New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-04


Another carnival OF crime! This time one that
must awake all good citizens to the dangers OF
reform and arouse the police so that they will
no longer foster murder for the sake Of becoming
TEMPERANCE advocates Let them longer try
To excuse their inefliclcncy by attributing law
lcssness to the weather and declaring that the
crimes are those which no police force could
prevent or pointing out that the offender went
out beyond Their Jurisdiction to commit his
dcprcda,ions. From the beginning 1t must have
been apparent that these Westchester and New
Jersey crimes were committed by NewYork
rascals who went beyond the city limits In the
execution Of p nefarious conspiracy to help the
reformers who are running this town. The al
lance between the administration and the Grim
inals 10 turn NcwYork into n headquarters from
which excursions into the surrounding country
might be made must be plain. II anybody
doubts IT, let him look to what happened on
Sunday In Long Island City.
Michael Kracmcr. young man who lived with
his mother and brother In that town. got drunk
AMI killed his mother because she asked him
not TO make disturbance in their home that
afternoon. and then turned his pistol 10 his own
head and killed hlmsef. o. But that had
nothing TO do with the New-York police. The
murder was not even the act OF a New-iork
crook emerged from his rcformclad place OF
refuge but was committed by Hunters Point
brute In the privacy OF his own home. Walt
minute Examine the details OF the ease and see
how responsibility for the crime Will he brought
Enthusiastically 10 Mulberry Street. Notice the
circumstances and It will be as plain as a pike
staff that but for the Puritanic impcrtlncnce OF
the reformers old Mrs. Kraemcr might still be
In good health in her Long Island City home. In
the first place, 1t Is recorded Of the family that
on Sunday they had been entertaining party
Of friends from Ncw-York." and that plenty
Of drink was supplied" Now 1t is matter Of
common knowledge that the inQuisitorial blue
law methods Of the New York police have caused
a weekly exodus to ncghborng places. People
were compelled to 60 visiting to get their needed
supply OF Sunday liquids Doubtless II the New
York saloons had been open. the Kraemcrs would
not have had company and Michael would not.
as reported have made frequent trips back and
forth TO a nearby saloon" become hilarious then
dlsputatous and finally murderous in the sacred
precincts OF his own household. ii Is more like
ly that but for Mulberry Street he would have
come here. and II driven 10 desperation, killed
some fcllow-ruffian in a Ncw-YOrk saloon instead
OF numbering MS mOtner. Illus 10 we stu ho"
the police have caused a good woman to be
killed instead Of n bad man. and how they strive
10 make a fictitious record for good order by
driving persons murdcrousy inclined to stay
away from here and commit their crimes on
Long Island.
Some narrow minded person My here remark
that the trouble lay with that nearby saloon"
which Michael found open and visited 40 fire.
oucntly on Sunday afternoon. He may say the
same policy of enforcing the law adopted here
might have resulted well across the river. and
that whether or not the conditions OF life there
are such us TO make extraordinary efforts TO
close the saloons practicable, the Sunday de-
bauch Of Michael and its result Is an argument
In favor of the Ncw-York system and It's result
ing decrease in the number OF Monday arraign-
mcnts for crimes and misdcmcanors due to in
toyicatiOn To such person there Is nothing TO
be said except to remind him that II was Mi
chael's inal.cnabe right TO get drunk in the re-
trcmcnt Of his house on Sunday II he wished 1t.
Having that right. 1t would have been tyrannical
to deprive him Of the means OF exercising 1t by
trips to the nearby saloon" That the enjoy
mcnt OF his rights led to the murder Of Mrs.
Kraemer Is to be regretted, but, after all, 1t
should not be forgotten that Michael was treat
ing his New York friends driven from home
through police tyranny, and naturally he was
| incensed that his mother should object to Il
largc-heartcd hospitality TO compensate them for
the lack Of excitement ut home. 1t is easy to
turn the incident into n temperance lesson in
stead OF putting the blame where it belongs.