With only the names of the actors and victims before him, and a brief statement of each crime given by a New York paper, Dr. Newton proceeds to give reasons for the homicides in detail. This is what he says by way of explanation:
“New York is one of the hardest places in the world in which to analyze crime. One of the chief motives of crime is the publicity given to it. It allows every criminal to keep thoroughly posted as to what is done with his own class, what is the character of the punishment, and the number accused who escape punishment. The relations between the criminals and the police are well known. The police certainly have no deterrent effect upon the criminal, for there are numerous cases in which they acted as intermediaries.” And further he says: “I believe that this great wave of crime which has suddenly come upon New York within the last few months is due solely to the opportunities which the evil-disposed, but not yet criminal, have of mixing with this dangerous element. In foreign countries crime is restricted, and the criminal readily found, for the reason that he is compelled to associate with people of his own class, and the only public places he goes to are known as thieves’ dens. In no city in the world but New York are men whose pictures are in the Rogues’ Gallery and known to every police official, allowed to enter reputable hotels, restaurants, theatres, etc. There is not only less crime in the large continental cities than here, but crime is surely punished. When the reputable citizen is robbed or assaulted, he knows or suspects where the criminal came from, but here criminals go everywhere, and the person has really no protection from them.”
In regard to suicides, the Medical News says:
“New York City is not the worst of the cities of the United States in the matter of its suicide statistics. By actual comparison it is only fifth on the list, St. Louis having the unenviable distinction of being first in this regard. It is a curious reflection that St. Louis, with its German population and the reputation the city has acquired for the manufacture, if not the consumption, of a large amount of high-grade beer, should occupy the same place in suicide statistics that was held for a long time by Munich, in Bavaria, which enjoys the distinction of supremacy in the same line of business.”
In General Bingham’s report for 1907, it is recorded that the New York police arrested 204,119 for the year. Out of this number no less than 92,045 persons were arrested for intoxication, disorderly conduct, and the violation of the Liquor Tax Law. As can be readily seen, all of these arrests were the direct result of the licensed saloon. In other words, if there were no saloons or intoxicants in this city, more than 92,000 persons would have been immune from arrest and imprisonment. These facts speak for themselves, and need not the impassioned eloquence of the orator to make them clear.
In his report for 1908, the Commissioner omits all mention of the arrests for intoxication and disorderly conduct, but places these offences under the head of misdemeanors. This was done, no doubt, to ease the consciences of the rum and beer interests, who do not want to see in cold type the number of persons who are daily ruined by this damnable business.
Last year there were 244,000 arrests in Greater New York. Judging from the figures of other years, one half must be laid at the door of the saloon.
The following table, which we received from the State Department of Excise, shows the number of liquor tax certificates in force, and the money received therefor. This table covers what are known as the five boroughs of Greater New York:
LIQUOR TAX CERTIFICATES AND MONEY RECEIVED.
Boroughs | No. Ctfs. in Force. | Money Received. |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan and the Bronx | 7,015 | $7,876,561 09 |
| Brooklyn | 3,836 | 3,632,191 91 |
| Queens | 1,344 | 513,095 65 |
| Richmond | 479 | 181,523 75 |
| ───── | ────────── | |
| Total | 12,674 | $12,203,372 40 |