Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-26
ROUND ABOUT NEW YORK.

ROUND ABOUT NEW YORK.
RippIes ON the Current of Life In the
METROPOLIS.
One of the finest philanthropios in New
York City is that of the Legal Aid So
ciety. 1t was established some years age
to give gratuitous advice and furnish legal
assistance TO deserving poor. who had been
| wrongfully treated but were without sum-
| Client means to assert their rights. The
society dealt with 800 cases in 1876, but
last year, in its five Offices. with the assist
ance of fourteen attorneys, the society
looked after about 5000 cases. There has
| been recovered and paid over to it's clients
by the society over 81 10000 which, with
| out its aid. would have been withheld from
100000 working people by unjust employers.
The finest thing about this Legal Aid So
ciety as is pointed out by its treasurer,
| Louis wlndmuller. Is that IL serves to re-
store in these poor people confidence In
| the justice of our institutions thus en-
couraging their continued fight for an in
dependent existence. Mr. windmuller re-
ports that the contributions fail to cover
the ever-growing expenses of this society.
and intelligent and well-to-do New Workers.
/ ought to see to that without much urging.
| II the Carnegie Hero Fund commission
| has done its work thoroughly, and there
is every reason to believe II has, real heroes
are at premium Even the awful tragedy
| OF the burning of the steamer General Slo-
| cum failed to develop one.
| For three months the commission has
been investigating and verifying the num-
| berless tales told of the disaster that
snuffed out 1000 lives in less than an hour.
but no truly certified hero has been found.
Neither the survivors nor the witnesses OF
the heart-rending sacrifice of human life
in New York harbor were able to give evil
dence that would add laurels to any breast.
The commission held that none of the
Slocum applicants for a medal ran any
risks The commission. however. did sue
coed in discovering one instance of real
heroism, fully authenticated.
Ignorant of the fact that he had been
dead for nearly two days, workmen made
Charles Brady, an employe of the Console
dated Gas company, the butt of their jokes,
while his lifeless form rested on a ladder
in house at 80 Washington street.
He had been nsphyxiated by gas while
he was putting in a meter. His head and
one hand were still In a small compartment
and he appeared to be at work.
Say, old man." said Louis Bach. the
elevator man, who had seen Brady enter
the building on Saturday afternoon, ARE
you going to sleep over that job? You'd
! better get a move on or the boss will be
after YOU"
John Woods tried to shove piece of
board under Brady's left foot as a joke.
When Brady did not move the police were
notified. 1t was found that Brady was
dead. His hand ArmlN SDnR n
plug, with which ne had opened a gas
cock. and from the open vent gas was
pouring.
In New York City in Che past year the
administrative department of weights and
measures has reported LEAP cases of viola
ton of the law and has listed this num-
Der OF persons for prosecution. The cor
poration counsel has collected $12573 in
fines The bureau has confiscated 1882 false
scales and measures. Although New York
is a large city the number of deliberate
violations of the law for the purpose of
gain and under an administration most
vigilant in it's efforts to protect the con-
sumers shows a deplorable low plane of
honesty among a large number OF trades
people.
| OF the 122 known residents of Fifth ave.
niue who acknowledge that they are worth
upward of a million only a half dozen pay
personal property taxes on valuation ex-
ceeding 100000. There are fifty demi-gods
OF wealth who keep domiciles along Fifth
avenue at least six months in the year.
yet, when the tax man comes around. they
sneak out of their obligations by claiming
residence In Newport or Virginia or on
I Iala ha ~
taxes by millionaires has been particularly
scandalous. The worst part of It all is
that these persons get the greatest benefit
from police protection for their properties;
! they are enabled to evade jury service;
| they, for the most part, refuse to vote,
! and are altogether a poor lot OF critters,
Judged by the best standards OF good cit-
| zenship. Yet when a poor devil who may
happen to own a piano grumbles about
personal property taxes they call him an
anarchist OF the 40 boxhoders in the
Metropolitan Opera house only six pay
taxes on valuation of 100000. The whole
business is a cheap. unpatriotic swindle,
At to stand with the insurance frauds and
| certainly deserving to fall with them.
| New Yorks postoffice pays the expenses
of hundreds and perhaps thousands OF
offices whose revenues are below their out
lay.
| The annual report on the local Office,
! Just made public. shows that profits in
! 1906 amounted to 81, Oe6,O67 an increase Of
81, S59,SS3 over 1904. The increase in profits
nearly equaled the increase in postal re-
ceipts. The total receipts were SIS, ,O67;
eleven-sixteenths OF this amount, acquired
through antique service but good ad-
ministration, was clear profit 1t kept
down the national deficit nearly one-half.
Leading members of the New York bar
are becoming alarmed at the number OF
. complaints being made against legal sharks
in that city. Almost every day a com
plant against some lawyer is filed in the
district attorneys ONCE. Indeed. the record
shows that at least 40 per cent OF the COM
plants lodged with the district attorney
are against lawyers. In the last year four
teen OF them have been convicted and sent
| to prison and a half dozen are now await
ing trial for such offenses as larceny, per-
jury and embezzement. The experience OF
those who have been caught seems to count
| for little in the matter OF warning others.
Foolish Proposition.