The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-24
THE M OLUBBER.

New York boasts the possession OF the most
caIlous brute In Christendom. His name is
Williams, and he is a captain Of the police OF
that progressive city. Some Of his acts OF
brutality, committed upon innocent and I'M
offending citizens. almost challenge credulity,
and the wonder grows, from day to day, that
the people Of New York permit this unfeellng
wretch to disgrace the office which he holds
His propensity for beating persons with his
ready club has made his name a terror among
people of all classes, and his s~cornful defiance
OF the law and contempt for all authority, have
made him quite @ hero among the low
characters with whom he associates and who
have come to regard him as above and beyond
the law. 1t Is quite impossible to say how
many men this cowardly bully has beaten
almost beyond recognition with his club. The
record OF his outrages would fill q volume,
and the New York papers TEEN with accoun
Of his brutalities and Of his intolerable inso-
lence when arraigned for trial. His last
offense will, 1t is to be hoped, result In his
dismissal from the force which he has so long
dlsgraced and In his receiving the punish
ment which he richly deserves, but has, 80
far, managed to escape, through the protec-
IVA \ Ahep ~
political friends on the police board.
There was, 1t appears. a military re-
view being held In Madison Park on the
fifteenth instant, n a young gentleman
named Charles W. Smith was standing in
the crowd of spectators witnessing the evolu-
tions OF the troops. Suddenly an order was
given to fall back, and the multitude at once
crowded back, but Smith, being In the front
row, vas prevented by the solid mass OF hui
manity behind him from getting out of the
way as far as the police thought necessary.
Thereupon the doughty warriors Of the club
rushed upon the throng, pushed and whaeked
people In the way, and bounced upon Smith,
who was making every possible effort to obey
the order. They pushed him violently once,
then q second time, and then Capt.
Williams seeing q good opportunity
to get III Httfo work., ttumped
him with his club In the breast. Smith,
naturally indignant, asked what he had lone
to be dubbed In that manner, whereupon
Williams cursed him, struck him viciously
on the left side, grabbed him by the coat
collar and thrust hin backward. just then
one Of Williams's men named Fleming,
emulating his captain, dealt the young man
a terrible blow over the temple that feIled
him to the earth, where he lay Tor some time
weltering In the blood that gushed from the
wound on his head.
There vas much Indignation among the
spectators, but not a man among them all in
terfered to prevent this dastardly attack on
an unoffending citizen, or to punish the
brutes who perpetrated 1t.
We are glad to know that the deed has
aroused the people OF New York at last, and
that young Smith will probably be Capt.
Will!ams's last victim. The Herald and other
journals have taken the matter up, and Mr..
Smith has brought a suit for $4,000 against
both Williams and Fleming. There Is not a
Williams or our police force, we are gratifed
to state, but there are men who are much too
frisky with their clubs and revolvers, and we
commend the above narrative to them, with
the assurance that the first member Of the
force who Is guilty OF a coWardly and brutal
assault upon q citizen will receive the prompt
of the DEMOCRAT. We give this
fair warning because when we move against
q clubber we propose to move In earnest.