Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-05-23
NEW YORK LETTER.
NEW YORK,
Nav 10, 1890.

May 10. 1890.
DEAR REGISTER-New York was
treated to another police outrage the
other day. One night last week ex-
Mayor Hewitt's son was escortlng u
lady home and in crossing the street
was nearly run over by q careless CAP
man. He seized the horse by the brl-
die and jerked him back, at which
the driver struck Mr.. Hewitt several
times with his whip, who in turn hit
the driver with his cane. AT this q
noliceman came up and without any
INQUIRY arrested Mr.. Hewitt and took
him to the station house in very
rough and uncalled-for manner. t is
now thought that the copper" will
be broke" which means that he will
have to leave the. force. A rounds
man who saw it all never interfered
or even inquired about it. Fortu-
nately this happens to man OF suffi-
Gent prominence to have the matter
brought to the courts-had it hap
pened to poor man as it does nearly
every day. no notice would have been
taken OF it. One paper in speaking
of it asked il the brutal Russian police
force was as bad as ours. This spring
in one of our small parks a police
man struck a small boy on the arm
with his club, and broke the child's
arm in two places. He could give no
reason for doing so. Several men
have been nearly dubbed to death by
these brutal keepers of the peace, ]"
and nearly all remain on the force.
This is brought about by the pull
they have. The force is composed of
nearly two thirds of uneducated for
eigners-a large majority of whom
are Irish. There are nearly $500 New
York police, and it would be safe to
saw that of these, $500 are Irish, or OF
direct Irish descent. Their own and
only ambition is to become a club
ber.' and their most notable charac-
teristic is lack of brains. In handling
a crowd or keeping order on the
streets they are hard to beat, but
they excel in bribe-taking. Harry
Hill, noted keeper of low saloons
and dance halls here, is a good exam
pie of how our finest" police DO bus
mess. While Hill was down town
and making money and could give
the police captains plenty OF money
he was given police protection
When bad luck struck him and he
could not meet their greedy demands
he was gradually chased up town
until he is now up in Harlem, by the
bridge, not worth q cent. Mr.. Ham,
merstein, one of New York's public
spirited men, owns fine theatre in
Harlem. Police Captain Hooker
closed this one night, during q per-
Torrance, and arrested Mr.. Hammer
stein, and one of the actors, because
his license had expired the day before.
This Mr.. Hammerstein had tried to
renew that day but was told that it
was not convenient just then and was
promised that he would not be inter
fered with. This arrest was due to
pure malice ON the police captains
part because Mr.. Hammerstein was
tired of giving him nearly 100 seats
per week and submitting to his in
suits. This officer will also have to
appear at the courts. Nearly every
police captain has amassed fortune
during his term in that capacity and
all own fine property, while the
pay they get would not even bear
their expenses, in the luxurious
style in which they live. All of
the saloons here violate the ex-
else law and are run all day Sunday
i'm the most open manner. The police
know it and are well paid for the
knowledge. The gambling bells are
run nearly as openly as the saloons.
The police and Anthony Comstock
know it and grow rich off of the
fact. New York is full of disreputable
and low houses and resorts run in
violation of the law. The police and
Anthony Comstock know this better
than any one else, but money has
great power. These are few of the
ways that the police get rich. Their
power and pull is so great that
they may even escape an investiga-
ton by the Fasset Committee. If
any one dares oppose the police he is
thought foolish and their power for
long time has been supreme. But
the knowing ones say that their
reign is drawing to q close. What a
difference between the patriotic feel
ing of the North and the South. IL
ever the monument for General Grant
is dragged through the streets Of this
city it is safe to say that no fair hands
will help pull it as was the case at
Richmond. 1t is doubtful if the men
would pull it here, much less any Of
the ladies. How long the Grant monu-
ment fund has dragged along. No
one seems to know or care any thing
about it. Over the Office Of that most
devoutly pious paper, ruled by
Brother Sheppard, the Mail and Es-
press, that seasons its news with
text from the Bible every day, is
large weather beaten painted canvas
sign, Build General Grants Monu-
ment The Mail and Express starts
the subscription with $4,000. Every
subscription received for the weekly
Mail and Express turned over to the
fundr In rich city like this it
looks like parody on patriotism.
Last Saturday Virginia girl, Miss
Nettie Littell, rode through Central
Park and down Fifth Avenue in the
bifurcated, or divided skirt, riding
habit. 1t looked very modest and
any thing but startling, and from the
many advantages it gives the rider,
it is almost sure that this will become
a most popular fad.
The proposed Brady Gable Rail
way steal is 70 miles of this city's
streets, not 10, as the REGISTER had it
Ia ST. week r. b. j