The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-05-29

Things Which Should be Consid-
ered.-We do not know whether the matter
has ever been called to the attention of our
officers or not but while the lookup we have
may in one sense be regarded as better than
none, in another it may be regarded as worse.
It is but a single cell in which oil culprits and
unfortunates are placed. 1t is not always well
to confne in one cell all culprits arrested, and
it certainly is not right to confine an unfor-
tunate who, in search Of a nights lodging
may have turned in at the lock up, in cell
with thieves or other violaters Of law. Occa-
sionslly a woman may seek refuge there, or
be taken there for some offence. There should
be cell, separate and apart, where she can
be kept in custody or sheltered from en in
clement night. These changes might easily
be made in the building where the lookup is
located, and at very trivial expense. At ali
events, it will not injure our city fathers to
think the matter over, and consider the feasi-
bility of such change. We are paying
watchmen to take care of the property and
watch over the well being Of the city, yet oc-
casionally, no doubt, their duty is interfered
with by their having in custody characters
whom they have to watch, but who, if they
could place them in separate cells, would be
secure, and enable the watchmen to be on
their beats.
Constables and Sheriff in pursuance Of their
duties frequently have arrests to make, and
while they do their duty pretty thoroughly,
they ought to have the necessary appliances
for securing prisoners when taken. To do
this they should be supplied with hand-cnFs.
An officer can generally deal with a single
culprit, but occasionally he has TO take
two or three, and the case Is not so easy. In
deed be viii be very fortunate if he succeeds
in capturing two. Last week officer Moore
had case Of this kind, and came near losing
one of them. Had he been supplied with the
necessary "brRcelets" there would have been
no trouble. The county, we believe owns on
ly single pair, and they are occasionally
non est, and the city is destitute. Give the
officers what they should have and then ex-
pect them to do their duty. No officer should
ever be without.
Another thing we would call attention to
1t is a matter which evidently has escaped the
attention of the authorities. 1t is simple and
inexpensive, but full and in cases essential
ly necessary. Recently there have been sew
eral cases of insanity in which the afflicted
ones have proven violent and unrestrainable-
who have torn the clothing from their backs
until entirely denuded-all efforts to prevent
them proving abortive. A straight jacket
would have been just the thing, subjecting the
unfortunate one to restraint but not violence
enforcing modesty of demeanor, without the
use Of force or the employment of physical
power. It would be gentleness to the unfor-
tunates themselves, it would be kindness to
their friends, and it would be the manifesto
ton of sympathy and respect for those to
whom restraint had become necessary, for our
authorities to have these things at hand for
use when needed. A few dollars thus in
vested would pay, and be appreciated because
Of the utility of the investment. Let the
proper officers see that these things are not
wanting in case they are ever again needed.