, 1876-05-23

in Now England and was born in Kentuoky.
-s~.e-......e
REGULATING 1UNK-snops.
Tho Grand Jury, in its report to tho COM
mon Council with reforenco to tho rcgula-
ton Of tho trnfflc Of jank-ahops, has struck
Mt ono Of the most fruitful SOURCES Of crimo
in this city. Its report is all tho more valun-
bic because the jury ia not satisfied with
merely calling attention to tho evil and sug-
gesting tho necessity Of reform, but 1t pro-
poses two practical methods Of dealing with
1t, which deserve the immediate attention Of
tho Council. The junk-sliops, M we'll as the
pawnbrokerH' shops, which aro also included
In tho report Of the jury, arc nurseries Of
crimo, There may bo honest junk-dcalers,
and there mny 10 now mud thon such Tara
acis as IN honest pawnbrohor. but tho mr.
jority Of them are not, and, as they pny but a
nero pittanco for secondhand articles, they
can afford to run any risk OF reclamation. It
ndds to the security Of thoir business that
much Of tho secondhand property disposed
Of at theirplaces, especially at the junk-shops,
cannot bo identified except with considerable
difficulty. Tho fact, therefore, that there are
hundreds, if not Thousands, Of places open in
this city whore goods can be disposed Of
without question and with perfect security,
Is an immense temptation to the idle and
dissoluto of all clnascs There la in this city,
Us in MI larger cities, class Of young vaga-
bonds who aro never under restraint, and
who spend their timo wandering about in
search Of plundor, prowlng about citizona'
~,1u f1,n a,,}o
houses and carrying of faucets and plumbing
materials. This 1atter kind Of larceny has
grown to be such a serious evil tint no va
cant house in tho city, unless it is constantly
watched, il secure from tho dopredations Of
these young thieves, who know that they can
sted with impunity,. and dispose Of their
plundor without question being asked Of
them. These shopa aro therefore tho diroct
nurseries Of crimo, not only nffording shell
ter for tho idle, shiftlesa, dissoluto, bnt
also tempting otherwise well-dispoeed
children to stenl, because they can
do so with safety. They arc filling
tho city with youthful criminals. They arc
educating children for tho PcnitcnGary.
They arc inimical to the interests of proper
ty-ho1dora, and. as at present operated, dofy
tho property holder to recover his goods or
get any satisfaction from the man who Inns
purchased them, knowing them to DO stolen.
Housoholders, retail dealers, rni1road corpo-
rations, in fact almost ovory porson owning
property which Is movable, arc suffering
continual losses, owing to tho swarms Of
youthful thieves who can stenl with impnnity
and dispose Of their plumber 1t those roposi-
tories for stolen goods.
To correct this evil, the Grand Jury sug-
gcst so1no very practical remedies. First,
that nll secondhand dealers, pawnbrokerB,
junk-dcalerB, or what-not, shall file overy
morning ut the Central Police stntion q
complete inventory Of the articles pur~
chased by them tho day before, and
that they shall keep these articles five
days before selling them, 30 that people
may lavo an opportunity Of roc!aiming
their property. Second, that tho rates Of
license shall 10 greatly increased, that mono
but persons of honest reputation shall be
licensed, md that they shall BE- required to
give bonds that they will obey the law. As
the law now stands, my dishonest man in the
community cnn 60 into the business by
simply paying tho loense-rate, which is RI
diculous1y small, considering tbs large
profts of tho business. The third ges-
ton, which IL very important ono, reads aa
followss
Buytng such articles from minors should be pro-
h!bted, unless accompanied by the written consent
OF parents or guardians; md In the caso Of second
hand lead pipe. or lend in any shapc, melted from
such ppc, sinks, faucets, aud all kinds Of second.
land pln,nhing materials, tho purchase Of oil such
nlnorh should DO absolutely prohibited; and, fur.
ther, should not be nlloWcl to be sold purchased
by persous Of lawful ago, except the certificate and
consent Of tho owner or agent Of tho building from
which II was taken fglviAg the exact nHnlber and
locality Of said bulldlng) shall In every caso
| pany tho material sold.
| With rigid penalties for tho violation oi
these ordinances there Is no doubt they
would tend to suppress large share Of thu
petty larconies by young boys and half
grown vagabonds which havo become such
nuisance in this city. It may not bo posi-
ble to check them altogether, but it is Ger
tainly safeguard which honest people have
tho right to claim that Aomo measure shall bt
devised by tho Common Council to protec
them from the depredatlons OF these youth
ful scouudzcls and the receivers Of stoler
property. II may be TINT the Council oa,
deviso still moro ratlical and satisfactory pro
tocsivc laws. Be- this as It may, tho hones
people Of tue city will look to the now Coun
Gil to do something in their intereata.
THE CABINET CHANGES.
Tho Cabinet changes announced this morn
ing aro the most sensational news from Wash