The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-08
An Epidemic of Extraordinary Crime.

An Epidemic of Extraordinary Crime.
For some time past, in all parts Of the |
country, men have not slept In their beds |
with that degree Of security which they |
formerly enjoyed. Midnight robbers
masked burglars have frequently appeared |
TO disturb the slumbcrs, especially OF those |
having money or keys to bank vaults in
their possession.
But it is not in beds alone that people are |
no longer safe Even in their graves they
are not permitted TO sleep undisturbed. In
the dssecting room Of one Of the Western
medical colleges the corpse of n grandson Of
n former President OF the United States was
found hanging by the neck, awaiting the
knife OF the dssccting surgeon. Body
snatching has become so common In Ohio
that there docs not appear to be In that
great State nook or corner where person
can be securely buried.
In the ncighboring State OF Connecticut
the work Of horror has progressed step
further. A woman-yes. a woman-having
asccrtaincd that Yale College furnished a
market for subjects at tho rcmunerative
price OF twenty-five dollars apiece, pro-
cecdcd TO supply herself by chloroforming
friend in that way saving herself the
trouble OF cxhuming the body OF some one
who had died n natural DEATH
Yesterday morning this city was shocked
by the announcement that the tomb of the
late Mr.. ALEXANDER T. STEWART had been
forced opcn and his body removed from the
caskct containing it, carried away and con-
ccaled.
The supposed purpose supposed because
h,r 10 oil ~ q. 10, vi orb
money for the ransom of the remains.
This crime presents humanity in its most
depraved aspect. The very thought OF it is
to the last degree revolving. II the perpe
traitors Of the unnatural deed were discov
cred even in this law-abiding community, it
would require all the conservative influence
OF the authorities to protect them from the
fury Of the populace.
There must DO something radically wrong
in the system Of criminal law, or in its
administration. where such an offence Is
liable TO be committed without certain and
swift detection and prompt and exemplary
punishment. Uncommon crimes are en-
couraged by the comparative impu-
nifty with which common crimes are
committed. The morning journals Of
yesterday conta ined detailed account Of
a desperate encounter" Of police officers
with two well-known burglars" In which
several pistol shots were fired. Tho char
acter OF these two desperadoes was so well
understood that when they were observed
providing about watch was set upon
them, and they were soon seen emcrg-
ing from a store which they had entered
with false keys, carrying with them bag
containing two hundred dollars worth Of
stolen property.
The journals Of the same morning con-
tanned another article entitled A Notor-
Gus Burglar Pardoned," and giving an ac-
count OF the pardon OF a notorious bank
burglar by the Governor Of Ohio.
Unfortunately neither OF these articles is
OF an unusual character. They are both OF
| q kind to be found in almost every issue Of IA
daily journal
Now, we ask, in all seriousness why should
"well-known burglars" be permitted to
prowl about New York Why. when a man
is proven to have deliberately chosen n
criminal career-to have made burglary,
for instance his occupation-why should he
not, upon n second conviction, be impris-
oncd for life? Such n man is not entitled to
be turned loose to prey upon the community
whose wilful enemy he has become.
And why should notorious burglars be
pardoned? pardon is only a mistaken
kindness to them, and it is an ineXcusabe
wrong to the public.
Better that many more atrocious Grim
inals should be doing hard and useful labor
in our State prisons than that honest citi-
zens should not be permitted to sleep Sc
curely either in their beds or in their graves.
A deep stain would rest upon the police
should such a crime as this robbery OF Mr..
STEWARDS grave escape speedy detection.
1t is not without emotion that we COM
ment on this painful occurrence. As we re-
call the kind, courteous. and gentle man
ners Of the deceased, his cordial and almost
affcctionate greeting. and his many amiable
qualities. we experience, as all must who
knew him, feeling Of horror and resent
nent that his lifeloss remains should have
been subjected to this fiendish indignity.