Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-05
The Daily efsss and Dakotaian
EcoNoMY.

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We fear that the tendency to permit
wrong doors to escape the Justice they richly
deserve is leading us towards a dangerous
condition Of public morals which will event
ualiy react upon Us and compel us to take
steps outside the limits of law for our
own protection. In the interests Of
economy men who have committed
serious crimes are permitted to go UNI
punished, provided they will go. and
give assurance by their absence that they
will no more depredate upon this community.
Economy in the administration Of justice
is ever to b applauded, but the economy
which rohs Justice cannot be too strongly
deprecated. 1t is a premium upon crime
and BY it's continued workings the safety
of every man, women and child will become
jeopardized. The man who strikes down a
fellow creature in a moment of passion or
through deliberate malice knows that if
once beyond the immediate reach Of the
officers Of the Law, his escape is almost as.
sured because Of the expense attending a
continued pursuit. He knows too that
public sentiment will overlook the crime
for the reason that it is cheaper so to do than to
follow it to its legitimate consequences.
That man will make less effort to control
his anger, to smother the spirit of revenge,
than ifhe felt within himself that certain
and speedy punishment stood before him.
The robber who enters a house by night,
OF the footpad who Turks in the by-ways for
the booty Of his victim possesses a conscious
ness hat when once away from the scene
of his unlawful operations the minions of
the Law will give him no further trouble, as
it uses up money topursue and punish a
malefactor. This is the positive tendency
of the mistaken economy which
is in vogue in this portion of the west. Be-
yond the moral restrictions which in a great.
er or lesser degree direct the acts of men
there seems to be little to restrain crime,
below the grade of actual murder. particu.
larry with the class which calls no place
: home and can subsist as we'll in one part Of
the domain IS in another. They do their
work and go their way, somewhat hastily at
tiret, perhaps, but leisurely enough when
distance intervenes between them and the
scene Of their misdeeds. The particular
case in view Just now is that of Daniel
Heckenberg, who, in 1874, seriously wound
ed with q shot gun two men named Kill
bright and Leonard, on Beaver creek, and
then stole q horse and made his escape.
The men recovered, but n Of them il
crippled for life. Heckenberg, after three
years Of wandering, has been arrested al
Clifton, Ohio, and the officials OF Yanktor
county have been notified that he il
at their disposal. No steps hav,
been taken to bring him back to tria:
and it Is the disposition Of the coun
ty commissioners to avoid the expense at
tending his transportation to Dakota ant
his trial and punishment by letting hin
remain where he is. We believe the com
missioners are actuated by an honest motiv
70 best serve the interests Of the people, bu
here arises the serious question, do the
serve best those interests by overlooking
crime so serious as that committed by Hack
cnberg? This Is only q single instance, bu
it illustrates the prevailing tendency toward
dangerous state of affairs. Prompt pun
ishment for offences against persons an
property is our greatest safeguard. 1t
also economy in the end. 1t restraints
class of men who will forever depredat
upon their ~Deighbons If they have no fes
of the law before them. It places beyon'
the opportunity of doing harm persons VIII
in a single day or night are liable to destro
more in value than the cost of the prosecu
ton and punishment of a dozen of thcl
fellows. Let US, therefore, have perfet
justice administered, as economically as pc:
sible. but full, complete and sweeping i
its effects I.