Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-11-16
Aancaster fnteIIiqe1lrer.
WEDNESDAY EVENING. NOV. 10. 1881.
Mr.. (;Ould and the Law.

That money is most effective motor
Of the wheels of justice is afresh illus
traied in the successful effort of the po-
lice of New York to capture the man
VINO wrote threatening letters to Jay
Gould. Inspector Byrnes, who engi-
neered the work, was manifestly sup
piled abundantly with the sinews of war,
and the energy Of his performance was
great. The final coup was made with
the enlisted aid of the postoffice de-
partment and the special designation
of fifty six letter carriers to watch
for one whole day, with fifty-six
policemen, one hundred and thirty
two street letter boxes in certain
district in which all the threaten
ing letters had been mailed. This de-
vice was rcsorted to after all means had
failed to entice the blackmailer to expose
himself. All manner of false responses
had been made to his communications,
the correspondence being conducted
through The personal columns of the
Herald. The old bird was not to be
caught with chaff: and no way was left
but to surround and close in upon him
in the field he was known to inhabit.
Inspector Dyrncs receives many plaudits
from the press for his exploit. Inspector
Byrnes might merit them if this was
fair sample OF the energy he displays in
securing criminals. 1t is question in
ethics as to how far it is laudable to de-
ceive a t!eceiver and to practice fraud
upon criminal. But it is quite hope
less to undertake to make a detective
officer understand that there is more
than one side to such a question. He
considers that every game is fair in war
and he has no scruples to stop a pursuit
he finds it profitable to conduct.
But he cannot make bricks without
straw. He must have money for his
operations. Who supplied Inspector
Byrncs : We do rot know, but it is a
safe conjecture that Mr.. Gould did. Mr..
Gould wanted the man captured and
with his many millions it was easy for
him to empower Inspector Byrncs to
draw On him for all the money he re-
quirei. If he did not supply the
money the police department did :;
and if that was where it came from
il only adds another point to the
one we make that money in police
pursuits, as in most others, g makes the
mare GO Mr.. Gould influence, if not
his money, in this case spurred the police
department of New York to frantic
exhibition Of energy to seize upon the
man WHO had the impudent audacity to
threaten the man of millions-and stolen
millions at that. Mr.. Gould outside of
his money getting power is nobody. His
virtue is in his cash. lie has never ex-
hibite,l any other talent than one for
what John Wanamaker's advertising
man calls the aggressive instinct for
business. 1t is :: very excellent talent,
as anyoi,a will admit and * aggressive
instinct = is a very good expression in
which 70 SUM mp Mr.. Jay Gouli's bust
ness virtue.
lie has not strikinGly exhibited any
other III his career and it is only in bust
ness ways. it may De noted, that he is
aggressive. lie is rot a man of physical
daring. He has been kicked down a
cellar way and he covered in the re-
cesses of the Erie fort during the time
years ig" when his valiant partner Fisk
was loing the outside eb!aggadocio for the
firm. lie is 4 silent man and fond of
retirement. lie is reputed 10 he a
coward physically, although no man
ever showed more daring in business
speculation. That he is not brave, his
pursuit of lis blackmailer shows. He
was threatened with death if he did not
help his would-le destroyer to a for
tune. Mr.. Gould does not want to be
asSassin;;tCd neither does he want to
pay tie men who propose to assassinate
him not to do it. This is very natural.
SO also was it natural for him to
undertake to get out of the diff
Guilty by putting his enemies in
prison. That is what the law says
should be done with them and Mr..
Gould believes in the law when he can
use it TO promotes his schemes. This
fact he has often illustrated. He has
called the law to his aid Il great deal /;
and las violated It himself with equal
freedom. Mr.. Could enjoys the reputa-
tion of having amassed his millions in
ways SO dark and tricky that the law
would frown upon them and imprison
their employer, if but an Inspector
ByrncS could he set hot-fOot on the
pursuit backed with millions.
Mr.. Gould's wealth however gotten has
placed strong wall of defense between
him and the law. Yet it is not very
prudent for him TO come complaining
before jury as prosecutor Of anybody.
Juries lave a habit of asking who cast
the first stone and of considering that
man seeking justice should be addicted
to doing justice. The law considers only
the case on trial, but juries will look be-
yond 1t. No doubt Mr.. Welles is guilty
of an attempt to levy blackmail on Mr..
Gould but there is no doubt that Mr..
Gould has been 4 successful actor in
many highway robbery. He may con-
sequcntly find it hard to persuade jury
that he is eminently worthy of the pro-
lection of the law, although there is no
doubt that he is entitled toit.
And lie was not wise to come before