The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-06

pbOn ulttI tut ClOst VI tuC ltDtlilOns u1u
so on down to the present day, when there
has been sudden outburst or great in
crease of crime in certain localities or
states, it has been, at once, accounted for
by the fact that there were so many re-
turned volunteers without employment,
that they instinctively took themselves to
criii In some places there may have
bee omething of truth in thus account
ing crime, because a large number of
the arrested criminals were, or claimed to
have tren, In the volunteer service during
that war. In Massachusetts, too, there
was temporary increase of crime after
the war; and to use the language of Ad-
jutant General Schouler, "prophets of evil
at once attributed this increased crime TO
our returned soldiers, which I felt to be
UNJUST to them, and at once sought for re-
liable Co.. to disprovc the charge" AL
though many thought that the discipline
If the mp would unfit them for the civil
luties life" that the citizen soldier
woulu 'eturn '',emoralized and become
pests the community in which they
lived. sustaining their theory by historical
preccdents, yet it seems to have been
otherwise. In rider to set the question at
res,, regard to Massachusetts, he adj
dressed circular OF inquiry to the mayor
| each city ana the selectmen of each
wa in the state, receiving answers from
all bu' ten The result was that 1t was
shown that the better class of volunteers
~ returned the same kind of men that
they were when they left, while those who
had been considered pests of society" at
the time of enlistment, returned good citi-
zens. We bc.ieve that the same searching
inquire if II had been made in Vermont,
would have shown the same result. We
have referred to this matter here. because
i is 50 common, even now. when n great
crime is committed, when an embezzle
mcnt or defalcation takes place, when there
is Il giclt increase of crime, to hear it
cassed us ont OF the results of the war.
However mucl the war may have tended
to the increase ct crime, we can set it
down a. fact that it did not make crimi-
nails out II ,ho volunteers who fought in
defense # the Union--savc perhaps in
that class criminal before. known as
" bounty jumpers, aud they were not
men Of New England. AS we run over the
1T Of the criminals who have done so
Idch to cast II blot on the annals of Yer
mont, we believe we mistake not when we
say that not one Of them was connected
With the Vermont volunteer forces GER
tain i is that the great criminals of Rut-
land county never riskcd their life or libcr-
ty save what risk they run when commit
ting their lawless deeds.
We cannot say that we have been sur
prsed at the great increase of crime in such
places as st. Adams and Rutland IT, only at
the residence of the perpetrators of the
crimes. Yet neither village is differently
situated from what it was during twenty
years of the period during which we seemed
to lie, and actually were, such peaceful,
order LOVING, law abiding people. Tie
only difference is that both villages have
largely increased in population. Rutland,
and the same is true of st. Adams, has for
years afforded peculiar theatre for the
commission of crime, and the wonder is
that it has not been taken advantage of.
But when we seek for the cause of this
large increase in the number of crimes,
this affords no explanation. There are but
few towns, or cities even, situated as are
Rutland and st. Adams. Both of them
have been, for years, important railroad
centers, with trains leaving at all hours of
of the day and night. Both are situated
within few miles of the state line, max
ing it easy for a determined criminal to
come in by one train commit some h'deous
crime, depart by the next train and be
of miles away before even the
TACT has been discovered that crime has
been committed. But this, as we have SAID,
has not been the case in the past The
past crimes of Vermont have par
taken of the nature of an epidemic,
and the criminals have Leen urged on by
an innate wickedness and desire for lust
Or gain. This has been so in the past, but
what of the future for Rutland? Without
now referring to other crimes, let us speak
Of one in particular We can hardly take
up newspaper without finding in it a
case of child stealing. 1t is not confined
% cities, but is spreading all over the coun-
ry We are in as much danger in Rutland,
IS are the residents of New York city, and
t belongs to us to prevent this heart rend-
ug crime from being added to our already
rearful list. There may be no danger, but
here is possibility of it and that is enough
One cannot pass through our streets with
out being convinced OF the ease with which
little children could be picked up and car
ried away. 1t would not be a new crime
in Rutland d Vermont, although in former
cases revenge was the motive. Now, how
ever, child stealing is regular business,
having its centers in the large cities from
which agents are dispatched TO all parts of
he country. The object in this, as IN near
y all other crimes, is gain. Some of the
children are allowed to be ransomed some
are trained to be thieves or beggars, others
arc reserved for life of shame, and some
are fated to meet an early death. 1t isatime
when we all, citizens and officers of the law
alike, should be especially watchful. Do
not 'et this be added to the crimes of Yer
mont The honor, safety and reputation
f Vermont rests with her citizens, the |
Hatchful care they keep over their child |
'cn, stern and, at the same time, merci- |
'ul enforcement of the law and, without |
eeking for causes Of crime, if we will but |
70 do, we will become the same aw-abidinp |
Vermont as of former years.
The oldest living ex-congressman is said |