New-York tribune., 1897-07-22
THE "DAGO" AND THE LOAFER.

Antonio Agnio, peaceable, hardworking and,
80 far as we know respectable man of Italian
birth, Is held q prisoner at the Tombs in default
of $1,000 bail-it might as well have been
S15OOO-to await trial at some far-of day for
having shot in the leg Charles MacMahon, one
of a gang of young ruffians who assaulted him
as he was engaged IN the lawful exercise OF
his vocation Agnio, who Is bone collector,
was driving through the street when he was
fixed upon as proper subject for attack by
one Of the street gangs which delight to rob
and maltreat "Dagos." They threw stones and
decayed vegetables at him, and finally jumped
into his wagon and began beating him In the
face. Driven to desperation, he drew re-
yolver and attempted to drive off his tormentors
bv shooting at random. One of the blackguards
received a bullet In the leg. woundng him
slightly Then the ruffians Of the neighbor-
hood. taking a lesson from the rufians of other
regions, threatened to lynch the Dago," but
instead he only langulshes in jail
Now. If this is not on the face Of 1t, rank In
Justice. we do not know what injustice is. We
do not lose sight Of the fact that shooting cases
cannot be passed over without investigation,
and that the processes Of the law must often
be inconvenient to innocent people Nor should
the use of firearms be encouraged among
uuick-tempered people prone to violence in petty
ouarrels At the same time, 1t is hard that the
hand of the law should thus heavily be laid on
the poor victim of aggression, that he should
be kent from his work, that those who may be
dependent on him should be left without sup
mort while the young hoodlums are left to run
at large and annoy other people. 1t Is noto-
rlous fact that many policemen look with good
thn
attempts to "have fun with the Dago' and the
'Chink'" Whenever such citizens are involved
in trouble with English-or rather Bowery-
speaking persons the police act on the theory
that they are to blame. In three cases out OF
four the fact probably is that they are wantoniy
baited and maddened beyond what they can
and far beyond what they ought to endure.
They are unpopular to a certain extent because
they work harder and are more thrifty than the
loafers who would like to be paid twice as
much for doing the same work half as well.
But the abuse of them is due mainly 10 the
mean and cowardly characteristic of the scum
of all countries the love Of bullying foreigners
poorer than themselves.
The hoodlums need some severe lessons. The
police should be held far more strictly to their
dutv of protecting Italian as well as other resi-
dents from annoyance The Neapoltans ana
Sicans may be quarresome among themselves,
but they are usually peaceable in their relations
with others They are, indeed. so patient as to
encourage loafers to attack them. Imagine an
Irishman subjected to the annoyance the ltai-
ian pedler suffers daily. There would be some
broken heads in town without fail, and the gen
eral verdict would be that the lrlshman was a
good fellow who knew how to take care or
himself We should by TO means counsel the
Italians 10 meet force with force, but If every
street tough who thinks It smart to stone 'Da-
eos" could be removed TO make place for
bardwo;king and law abiding. if not always
agreeable Italian, this city would be more
comfortable dwelling place.