The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-11-08


Since then the dry goods business has
known him no more
Terror of the Night.
There can be no doubt that Comstock
mistook his calling when he went into
the dry goods line. He was born to I've
suppressor of vice. His aptitude for
this work is disputed by none least of
all by his inveterate enemies, who have
had high reason to know his efficiency.
To thousands of persons who have
dealt or desired to deal in publications
prohibited by law Comstock has been
Nemesis, hobgoblin. terror of til
night. They have awaited in fear AMI
trembling his swooping down upon
them. He is sure to swoop sooner or
later If he gets clew to an offender in
this direction. and he never lets up UNI
Z til he bags his game An admirer has
said of him, ut is enough to say that
when on the trail of an offender An
thony Comstock hunts him with all
the skill that a ferret exhibits when
upon the track of rat
There was no general law prohibit
ing the senGinc of obscene matter
through the mails. Anthony Comstock
went to Washington in 1873 and lob
bed through such law against the
most violent opposition. Then there
was nobody to see that it was enforc-
cd. Constock had himself appointed
a postofice Inspector with the special
duty of detecting and prosecuting vio-
latioGs of the Comstock law. At his
own request lie was appointed to serve
without pay. and for more than thirty
years he has held this position With no
remuneration from the government.
Arrested CEc Man Seventeen Times.
Literally ana tiguratively the bullets
began to fly as soon as Comstock was
well launched upon his real career.
lie has been shot at Il number of
times by men whom he has caused to
be imprisoned for dealing in green
goods OF obscene literature Once in
City Hal! park, New York, he was
stabbed by & man whom lie had arrest
ed sixteen times for sending obscene
matter through the mails to fourteen
states Comstock arrested the man
for the seventeenth time, turned him
over to uniformed officer and went
and had his wound dressed.
One day at his home in Summit n.
j., he received through the mail a
package containing some vile smelling
rags. An expert to whom the rags
We're submitted found that they We're
covered with smallpox scabs and virus
of the most malignant kind.
At another time Comstock was the
recipient of an Internal machine. He
still keeps it as a souvenir though he
has disposed of the bundle of rags.
Comstock carries a revolver. Many
times he has observed men shadowing
him, and upon having them arrested it
has been discovered that they were
walking arsenals. AS n rule, they are
men whom Comstock at some time or
other has sent to prison. On one oc-
casion CoElstock was walking down
Nassau street when he came face to
face with man who had threatened
to kill him at sight. This fellow had
dealt in bad literature. and Con.stock
had sent him to Sing Sing.
81 did not propose to take any
chances Comstocll said in relating the
incident. 80 just held my revolver in
my coat pocket ready for instant ac-
ton. The man stopped right IL front
of me and said that he wanted me to
help him out of trouble. He stated that
he had been arrested in Brooklyn
charged with crime of which he was
innocent. He was out on bail. He told
me that had convicted him fairly the
time we met before and he Believed
me to be square. He thought l could
help him. l went over and investigated
the case. found that the man was limo.
cent. caused the arrest and conviction
of the actual criminal and made a firm
friend of my former enemy"
But One Judgment Against Him.
Damage suits aggregating claims of
more than $25O,OOO have been brought
against the vice suppressor by persons
aggrieved because of his confscation of
photographs. paintings, statuary or
literature" There has been but one
judgment against him, and that was
tS q ~, inf