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"Police Insolence"

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POLICE INSOLENCE.

We are pleased to see that our criticism upon the kidnapping move in Broadway has met with very extensive favor.1 Having nothing against the justices and the constables, personally, we venture to hope that we shall never be called upon to record a proceeding of this kind again.


Notes:

1. This is in reference to an event that occurred on March 23, 1842, in which two police constables (George Matsell and Ephraim Stevens) arrested around 50 women they suspected to be prostitutes, or "evening belles." Matsell (1811–1877) became a police magistrate in 1840 and was later promoted to police chief. Stevens (birth and death dates unknown) was also a police magistrate at the time, but it is unknown when he was appointed. Whitman first reported on the incident the following morning in the Aurora issue of March 24, under the headline "The Great Haul." On March 26, in an untitled editorial, the Aurora clarified their original message and stated that while they believe the police magistrates to be good people, they denounced their "scoundrelly" and "outrageous" actions in arresting and imprisoning the women. [back]

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