Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-26
THE WICKEDNEss OF CITIES.

The wickedness of our great cities is
truly alarming, and affords topic for the
grayest reflection. A large class of people
are living upon crime, thus supporting
themselves in idleness and ministering to
their vicious propensities. This class of
villains who congregate in our cities are
guilty of every measure of crime, murder,
to accomplish their purpose, not being in
frequent.
Chicago, perhaps, is not pre-emipent in
wickedness above all other cities, yet, the
amount of crime there developed is most
fearful. Murders. robberies, burglaries,
and every species of crime, crowd the rec
srds of the city's daily and nightly &C.
currences. It would seem to be an unsafe
city in which to live. If a man, in the
night time, ever turns off from the most
frequented and brilliantly lighted streets,
he does it at the peril of his life. By the
stealthy desperadoes seeking plumber, citi-
zens are assailed with sand-bags, billies.
or other weapons, and are knocked
senseless, and robbed, their injuries being
of the most serious and painful character.
and often fatal. And what is most deplor-
able in this matter is that the police seem
to have no acknowledgement to protect the
lives and property of citizens.
In its earlier history Chicago was
noted for its daring crimes,
and its frequent murders and with its
great and rapid growth, it seems to con-
firr1o fvuo To ifc 0l1or {-oJ T..
GLOBE is not too severe in its comments,
it will summon witness from the Garden
City, itself to show. The Chicago Times
gives startling exposition of the condi-
ton of things in that city, and
by no means the worst expose ever seen in
its columns. If these things continue. and
the authorities and police can afford no
due protection to the citizens from the
depredations of these plug-uglies, resort
like that of San Francisco, many years
ago, to vigilance committee may be a
necessity. Certainly this state of thing.
cannot be suffered to continue, and oths,
cities may take warning from Chicago.
If the law and its ministers cannot
afford due protection to able and
respectable citizens from murder
robbery and every species oil
criminality, the people must be g
law unto themselves. The Times of a re.
cent date says:
The man who walks abroad in this city ate,
dark, upon any except the crowded and brightly
lighted down town streets, does so at the risk OF
his life. The city is fairly overrun with thugs
and plug-uglies of the most desperate and dan
gerous character, who come forth from the
slums as as night falls, to lie in wait for
the wayfarer. Scarcely night passes that
somebody is not beaten over the head with
sandbags and robbed by these bold and indus
trious footpads. Notwithstanding the unusual
number Of such cases reported, but one arrest
has been made. Mayor Harrison excuses the
police department on the ground that the force
is so small that it is impossible to adequately
protect all portions of the city. Policemen can
not, it is certain, be expected to be always on
hand to prevent these outrages, but the depart
ment is not doing what it might do to make the
city reasonably safe. Most Of these ruffians are
known to the police, and instead of waiting ''to
get case'' on them, they should be run in on
sight for vagrancy. A little energetic action in
this direction would diminish the number OF
night providers, armed with sand-bags and am
pushed in alleys and behind trees, ready to
pounce upon the passer-by, and proportionately
lessen the perils of venturing out of doors after
dark.