
at his feet for mercy.