The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-08-23
OUR LETTER FROM BROADBRlM

Sunday Law in New York and brooklyn
The Front Door Closed, Daek Door Open
Governor Cleveland Using the Pardon
ing Power-The stock Market to Take d
Boom-Saicide of a Prominent Citizen.
NEW YORK. August 49, 1884
EDITOR CHIEF:
We are now within three months of a
National election, and the fact is so evident
that he who runs may read
The laws of New York and Brooklyn are
most stringent on the subject of temper
ance. One statute declares that every place
retailing liquors shall close its doors at 12
O'Clock at night, and that no liquor shall
be sold or drunk upon the premises be-
tween that hour and o'clock the next
morning. And furthermore, that ell places
licensed to sell liquor shall be closed upon
the Sabbath or Lords day, from the hour
Of II o'clock on Saturday night till o'clock
on Monday morning; and to enforce these
municipal regulations, New York and
Brooklyn maintain standing army of
about G00O police, at q cost not far from
$S,0O0,000 per annum. We grumble at the
extravagant outlay of the United States in
maintaining beggarly army of $4,000
men to cover territory of millions of
miles, and guard the interests of $4,000, 900
of people. Yet here we maintain at q ter
rible cost-to guard couple of millions
an army one quarter as large, and at an
infinitely greater expense per capita.
But Notwithstanding our municipal army,
on the approach of an election the ascen-
dancy of the whiskey interest is felt. On
Sunday last the side doors of half or two
thirds of the saloons in New York and
Brooklyn were open with nons to molest
them Or make them afraid-mer, women
and children went in and out with pals,
bottles and pitchers, and the alert police
man on guard, never dreamt that there
was any infraction of the law.
The drunkenness and riot were fearful,
much worse than it has been any Sunday
for year past-the result might be rea-
sonably expected; a large number of deeds
of violence, and certainly one-and prob
ably two-murders. This is not pleasant
exhibit for two of the greatest municipali-
ties in this land, but we may reasonably ex-
pect it just as long as rum remains such
potent factor in our elections. There is no
mistake but the criminal classes know and
feel that they have broader latitude at cleo
ton times than they have at any other Pc
riod, and they seem to turn it to the most
account. Straws show which
way the wind blows, and little circum-
stance occurred last week which shows
pretty conclusively the effect of election in
fuence. 1t has been generally understood
that our model Governor has set his face
against the undue use of the pardoning
power, and like his predecessor Governor
Cornell, he has used the executive prerog-
atiye very sparingly, and has seldom inter
fered with the administration of justice,
for doing so, but change has come over
the spirit of his dreams, that to say the
least, is strange. About twenty years ago
q most brutal murder was committed by
young German, who was sentenced to
States prison for life. It is SO long ago
that almost forget the attendant circum-
stances; but the murderer was boarding in
a German family, and his landlady had a
young sister of whom he became enamoured,
MS effectioa was returned, but being care
ful young man he did not want to get mar
RED till such time as he could start in busi-
ness for himself. To obviate this trifing diff
,ulty his expected brother-in-law offered to