Daily globe., 1881-08-29
REPORTERS AS DETECTIVES.
"There Would Haze Been no Trouble, Ex-
cept for the Newspapers"
Providence Journal I

CcIC IOT ttS 0etcSpOpeTSs
Providence Journal
We do not know whether it is true or
not, as reported, but it might be true,
that one of the young reprobates now in
Jail at New Haven on the charge of the
murder of Jennie Cramer has said that
there would have been no trouble, except
for the newspapers. The history of the
case is that, when the body of the young
woman was taken from the water, nom
inal inquest was conducted by coroner
of the regular astuteness of his class. In
spite of all the circumstances pointing to
suspicion of foul play-the evidence OF
seduction, the odors of the drug about
the body, and the mystery why gay
and light hearted young girl shoulC
drown herself-it was allowed to pass as
a case of suicide. The improbable story
Of the Douglas woman was accepted
without inquiry into her antecedents and
credibility, and she was allowed to disap-
pear into the depths of New York, from
whence she came, and where it was a
very doubtful chance whether she could be
found again. This, for several days, was
apparently the end of the case, and so
far as the action of the authorities of the
law is token, would have been final
one, leaving the death of the unfortunate
girl to be set down as the mysterious dis
pensatlon of Providence, and the con-
trivers of the diabolical plot by which she
came to her death to escape with impu-
nifty
But the newspapers refused to accept
this as the end of the affair. Reporters
fn 10 hv no
tan newspapers, and they speedily un-
earthed not only the history and charac-
ter of the Douglass woman, but the rela-
tions which the dead girl had held to the
Malleys in the Gays just preceding her
death. All this information was obtained
and published by the newspapers before
the authorities took any further steps in
the matter, and it was upon the definite
information of the reporters, as well as
the indignant comment and stimulus sup
piled by the editors, that they finally took
the action that has resulted in the arrest
of the woman accompllce and the prose-
cution of the male criminals. 1t is def
nitely established that it was mere freak
or caprice of temper on the part of the
woman that prevented her being sent
out of the country in the interest of the
suspected prisoners, and the stupidity
and delay of the authorities very nearly
destroyed all chance of fastening the
crime upon its perpetrators. There is
no doubt that the Malleys may correctly
attribute their Imprisonment to the news
papers, and say that but for them there
would have been no trouble. 1t would,
of course, be improper to pronounce def
nitely upon the guilt of the prisoners in
advance of judicial inquiry, but
enough has been revealed to make their
trial imperative in the interests of JUS
tice, and it is but fair inference that
but for the newspapers it would not have
taken place
The police and other authorities have
perhaps sometimes reasons to complain
of the indiscretion of reporters, but no
reputable newspaper has any desire to
defeat the ends of justice by publishing
premature information, and the facts,
aside from the cases of individual
shrewdness in newspaper representatives
such as led to the capture of Chastine
Cox, shows that much more good has
been done by the publication Of the
details of crime and in enlisting
public information in the detection
of the criminals than would
have resulted from contrary policy
And the complaints OF bAmptIous and
opinionated coroners and mystery LOVING
detectives are usually to cover their own
deficiencies in energy and intelligence,
rather than from any real defeat OF the
ends of justice by the revelations OF
newspapers. The really capable and ef-
ficient officers have usually very little
trouble or complaints to make OF the IN
discretion of reporters or want OF Judg-
ment in regard to the publication OF the
details of crime.