Another officer attacked a man who was dissatisfied with the shell-fish he bought at an oyster stand, the keeper of which had paid for police protection. The custodian of order forthwith exerted his authority on the side of his friend and smashed in the teeth of the discontented customer. Another witness appeared before the Committee bleeding and disfigured, just as he had come out of police hands. This man had been robbed of four dollars while asleep on a doorstep, and his whole offence was in having appealed to the police for assistance in recovering his money. In all these and similar cases the victims could not hope for redress. The police were above the law, and were not held responsible for offences, not even for such felonious assaults as those described, which would have entailed upon ordinary citizens a sentence of four or five years' imprisonment. The policeman, even if charged and convicted, was certain to be let off with a small fine. But, as a general rule, the sufferers knew too well that it was useless to take proceedings. Mr. Costello, already mentioned, was asked why he had not done so. In answer he used the well-known saying, "It is no use going to law with the devil when the court is in hell." The gentleman who lost his eye because he was so weak as to interfere in a street fight preferred to pay a lawyer to bribe his assailant not to appear against him, although the boot was entirely on the other leg and the offender was the policeman. In the case of the Italian shoeblack his mates raised money enough to pay a lawyer, but could never get the case brought into court. In considering these charges of brutality, however, it is but fair to bear in mind the dangerous character of certain classes of the population with which the New York police have to deal, and the readiness with which resort is had to lethal weapons. To expect from them the patience and forbearance that we look for from the English police would be obviously unreasonable. (3) _Collusion with Crime and Criminals._--This was another grave allegation proved against certain of the New York police. It was shown that they were hand-in-glove in one nefarious practice at least--that known as the "green goods trade," a species of confidence trick played upon the unwary fool, and a very profitable game to the side which invariably won. "Green goods" are forged or counterfeit banknotes, passed off as genuine and sold for a song on one of two pretences to those who would buy them. The first, that there had been over-issue of paper currency by the Treasury, and the notes were, therefore at a discount; the second, that the plates from which the notes were struck had been stolen from the Government, hence they could be offered cheap. [Illustration: JAMES MCNALLY, INVENTOR OF THE "GREEN GOODS TRADE."]