Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1883-12-13
Gotham Gossip.

0NOAOw OV00AHs
Justice Murray and Police Blackmail-
Why the Rot,eness in our Public Affairs
Cannot be Suppressed or even FULLY Er-
posed-Dullness IN the Clothing Trade
Commercial Travellers Drug in the
Market-Am Undertaker's Housewarn,-
ing.
New York December 9th, 1883.
Police Justice Murray has thrown
fire brand, by openly denouncing Po-
lice Captains as conducting their raids
on delinquent liquor dealers, lottery
dealers and other violators of the law
simply for blackmailing purposes. His
argument, that otherwise it would not
be INELIGIBLE how captain on sala-
ry of$2,ooo year could purchase city
real estate and sea shore cottages is
strong one. Of course all the police
authorities rise up in indignation, and
Inspector Thorne remarked: "The man
who said that is liar" Yet they as
well as everybody only half familiar
about town know that Judge Murrays
utterances are only too true, and could
be proven if need be. Yet the actual
evidence is so hard to get. Any liquor
dealer who would state under oath and
prove that he had been blackmailed,
might as we'll retire from business, for
he would be harrassed TO death after
wards. AS regards lottery dealers,
proprietors of houses of ill fame, etc.,
they are only too glad to pay hush
money and say nothing about it, for
the simple reason that they would 9TH
erwise be arranged for their past sins.
AS regards the press, few papers are
so situated that political or personal
reasons do not hamper or prevent their
proprietors or conductors from coming
out boldly, and even if they proposed
to do it, they would have trouble with
their reporters. The Police Headquar-
tiers and City Hall reporters are as
closely identified with the police and
politicians as if they were of the same
stripe. They are in receipt of favors,
and fanny few would kick against the
traces, they would be punished by the
withholding of news which other re-
porters would get, and thus the danger
of being "beaten,' makes many an hon.
est man keep his mouth shut. Report
ers unfamiliar with the departments
would not be of any use, because they
would not know where and how to be
gin their investigations, and, being
strangers, would receive no assistance.
Thus the system of corruption is al
lowed to tester and ruin our insttu.
tons. The real remedy, however, is to
be sought in rational legislation, par
ticularly on excise matters. The law
as it stands is constant invitation to
police authorities, to punish their
friends or reward their enemies. BY
these l mean such as do, and such as
do not "put up"
A man in the clothing trade tells me
that the spring trade will be very dull,
The recent many failures have demon
allied the trade to such an extent that
it is practically dead. The main cause
was over production, and now lack of
confidence is the result. But the most
curious feature of this depression is the
number Of commercial travellers that
are now out in the cold. Some of these
defunct firms employed as many as a
dozen statesmen on the road, who earn
ed all the way from two to six thous-
and dollars year. They have moth
ing to do at present. I know one man,
whose income aggregated upwards Of
$4,000 per annum. He was known
everywhere, and had armies of friends.
In fact he used to do most of his bust
ness by postal card, and devote himself
to fishing and shooting, Of which he
was extremely fond. His firm narrow.
ly escaped being swallowed up, and
they kept off the wolf solely by re-
trenchment. They had to dispense
with his services, and one of the part
ners is now travelling. These men
are rather badly off, because they can
find no other positions, and even if they
have little money they cannot start
business of their own, because there is
so little demand to buy.
Anybody that opens new business
or new house feels in honor bound to
have house warming, but the climax
of this custom was reached this week
when an undertaken invited select
party to attend the opening of his new
store. The person in question is the
Sexton of fashionable Catholic Church
and he opened branch establishment
in Third Avenue. The festive board,
consisted of lot of collins placed to-