The record-union., 1898-07-18
WAR and CRIME.
DECREASE OF THE LATTER
SINCE HOSTILITIES BEGAN.
Remarkable Result Of an Inspec-
tion of Police Court Records
in New York.

ldI ISdCHlilS, dIlu tuSy die Ollci opP'NA
ent in the most unexpected quarters
and under the most unexpected con-
ditions. One can readily understand
how certain branches of trade should
be affected by our present difficulty
with Spain, and how the stock markets
should feel its influences. That is to be
expected, and is not in itself a matter
tot be wondered at.
But there is cause for wonder in the
fact that here in New York (and it is
reasonable to suppose the same condi-
tions exist elsewhere) the war has mad
an astonishing effect upon crime.
Within the last two months the Police
Department and the criminal courts
have experienced a remarkable change.
1t is safe to say that not in twenty
years has there been so little evidence
of crime in New York as at the present
moment
A casual glance through the pages of
the daily papers will show that GRIM
inal news is a scarce article. Where
six months ago you were wont to be
shocked at the breakfast table by the
sickening details of some atrocious
deed, or where you were obliged to scan
column after column of criminal intel
ligence, you now see little evidence
that crime still exists in New York
DUE TO THE WAR.
And now you will at once jump to the
conclusion that the reason lies in the
fact that such news is either "boiled
down. by the gentlemen with blue pen
ellis, with whom every newspaper Office
is plentifully supplied, or else is crowd
ed out altogether to make room for war
news 1t isn't because there is less
crime, you will probably argue, but
simply because there is less room in the
papers in which to exploit it.
But there you are wrong. Boiled
down the chronicles of crime certainly
are to meet the exigencies of the situ-
alton, but there is comparatively little
to boil down. / spenr a day last week
in investigating the situation and in
attempting to arrive at some solution to
the problem. Everywhere-in the Po-
lice Courts, in the District Attorneys
office, at Police Headquarters, 7 was as
sured that since hostilities with Spain
began there has been a great decrease
in crime.
1t was impossible to secure substan-
tiatory figures, but the situation speaks
for itself. At Jefferson Market Police
Court, where previously two sessions
were required every day, lasting on an
average two hours EACH the entire
| business of the court is disposed of
very often at one sitting, which seldom
lasts more than an hour The same
condition of affairs prevails at the
other Police Courts
LESS CRIME THAN FOR YEARS.
The District Attorneys office also
proved the same thing. Not since 1871
has the office been so free from criminal
cases. The dockets are thoroughly
cleaned out, and there is no reason
why any person who has been indicted
and released on bail should not have
trial within five days. Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Lindsay is authority for
the statement that there is less crime
! in New York to-day, when the city
harbors 100000 souls, than when the
total population was 100000
| The war is without a doubt at least
indirectly responsible for this state Of
affairs. Just why this should be opens
up a, broad field for speculation and re-
/ search, from psychological point of
view. Is it that the criminals have MI
enlisted? That is not a pleasant solu-
ton. 1t is not nice thing to think
that the defenders of a nations honor
are recruited from the criminal classes.
in proportion the thieves and crooks of
the lower class, the cutthroats and the
homeless wanderers have not neglected
the opportunity to enlist. Mr.. Lindsay
is rather inclined to this belief.
HAVE CRIMINALS ENLISTED?
L do not believe with Nordau and
others Of the degenerate school that
men are evil by birth or environment"
he said to me. Crime, to my way of
! thinking-and l have had ample oppor-
tunities to study it in its every phase
/ is almost invariably the result Of either
| impulse or necessity. Every mans
natural inclinations are for good Pow
| erty and want are the principal goad
to crime, aside from impulse.
! These poor devils who are driven to
stealing, and who afterward keep it up.
have seen in the war an opportunity
to get away from themselves. so to
speak. A soldiers pay and a soldiers
rations mean a great deal to them. So
L dare say many of them have en-
listed
! A positive air of stagnation per-
meates police headquarters. Acting
Chief Devery and Captain McClusky
of the Detective Bureau both agree
that crime has fallen off fully one-half
II not more, since the first gun of the
Spanish-American war was fired. Flat
robbers are as scarce as hens teeth
And usually this is the time of year,
or from now on during the summer
that these gentry are usually most in
evidence
A POSSIBLE SOLUTION.
| Even arrests for drink and disorderly
| conduct are few and far between as
4 compared with the usual number Of
such petty offenses. The dipsomaniac
the habitual drunkard, whose brain is
usually deadened, and whose sodden
mind is so often in a state of pitiable
density, perhaps is as habitualIy drunk
as ever. But the liquor does not now
have its usual stupefying effect
Low as he may be in the social scale,
he cannot help feeling an interest in
the war. There is something for him
to think about. His sluggish brain
makes some effort to perform it's normal
| functions, and the liquor which he
drinks acts less readily upon his sys-
tenn
And it is so with all classes of hu-
manity. One scarcely realizes the in
tense interest taken in the latest news
from the front until one comes in di-
trect contact with the various elements
which go to make up the population of
Greater New York. The veriest Bow
cry bum is keyed up to a high pitch
of enthusiasm. Idleness and vice, un-
der such circumstances could not pos
sibly be such close comDanionS as when