Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-01-20
LAST N1GHr's

The Appeal attributes a terrible muir
der described in its columns to the city
charter, or that part Of it which limits
the police force to forty meA. The as
sassination OF a defenseless widow
woman who supported her children BY
daily drudgery, and was at the moment
of the attack returning 10 her humble
home with the fruits of her toll, may web
shock the sensibilities Of the community.
We hope the authors Of the atrocioui
deed may be brought to speedy justice
and that to this end the authorities will
make every endeavor. The populaI
feeling is such that the murderer, il
Mscertained and arrested in daylight
might be 10 danger of summary justice
We earnestly hope that the orphan chill
dren will be cared for and provided with
good homes. The deed is the more
shocking by rsason of the mystery which
surrounds it, and the absence OF any
known or conceivable motive. Bnt re.
curing 10 the charter and tire police
question, we must think that our cotem'
porarys conclusions are rather strained,
and we propose to prove this by a good
witness--the Appeal Turning from the
editorial 10 that paper to the local &C.
count ne read:
At a quarter to seven o'clock last eve
Mug, Mrs. Mary Conner, a %welLkRown
huckster, was assassiuated by some IN.
known persoa within fifty yards Of the
Poplar street market. . The
night was dark and q heavy rain was
falling al the time. This murder re-
mains q deep mystery, and up to this
writing nothing whatever has been sscer-
tanned that would lead aver to the name
or appearance Of the assassin. After
reaching the fish stall Mrs. Conner spoke
10 no one except officer Msloney. The
affair is euveloped in as much mystery
as the Moore assassination three years
AGO This was never solved, and it may
be that the murderer Of Mrs. Conner
may never be ascertained. The CON-
munity, however, must be shocked to
know that a poor has been as
sassiRGted an the very heart of the city,
and almost githin handreach of a dozen
or more men, and all This without the
murderer being seen OF heard of.
Now we simply ask what force Of po-
lice would be necessary to protect every
man, woman and child in Memphis
against such bold and determined asSas.
sins as the murderers Of Mary Connori
The tragedy occurred, we are told by the
Appeal, within fifty yards Of the market.
house, where there was a dozsn or more
men, and q policeman was at the cor
ner. 1t is not practicable TO station
policemen fifty yards apart all over
the city, and if it we're it seems that
such protection does not always protect;
not that airy blame is attached to the Of
ficer at the market-house, but because no
vigilance is sufficient to thWsrt every
murderous design. The paragraph
quoted above refers to the mysterious
Moore assassination, committed three
years ago. That was under the old char.
ter, when we bad double as many police
msn as now. Yet the crime was never
attributed TO the charter or the police
system. Crime is confined to no locality,
and its entire suppression is perhaps lit
tie nearer accomplished, with ell our pro
gress and enlightenment. than at any
former period Of our csuntry's history.
List nights crime was something SO un.
usual, so determined, planned and exc
cuted that no police force on earth could
have anticipated or prevented it. 1t was
not the result Of any defect 10 our State
or municipal laws, but Of deep seated
human d%epravity. which no Law. hsman
or divine, restraints from the commission
Of its purposes. The city charter has its
defects undoubtedly. but no amendment
will absolutely purge the city Of crime
aud criminals Of the blackes. dye. W.
will venture the opinion, without having
recourse to statistics, that fewer crimes
of an aggravated character we're reported
ia Memphis for the year 1876. under the
Q charter in full force, than 10 almost
any other year since the was znder the
old charter. There are seasons of the
year when suspicious characters congre
gate in particular cities-whole commu
mites OF them come at once. These arr
easily spotted by be police and can b.
Driven out Of town without doubling thl
force. Two or three have been forced
10 as from Memphis within the las
t~wenty.four hours; others will have 4
follow. Then we have our permanent
and abiding class Of worthless chsrae
tiers. These are not so easy to get riS
OF. At this season Of the year Wher
tramps, both aimless and vicious, pick
pockets, burglars, highwaymen. conf
dence men and sneak.thieVes infest ouI
Southern cities, every citizen should b,
on his guard at home and abroad, esps
cially at night, and bis home should b,
we'll locked, barred and guarded. Thosl
compelled to be out at night who 10 alouI
quietly are never stopped by tho polio,
aud searched for weapons. The force
perhaps, Is too weak. The Law ma!
prohibit a. man who has TO wall
home late at pight from carrying
pistol, bat ss q matter OF fact it does no
prevent or iaterfere with bin. It wa
never iatendsd 10 reach such cases. cot
Il M ...,n fnvor a. ana