New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-08-06
The Red Hand.

Between cOrOners lnquests and acqult-
tails after trials for murder there is always
time to speculate on the latest tragedy. and
on the course and cause of crime. The
reasons for taking a mans life in Louisiana
are not always SO great as to justify the
act. If anywhere in the wide world there
is a person thinking seriously of coming to
this State to live, he should know how easy
it is to get killed. If he is Republican,
and intends to settle in one of the country
parishes, speaking his mind, and voting as
he p!eases, he can hardly effect an insur-
ance on his life. But the thirst to kill does
not always find political outlet or bull
doing excuse. Human life is held too
lightly, and it is taken too easily.
The murder of Hardeman in this city
was the result of a dispute between part
ners over business accounts of the house.
The pistol balanced the ledger and blood
made up the final statement.
At a lakeside eating bouse Rock we'll was
killed at table by his friend. Hospitality
closed with butchery, for what reason is
not known.
At Democratic Club meeting of the
ninth ward Roberts was shot down for
rising to point of order and speaking on
the wrong side of an open question. The
man with black moustache has never
even apoiogized for the otfense of killing,
and his political pals will not give him
away.
n, tlo ~ nf Iuf-
German, Franz Zeigler, was killed by
Coyle for objecting to noise in his own
beer house.
Detective Harris was killed for knowing
too much, it is alleged. Knowledge is
power, but it was not powerful enough to
save Harris from bullet.
Carl Schneider of Vermilion, was recently
killed because his slayer was afraid of him.
A few nights since, in the upper part of
the city, John Connor, then unknown by
the man who sent him out of the world,
was killed by D. j. Montamat, on suspicion
that Connor intended to steal water
melon.
Boys follow the wake Of men. and are as
SASS'
Danny Glynn asks another newsDoy for
s. and gets killed.
A glance at the record of crime will show
many more such deeds of violence, where
human life has been sacrificed for the most
trivial causes, or for no known reason. In
stead of an age of chivalry we have an era
of assassination. In place of heroic deeds
for the protection Of life there are stabs in
the back for its destruction. Men and boys
have become towards and go armed. So
ciety is in a state to cause alarm when
every young man carries pistol on his hip
or murderous knife in his pocket. AS old
Mr.. Tilden would say: "There is too little
confidence in the community" and men eye
each other with index fingers on hair
triggers. A word spoken or deed done
not directly approved Immediately makes
victim of one man and an executioner of
another. The law is not appealed to as an
arbitrer of differences. As q matter of
form it comes in to make good excuses for
homicides.
Not long eince young man near Canal
street was shot for trying to collect dol
lar. In cases where victims recover, the
crime in fact falls short of murder; but the
principle is the same, for it takes mur.
derer's will and hand to aim and discharge
weapon at human being.
The worst of this lawless showing, next
to the crime of life taking, is that it Injuries
business and the reputation Of our State.
Capitalists who have money to invest and
agents to send out must make estimates of
the securities expected for life and prop
erty in each place. 1t would not be strange
to hear them say on Wall street, "How
much is human life worth to-day in
louisiana" They must consult the tele-
graph and find that it quotes all
the way from a cross word and a
watermelon up to S. and knowing too
much, with downward tendency, as to
value. The remedy to lessen shooting has
not yet been found. Judges charge to hang
and juries sit to acquit. The intelligent
jury, apt on grand larceny, is failure in a
murder cause. Judges suggest an ounce
of prevention. They charge the grand
jurors tearfully on the habit of carrying
concealed weapons. The gentlemen OF the
Jury meet, with pistols in their pocke ts,
and believe the judge is right in speaking
about it, but all indictments are unpopular