The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04
The Investigation Must Go to the
Bottom.

The suspicion of the police and of tho in
telligent and discerning public that the
stealing OF the Clark baby was simply
specimen OF the enterprise Of the Infamous
journalism by which New York has been
dsgraced so long, may not be justified by
tho facts as brought out in the legal in
vestigation into the crime, but unquestion-
ably the circumstances, as revealed thus
far, point SO strongly that way that tho
suspicion can only be removed by a thor
ough investigation showing it to DO
groundless. On It's face tho Job has all tho
earmarks Of masterpiece of the criminal
newspaper gang.
The use Of the newspaper by criminal de-
generates for distinctly criminal purposes
began in New York several years ago.
journalism furnished field for the gratifl-
cation OF criminal impulses beside which
all others were poor in opportunities for
the exhibition OF malign propensites, and
as soon as it was made manifest that q
newspaper had been opened for their en-
ployment the vile birds focked after the
carrlon from all quarters. DECEASED crea-
lures, both men and women, We're quick to
respond to the demand for them. and it is
painful to record that among the most eager
were depraved examples Of womanhood.
Even where these wretched women had
not yet fallen to the lowest social abyss pos
sble for them, but still retained some at
least, OF the finer and tendercr impulses Of
womanhood. they were compelled to act as
the tools OF constituencies principals, who
took advantage OF their need Of money to
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They wcro utilized both rs provokers and
detectives OF vile and criminal manifesto
tons, with view to getting material for
sensational reports for the newspapers
employing and melting them.
No reputation was safe from the maign
| industry OF these criminal editors. They
| plotted against liberty and even life, in order
| that they might get ahead of each other in
| their competition as producers and purvcy-
ors Of scandal and outrage, Of falschood and
| uncleanness. They set traps for the I'M
wary, terrified the innocent with threats Of
damaging publications and turned the hon
| orable Office OF the newspaper reporter into
| q school for detectives and panders. OF
| course criminality drew to it kindred and
sympathetic criminality from every walk
in life and from every part Of the world,
and it was ceasclcss in it's industry and fer
tile in its invention. Nobody, nothing,
was too high or pure to escape from the
pollution OF its unclean touch. It's agents
moused their way everywhere in their
zeal to introduce or propagate corruption
and to excite vile suspicion, to be used for
| its profit.
! While this criminal activity Of the new
| journalism was proceeding thus tirelessly
1t took pains to conciliate or browbeat the
vanity. blindness or timldity Of respectable
| ity, and even Of religious emincnce in order
to get cover OF apparent decency behind
which to pursue its odious industry Thus,
to some extent it was able to enlist in its
service even the Church itself, and political
ambition was scduced into the same en-
ployment. They may not have known the
use to which they were put, but they were
in fact put forward only as stool pigeons.
1t was natural and it was logical, there
FORE when the stealing OF the Clark baby
occurred under circumstances so far I'M
explainable by the reasons usually in
flucncing such a crime, that tho suspicion
should DO general among both the police
and the public that the incentive had been
| FURNISHED ny lulS newspaper criminal
ity. The parents OF the stolen child
were manfcstly unable to pay for her
recovery any ransom which would be
looked upon by ordinary criminals as a
sufficient recompcnso for tho peril of the
crime. The agents employed in the kid
mapping seem, mono Of them to have be-
longcd to the specially criminal class, but
to have been amatcurs-men and women
easily purchasable because of their con-
dition as the stray fish Of society About
the whole job appeared at least sem
blanco OF the peculiar Intelligence and
ingenuity recognized as distinguishing
the criminal journalism. 1t has revealed
itself in the form Of the letters sent out by
tho agents, in the character Of the men
and women composing the band of kidnap-
ping consplrators and in the unusual com.
posture OF tho prisoners apprehended
Obviously the crime had not been devised
by the ingenuity Of ordinary criminals. 1t
presented features which were at once ap,