Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-24
A eARRULOUs GARROrER.
A sslf:stylsd Highwayman Defends
His Profession.
A Unique View of Respectable
Dishonesty.

new OTlclAo Sldteoa 4ssl
There are two sides to every case,
and even the garroter, it seems, has
an argument.
Last evening a man dressed in a
gray overcoat and felt hat was seen
to slip a paper under the closed and
locked main entrance of the States
Office. This morning the paper was
found just inside the door, and 1t
proved to be a letter from One OF
Them person who says he took
part in the recent outrages upon the
persons and property of certain citizens
Of this place.
The handwriting is disguised as
we'll as may be, but it is evident from
the language, the spelling and the
method Of handling the pen, that the
writer is of no common order. Evi
identity he is a man who should have
better occupation than that of an
highway robber. He takes the ground
that the outrages were perpetrated In
most gentlemanly and courteous
manner; that there was no violence of
fered, and that if
THE INJURED PARTIES
thought they we're set up by villains
and forcibly overcome, the hallucina-
ton must have been caused by their
fright. He says the garrOters handled
them as tenderly as circumstances
would permit" This is cited as a
sample of elegant description ola high
way robbery
THE GARRoTER's LETTER.
18th January, 1882.
Mr.. STATEs;-I write to correct an
error which appeared in the reports |
have read of the so.called garrotiug
which took place onSaturday night last.
From the old man we overhauled at
the corner of Canal and Where streets
early in the evening we took five dol
lars and watch, but did him no bodi-
ly harm He lives in Mrs Woods
house, corner Of Canal and Robinson
streets, and will tell you so himself.
From the butcher we got but little,
but did him no harm, neither did We
injure MIR. Hare, but took his watch
and ten dollars.
Ifany of the party were overcome,
it must have been done from fright, as
we handled them as tenderly as cir
cumstance would permit.
HIS SERMON.
But few men, either white or black,
take to the highway from choice, but
your sharperss in high places have
made poor mems chances for making
living so difficult that they are some
times forced to it.
What harm have we done, compared
with your hank and commercial swim
dlers, and even your church swindlers,
here and all over the country: FIVE
millions in one church in Cincinnati;
over half a million in that pile of
brick on Common street, and nearly as
much in that great unfinished church
on Dryades street. Then look at Pal
mer, the bank man on Camp street,
who, after robbing the bank, blew up
his store, and is still member Of his
namesake's church on the square. We
are all very ready to punish crime,
but, alas how little are we willing to
do to make men honest
WHAT HE THINKS OF THE STATES.
| select your paper for this commu-
nication on account of an article read
in it yesterday on the folly of spends
ing money in forcing on ideas upon
the so-called heather, when there is
such field of usefulness at our very
doors if we have brains enough to APP
preciate it. Tell the writer of that
article, if be be an editor, he ought to
occupy the pulpit in the largest
church in this city, and by enurciat-
ing such truths as he did in that little
article, he would do much toward
saving Christianity from the dry rot
which its present expounders are al
lowing to knaw at its very vitals.