The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-01-07
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.

/ The Sin of the Century-Drunken Boys
and Girls-How the Mass of the Popula.
ton Keep Sunday-Italian Brigantls
Fleeced by their own Countrymen-
/ Temperance Reforners, Etc.
| NEW York, December 81, 1881.
EDITOR CHEF:
It was Sunday morning; the bells
were ringing, thousands were vending
their way to the hundreds of churches
that grace this goodly city. And among
the throng drunken boy staggered, led
by policeman, who was conducting
him to the station-llouse. He was not
ono of the ragged city hoodlums who
drain beer-kegs and smoke cigar stumps
-he was IL country boy, fair Of face,
we'll dressed, evidently the son of decent
parents, who had been reared in an
honest country home; but he had fallen
| with evil company, and was now on his
way to jail-perhaps some mother or
sisters, away among the hills, were pray
ing for him on that quiet Sabbath morn
ing, thinking, perchance, that he was
praying for them, or treasuring the
lessons that he had learned at his
mothers knee and around the family
altar that he had sought the Sabbath
school to avoid the temptations of the
city. What would that mother have
tlonght had she been among tho throng
and met her darling, a blear-cyed drunk
ard, covered with CRIME aud mud, a
prisoner on his way to jails Unfortu-
nately this is no uncommon sight in
New York, and, more shocking still, a
girl of fifteen was arrested only few
days ago, and taken through the streets,
her hair disordered, and her dress all
torn, and so evil was her case that even
the Protectory, which is the proper home
of the Magdalen, refused to receive her !;
for, alas! she was no Magda1en, but
seemed to glory in her shame.
Drunkenness among young people is
getting to be fearfully common-oven
the terrible example of the two young
students, who came down to New York
OIL a Saturday nights spree, during
which, one Of them was killed, scarcely
serving as 4 warning.
know the case of q young lady, the
daughter of wealthy parents, who gave
her every thing she Observation-Disclosures
thousands on hcr-bnt who have frc,
quently to seek her at the station-house
or the prison, where she has been com
mittcd as common drunkartl. She is
scarcely twenty, yet time and time
again her father has been compelled tc
redeem her sealskin sacques or lcr dia-
mond earrings, which sha lias pawned
for drink. Never was there a time ripper
than the present for some evangelist like
Father Matthew to begin a crusade on
| rum.
There are meetings lere-plenty Of
thcm-the churches and halls, and one
at the Cooper Institute, conducted by
Irother Sawyer; but they all lack the
spirit that made immortal the work OF
Theobauld Matthew, or that of the six
reformed drunkards, who were the fonn-
,lers of the grand Washingtonian move
ment which stirred the nation to its
foundation forty years ago. Something
must be done, or rum will destroy us.
The record of last Sunday was simply
tcrrible-two murders aad any number
of mnrlerous affrays-ono brute kicking
agree with him on religious subjects
and would not drink whiskey with him.
In fow weeks or months hence, when
we come to hang this savage, who has
killed two wives in the most brutal
manner, he will rcgale the public with
his religious experience and his moral
regeneration, and look ON the trap-door
of his gallows as the gate TO heaven.
One Of the amusing incidents of tho
week has bcon the Fleeing of q lot of
Italian brigands by a fellow-countryman
who picked them up on their arrival.
Some few months ago famous Italian
brigand, by the name of Esposito, was
extradited by the Italian government.
The man, iu his own country, was a
brutal butcher and robbcr, and for years
had been the terror of the neighborhood
in which he lived. On one occasion, not
being able to get the ransom Of a prisoner
he had captured, he cut off his nose and
ears and sent him back to his friends.
The atrocity Of the act and the rank OF
| the victim raised the whole country, and
Esposito was compelled to fly. He came
to the United States. Hero he took
shelter in New Orleans, and when he
| was arrested he found plenty of witness
ses to swear that they had known him
| for any number of years in New Orleans
| while it was ce rtain he was cutting of
| men's noses and ears in Italy. He denied
| that he was himself till he got back.
| When leaving he left several thousand
dollars behind him in New Orleans
| which he could not draw without con-
Tossing his name. He acknowledged the
corn, and it is to be hoped that the gal
lows will claim him at last. His arrival
in Italy created quite stir among lis
old comrades, and score of them fled
from their native land and sought shell.
ter under the wings of the American
/ I 81,