Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1885 — LONDON’S SENSATION. [ARTICLE]

LONDON’S SENSATION.

The Pall Mall Gazette’s Shocking Revelations Arouse the Crown’s Officers. Venders and Hankers of the Paper Arrested and Their Profitable Stocks Confiscated. iJjonuon special.j The Pall Mall Gazette sensation continues, and a third course of horrors was. served to-day. This installment deals with the abuse of children far below the age of puberty, vho are systematically bought and sold to rich scoundrels, both young and old. Five pages are devoted to the detiils of transactions of this kind. Every case is so clearly described that the guilty parties could be located within twenty-four hours by a detective of ihe most ordinary intelligence. Every possible clew is given except the names of the principals. The editorial article which accompanies this dose is short, but is more aggressive than any other that, has been printed since the exposures began. The editor not only defies but invites prosecution; but he warns intending prosecutors that many names will necessarily be revealed during the trial of any cases brought against him. Some men, he says, will be spared until the last on account of their honest wives and the worthy sons and daughters of whom they are unworthy fathers. ■> If such men choose to lead the attack, they will be sheltered behind the petticoats of women whom they know they are unworthy to touch. The only persons who have thus far come within the clutches of the law on account of this sensation are a few newsboys. The cumbrous machinery of the Home Office for the suppression of a newspaper cannot be lightly put in operation, but any inspector can order the arrest of persons selling what he deems an obscene publication. Hence it happens that, while the Pall Mall Gazette's presses are running night and day and the papers are being sold by the truckload for circulation throughout the three kingdoms, ten news-venders have been arrested on thecharge of selling indecent prints. The prisoners were taken before Lord Mayor Fowler, and were promptly released or remanded under nominal bail. The Lord Mayor expressed the opinion that the editor of the Pall Mall Gazette was actuated by the highest motives. He said that if a crime had been committed in pointing out a nest of crimes the publishers should first be dealt with, after which it would be time enough to prosecute the men and boys who had bought and sold the paper in tire ordinary course of trade. The office of tho Pall Mall Gazelle is in a state of siege. A shrieking mob of rowdies has possession of the sidewalks. News venders, regular and irregular, are pressing forward to buy copies of the paper at one shilling apiece. Eight policemen are on duty forming the purchasers into line. They are admitted at one entrance, where tickets for papers are bought, and, as soon as they have received the papers called for by "their tickets, they goout at another door and begin to sell the papers at almost any price they choose to ask. The sale of the papers at the office is not only tolerated, but regulated and facilitated by the police but as soon as the vender begins to sell liis wares on the street he is liable to arrest. At the clubs the principal occupation is fitting the names of the accused persons to descriptions given of them in the Gazette’s exposuies. In many cases the descriptions arß so accurate that nothing is left to conjecture. In other cases there is a good deal of guesswork—more or less wild. Names of members of the royal family and of the highest nobility aro freely bandied about. Many aristocrats are howling with rage, and their anger is intensified by its impotence. The Rev. Mr. Spurgeon publishes a letter in the Pall Mall Gazette approving of that journal's exposures of the secret vices of the aristocrats of London. The letter is remarkable in many respects, and the following are some of its expressions: “I feel bowed down with shame and indignation. * * * This is loathsome business, but even sew rs must be cleaned. I pray that good may come from tie horrible exposure, which, incidentially. must do harm, but whose great drift must result in lasting benefit. * * * I don't think our churches have failed, for they have kept a pure remnant alive in the land. * * * I believe that many are unaware of these dunghills reeking under their nostrils. * * * I thank all co-operators in your warfare. * * * Spare not villains, even though wearing stars and garters. * * , * We need a vigilance committee, a moral police, to suppress this infamy. * * * Let the light in without stint. ” The Gazette bids defiance to the authorities who are engaged in the work of attempting to suppress the sale of the last three days’ issues of the paper. It claims honor for leading in the cause of exposing the vices of the rich, and declares that the best men of England enthusiastically support it in its crusade. The Gazette challenges the courts of London to prosecute it for the work it is engaged in, and says it might subpoena half of the legislature of England to prove the accuracy of its revelations. The paper is selling at a great premium, and the circulation is enormous.