New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-19
TILE nrrKES 1ND TIE B1R.ROOMS

Until the arrival of the millennium. which does
not seem to De Immediately at hand. cities of large
nopuIation wall always have dangerous class.
Bat there are pcculiariies about the ruifans OF
New-York-such wild beasts. for instance. Is those
who make the low nuuor-shoDs their lar2' aud who
nave about as much respect for human life as The
c,rnivora Of Indian jungles. When a man issues
from q bar.room, rs William Burke did at O'Clock
ON Monday morning. with q bullet III his thigh,
with n stab in his back, and with dozen knlle-
wound, On his scalp it is no violent presumption
that there has been much controversy. stimulated
by alcohol and thai both William Burke aud the
man who assaulted him are FAR from being regular
and valuable members of society. Violence OF THIS
kind seems to have become hero a well-eAablshed
crime We have great many irresponsible crea-
tnres. who. when they have filled themselves as 1t
j. tl.ir habit 70 do. with maddeuinc drink have no
moro sef-contr0 than bull In whose face
a red rag is Haunted. Long before they
arc drink they make deliberate prepara-
uons 10 commit murder. They load aud
porset their pistols. They to it that their SHIN
ING blades haze n good edge. Thus armed, they 20
ia ulaccs where atflays are always possible, aud
deliberately drink themselves Into homicdal
frame frniud. They know that the least contro-
versv in which they may engage my end In muir
der. They know. but they ~ not care. hoy love
10 KILL They are proud Of their skill IN shooting
and stabbiug. They consider themselves 10 BE-
GREAT ten-and so they are, The great men OF the
dirty runi-saoons ~ which they gather 10 drink 10
dispute and II may bee TO de. William BuIke tie
wounded man above mentioned, -, If he still be
living one Of these beasts. Stll young. no has
pa.sed twelve years in prison. Twice lie has been
complained Of for manslaughcr This time The
fortune Of the wild war has been against him and
& f...v.. H.. q i.... ttslf.
will preye Tor his demise, bur they certainly will
not he the police. The soitos.-heaItod philanthro-
INST. if asked why William Burke should i've
might be puzzled to give good reason Tor
his protracted existence. His life can be of no
uarticular service to anybody-not even to
himself Leave him at large aud he may
LII some valuable member OF society the next
day. Send him 10 prison, and ne NAV brain the
turnkey who is bringing hun a comforting dish
of slxilly This is 10 be sure, purely human view
~ the matter-the religious one might be different,
f,r "a the good hymn has II. " long as the lamp
holds out TO burn, the yilest sinner may return"
mt how about these holes in which the William
R,rl,es and those Of like destructive character
oatherf How for instance, about the premises OF
Morris Uyland. No 1879 Chaiham-st., IN which this
offrav occurred at time when by law the place
should have been oloscdl The most notifying
f.,ture of the whole affair - that HFlandS place.
u;u he kept open; that llylands barkeeper
vvil continue to dispense iufuriating poison
thot Uvland's customers will still pour down. at
III. bar that which within "A quarter of an hour
may convert them into Wanderers. We have nearly
three thousand policemen with an equal number OF
clnbs but all these brawny men IN broadcotn
and buttons cannot pat down Hyland. We havo
full complcmcnt of Police Courts and Police Judges,
h,t uvinud il not in the least afraid of them. We
have n Mayor and Council and Board Of Aldermen,
ord uyland is too strong for these. lie keeps his
bor-roon open all night in spite of them. and there
,niristcrs without let OF hndrance to their mad
ness.
THIS. then, 10 the modification of the matter. 1t
- rot that few worthless lives are lost. 1t Is the
sbomeful inability of this great municipality 10
Loan within decent limits traffic which il NAV be
impossiblc altogether to suppress. Whether liquor
Cling ne an honora be or n dishonorable business.
:, sbould he IN the hands of those who Ii respect
tho restrictions with which the law theoretically
surrounds If. Grog-shOps in which murler is the
Last probable should be shut up. Can't II he
done' Ifnot, what answer has the advocate Of the
license system to make to tho advocate of prohibit
tionf But as IL certainly can be done. # we try
manfuly TO do 1t. we hope, when a few more men
have KILLED or been killed, that il will be.