New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-17
PURCHASING NILENCE.

"Black mailing is crime. Only those who
are vulgar or ignorant suppose it to he any
thing else Many scoundrcls have received
severe instructions upon this point. and have
bcwacd in prison the hour in which they
spcculatcd upon some bit of knowledge of
which they had become accidentally or larcen-
ou>ly possessed. They have aSccrtained that
fine truth or iasity of their accusations
had nothing whatever to do with the
crime which they committed in seek
ing to cxtort money by threatening Others
with exposure Those mcnaccd might be
guilty but the threats with which they were
assaulted were not less unlawful. II Frank
Brady, coachman. had taken advice of Il good
lawyer, before attempting TO sell his silence to
the Robinson family. he would have been told
that ne was running the risk of "A considerably
prolonged residence IN the State Prison. The
fact was officially communicated to him on
TUESDAY last by Mr. Justice kilbreth, and it
- probable that in future tins entcrprislng
.Ichu will bear il in mind. The prOmptncss
with which he was handed over to the police
will also have a Wholesome effect upon Ill ami
mails of his description.
TIN. Brady, formerly employed as servant
by Mr. Eugene n. Robinson, supposed HIM
self 10 bc in the possession of some family
secret. the betrayal of which it had cogcnt
reasons for dcprccatng. What the secret was,
if there was any, We do not precisely know,
and do not mt all care There could have been
nothing IN its character which justified this
mental in trading upon it. If crime had
been communicative are merely surprising this
of which he had knowledge, it was his bust
ness 10 communicate the facts to the criminal
authorities. IT, for the sake of bride or in
the hope of thus obtaining work, lac concealed
il. he was either pdtcfpS criwinS or
the compoundcr of felony. But here
there WAS nothing to conceal and nothing 10
compound Women who are afraid do not
giyc those who threaten them with exposure
into custody. The Robinson ladies drove di-
rrctly to the Police Court and caused the ar
rest of Brady and they are entitled to the
thanks Of the community for their prompt ac-
ton. Fol the truth Is, in this great city, there
is nobody so respectable, so yiruouS, so inno
cent ~ to be perfectly safe from the expert
mrnts Of the backmailer. Many an honest
man, many an honest woman, has sub
mittrd for years TO eXtortion to escape
charges which the swindcr who played
upon their nervous apprehension has never
intended to make, not only because he knew
that they were false, but because, even if they
were true they would profit him nothing when
once diyulgcd. There have been cases even OF
clcfyymem who through series of years have
paid for the suppression of outrageous lies as
literally IA if they had been frightful truths
\ little Grmness ut first would have saved
them from unspcakabic distress rs well us out
rageous robbery, and that irmncss. nm
fortunately, was wanting. They knew their
innocence but could tho world know
if rs thcy did There were circum-
stances which dabolical ingenuity might
weave into Il dangerous Indictment; the
world is always ready, they reasoned to believe
evil; character il too delicate thing to be
blown upon, even by the breath of SANDER.
And so, when they should have given their
tormentors III charge, they yielded the first
point of the first payment, and thus mortgagcd
peace Of mind for an indefinite period. De-
casionally villain finds that he has reckoncd
without his host; he is dciianuy told to do his
worst or he il handed over the policeman.
1t is to be hoped that such cases are not alto
gethcr the exceptions; but this is point
which, from the nature of the thing, it is I'M
possible to determine.
1t is well enough known how much every
household is at the mercy of its servants tongues
Mr.. Thackeray has, in more than one of his
books, admirably portrayed the sanhedrm of
the kitchen sitting in judgment upon the up
stairs deeds and character. Nor will his read
ers forget the bellicosc as well as victorious man
ner in which old Major Pendennis repused Mr.