It seems to be nearly impossible in New York to
punish any- body if he belongs to the ruling fraternity of roughs. The omnibus-conductors are now said to be in league with desperadoes who enter the cars, insult women, steal watches, and beat pas- sengers with impunity. Recently one of these ruffians, named Foster, insulted a young lady in a car, and Mr. Putnam, a mer- chant of standing, interfered. Thereupon Foster waited till he was getting out, and killed him by a blow from behind. By a. miracle Foster was arrested, but it is doubted if he will be hanged, the papers indeed pointing out already that the indictment has been so drawn up that he can only be convicted of manslaughter. Foster will probably be condemned to a limited period of imprison- ment, and then let out as a useful agent for the ruling Ring. It begins to be clear that nothing short of a Vigilance Committee will save New York, and it is greatly to be regretted that the roughs do not kill a merchant a day. In about a fortnight the city would be in the hands of the respectables, backed by the
militia, two or three judges would have been shot, and the astounding statement of a most respectable paper that a man who walked down Broadway with a gold watch-chain would take hislife in his hand, would be a falsehood instead of an exaggeration.
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