The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-03
TIE DANGEROUS CRIMINAL.
The fragrant Miscarriage Of Justice In New
York-Thc savings BANKS and Insurance
Compnnie-' Mismnnngcmcnt and Failure.

Fiop N, N,ir Iort Tina.
During tho last twenty years the number
or dcfalcatons, even excluding the petty ones
and those occurring in private business. has
been many but the instances Of adequate
punishment have been few. Tho unfortunate
paying teller of the rhUniX Bank died long ago
by his own hand in siarilingly tragic manner
while in his Just conlnemt mt the cnshicr ftlle
Merchants Exchange Bank escaped with slight
punishment. and that Of tho Central Bank
escaped with none except exile; the Secretary
Of the Union Trust Company bore no penalty
hut exile. and recently died in South America;
the cashier Of the Atlantic Bank supplied an ok
ccptionnl ease Of summary punishment under
the United States Banking net the teller Of the
Park Bank encountered exile in ST. Johns and
an imprisonment there which still continues.
Exile il itself a punishment. and every one Of
these deiaultcrs douhtlrss suffered kecny
although only part OF the proper penalty.
Still. n criminal ont Of reach is not punishable.
and the worse failures of Justice occur In cases
whore the law can or might reach the culprt.
So with the savings banks. One culprit fed to
Canada; some others elsewhere. hut some re-
manned in the city and went unwhippcd Of
Justice. one Of them aitrrward being honored.
at his death. with such civic honors as this pie
hald and stained city Government has power to
So. again. moro recently and most lagrantly.
OF the life ins urance companies. Twrntv-cight
comuanies-all but one of them in this city
have been done to death within seven years
pctenco. hut lntcrly II has been fraud. We can
not take space to review the cases in detail;
suffice 1t Ia say that successive reports have
Superintendent. detailing the roitenncss of
these companies one 10y one. and more or less
| directly. but always Enthusiastically, charging
their on 'ers with theft and perjury. The OH.
| c,,rs N the Continental and New Jersey Mutual
| fled ut the alarm and nuNa since. lspu hid
| den; one officer OF the Security did likewise:
there have been several Indictments found. but
no trial and the thing begins to blow over
! What ar" wegoing to do about ~
We desire TO AVOID harsh words. which cor
case There il no moral doubt Of the guilt OF
these men. whatever be- the practicahility Of
sbHsni sy lo mst9 tSs Of Of ,b ssidrPfe b
great majority who stand before Judges for
sentence. and. Whatever doubt there is II is the
| province Of law procedures to give opportunity
| for sitting II, and Ia Prosecute upon reasonable
evidence and reasonable probability.
We distinctly disclaim the least feeling Of vin-
| dictiveurss. having suffered no wrong beyond
what every citizen suffers from aw-hrcak ng
| But this sort Of crime is especially dangerous
| and the consideration our laws and courts have
| always shown Ia what Is tendery known ~ II
breach OF trust" is both unjust and danger
| Gus Trust is necessity in society. We can
employ improved safes and tclegrDphic alarms
aa,alnst the burglar. but against the ircacheroUs
| and trusted employee what can We uscY Hence
the breach Of trust Is breach made ia the
! foundations Of society. and IN" dcfnultcr and
| NloldtOr II trust is "a Tar worse enemy than the
English law. with clear perception. oven II
| with har-hn"ss. emphasized tins Wy hanging
! the iorger. hut we lo NJ III" man who hrraks
| IN from the outside IN the night. and let of the
! trusted one who robs from the inside IN the
The Injurious effects 81 those corporation
! rohhcrics are especially great in two directions
| When savings banks ar" ruined q direct dis
couragcment Is given To habits of THRIFT and an
| announcement 10 ldirn"sS ana wee. The say
ings uaik i- the natural Too Of the dram shop
| and H. influences and blow ~ saving II there
| fore "a blow at society itself. When life insur-
| I'm - con pany L. ruined the effect Is similar.
! People are deferred from taking out policies.
and are induced to sacrliire those they already
/ from these frauds, ana thcirt"ndrnry IL directly
to undermine the fabric of insurance.
Taxing another view. what claim 10 eNemp-
! tiun have "Nil-do"rs of this sort We Niriuous-
| ly send To- sing sing the hahtual criminal. born
| in tho sums with hereditary criminal tendon
cies. who WIS educated IN the street and has
! never known any except evil influences. We let
geo free TIA" rdu Hutod man II high social posi-
/ ton. Who has been "a clur'h lNiNr ana Il mrin-
/ l'r oi many boards of trustees. but has some
/ Aow-uni rrcN;raordl arytrmpthtien. of course
--hreu guilty Of an irrr-uiurlty. Does he not
! feed his position k'"nlv. and could We shut
/ Linn ia prison wiki criminals ~
In IA" Just view. the greater tho light and the
Joss tine neces~ ~ the greater th" crime. At all
events, the man who commits irrrgularitle-'
is tn dangerous criminal. nni tl" one aga' nst
whom IL L. hardest 10 Sct up an rfloftuh barrier.
there is sort ~ respect possible To Doe ic.t Tor
me burglar VINO comes 10 mitch skiil ana
| strength against skill and wat 'hiunr--. taking
his own risks without pretending to Doe what he
IL NOT; but why should NOT the Anglp-SaNon
hatrHd OF trea 'hcry assert itself in contrmptu-
| ou-y punl-hin- the man who conducts his
| op.ratlons from withinY
Nothing can Doe worse than 70 bring into con-
rule that nobody d. io ,e punished except the
lo0r and frrndles-. n"'ldrily u j. tim" for
sol'ly % raii{ i"r ~ own defence. anu nrsin
70 punish without further respecting elegant
| persons.