Year: 1879




The beneficence of our national revenue
system and the intelligence of our mu-
nicipal Police Board both are beautifully
illustrated by the dealings of the two with
little wooden box at the Custom House.
Arnold Walder commits a double murder,
aggravated by robbery, in Paris, escapes to
Havre aud probably sails for New York,
Investigation satisfies the police of Paris
that he is professional felon and likely to
commit crimes of the most desperate char
acter wherever he goes. Accordingly, not
alone for the purpose Of arresting him, but
also for the purpose OF kindly warning this
community against the danger OF his pres
ence, the Paris police pack into little
wooden box number Of placards de-
scribing his person and his booty and
otherwise affording valuable information
to identify him. This box they forward
by steamer, addressing it to the Chief OF the
New York Police and generously preparing
the freight. 1t arrives here on the 2Sth CT
November and is conveyed to the Custom
House stores to await the further payment
of six dollars and twenty-five cents, duties
assessed upon the placards and their pack
ing case under our wonderful tariff The
Police Board are informed by the Custom
House officers that it is subject to their
order and contains lot of papers. The
four Police Commissioners hold debate
whether it is worth while to pay six dollars
and twenty five cents to find out what is
printed in the documents. One of them is
credited with arguing that they might OBJ
tain q great deal more old paper for less
money ut any junk shop in Ann street.
Finally they refuse to pay the duties
and vote to abandon the little wooden
box. But another of the four, having
previously been a revenue officer himself,
and now having his curiosity excited, go
down to the Custom House to crafty it. and
by some mysterious method, known only
to the initiated in revenue business, con-
trives to peep into the box and possess
himself of one of the placards. This he
produces at another formal meeting Of the
Police Board, on December IL. and the four
Commissioners put their wise heads and
long ears together in vain over the docu-
ment, 1t being composed In French. Some
body suggests that they send for French
grammar and dictionary, which being done
and the doors locked they painfully de-
cipher word by word the evidence that
one of the most desperate robbers and
murderers in the world probably has
been at large for some time in the city
of New York, and that they have neglected
for two weeks to avail themselves of the
evidence of his presence which was at any
time within their reach on payment of six
dollars and twenty-five cents. Forthwith
the money is paid and the little wooden
box is secured ut Police Headquarters, and
then begins hurry and furry among all
the police stations about Arnold Walder,
which is intended to.make atonement for
the previous ineficiency. Blessed is the
country which levies tariff dues of six dol
lars and twenty-five cents on little wooden
boxes of this kind, and blessed is the city
which has Police Board that neglects for
two weeks to pay them. Blessed, because
the murderers and robbers do not under
stand how miserable our revenue and po-
lice systems both are; for if they did no.
body's life and property would be safe.