The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-01-18
THE PEST OF BUNKO.
Strangers in the City Robbed in
Broad Daylight.
The Streets Of New Orleans Infested
With Thieves.
A Nuisance that Must and Will Be
Abated.

The BULLETIN has time and again devoted
game yclept by those familiar with it as
I" Bunko." Week after week, month after
month have we warned the public, aud mott
tied the police authorities, that there was a
thorough system in this city by which our
principal thoroughfares had become the am
buscades for the most shame faced and bold
human wolves that have ever in the history
of New Orleans shaded our sidewalks by their
presence.
All this, it seems, was of no avail. Hotels
and every avenue Of trade infested by these
pests OF society, and their infamous avocation
openly and boldly prosecuted.
The evil has grown to such enormity that
the people have ceased to petition for its
abatement, but now demand it. Indeed, SO
outrageous has this insult upon common de-
cency become, the merchants have firmly
resolved that a stop must be put to it, and
this speedily. Numbers of them have visited
our office with the information that they
could not longer endure its burden.
Country traders visiting the city fully pre-
pared to pay their indebtedness to their fac
tors are inveigled into palatial halls where
prospective fortunes are seemingly placed
within easy reach. Tantalus-iike, the cup
but reaches their lips and their feverish thirst
for the bubbling nectar entices them on until
the years earnings, the wife's expected pre-
sent the children's long 1ooked-for horn OF
plenty, fades away and the countryman is
elected by these wolves, poor object of
charity. He seeks his merchant, secures
free passage home and registers vow never
to return hare more.
New Orleans has already too many burdens
upon her for her people to submit tamely to
this aggravated one. Long enduring and pa
tent, her people have overlooked much, but
when either througa the full acquiescence
and knowledge OF the police, or their criminal
neglect of duty these robberies are committed
almost daily and without punishment of the
Off -nders. other means of re ire5s must be
had. In this connection we learn that num-
Der of leading merchants and prominent
steamboat men whose country friends and
customers have been numerically feeced by
this powerful band of highwaymen, propose
organizing a committee with special reference
to the suppression of this crying evil.
Their idea is first 10 wait upon the Cover
traffic Of the bunko men, and ask that be
take immediate steps to abate the nuisance
1t is in his power to see that the thing is ut
terly and instantly crushed out, and if he
fail to perform his plain duty in the premises
if he fail to see that his appointees execute
the law, and rid the city of this pestilence,
then it will unquestionably happen that the
people will take measures to protect them
selves from a band of depredators who seem
to be above and beyond the reach of the law.
Il is serious and grave time in COM
munity wnen the people are forced to fall
back upon the savage justice of a vigilance
committee but we are not prepared to say
that all vigilance committees have done harm.
There are periods when people writhing
under an accumulation of wrongs, constantly
complained of but never righted, instinctively
rise to defend themselves and sweep from
their paths those who have goaded them to
fury There is no reason to fear vigilance
committee in New Orleans if the constituted
authorities will act promptly and effectually.
II the will is present the evil can be suddenly
and certainly abated,