The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-02-28
A SLANDHROUS REPORT.
Wheeling Published as the
Worst City in the Union
-Ex-CHIEF OF POLICE SMITH
Given as the Authority for the un'
warranted and Injurious Publ
catlon-Hc Resents the Use
Made of What He Wrote.

In a number Of papers in all parts Of
the country, there appeared on Sunday
last an article FIVE columns or more in
length, Of which the headlines read as
follows:
"Tho increase OF DEMONSTRATING facts
from Chiefs Of Police Of over 100 cities
The worst towns in the country-SpeCIal
and unvarnished reports on the moral
condition OF America = Drunkenness
among women-A surprising summary
that makes females the most cunning Of
misunderstanding W, Va, and Sulli.
van, ILL.,, the worst places In the Union"
This article was prepared by u New
York syndicate, which sent out u series
OF questions to all the chiefs OF police Of
the country. These questions were as
follows;
/, Is crime on the increase or decrease
in your city?
g, What special form OF crime is most
PREVALENT
8. So far us your observation leads IL
the social evil on the increase or de-
crease?
4, From what class, as a general rule,
do the worst criminals Develop
B. Is drunkenness among women on
the increase or decrease
Q, About what percentage OF released
criminals actually retortnsY
7, Is the opium or Chloral habit a per,
manent feature Of the vice Of your city
5, What nationality furnishes the most
criminalsP
0. Which sex is the easier to reform
and gives evidence OF genuine repent
anCe?
10. What class, the upper or the low
er, gives evidence Of most cunning in
crime?
II. What has been your experience in
dealing with Criminals2 Do they appre'
Ciate kind treatment or do they behave
better under harsh discipline?
u. About what percentage OF those
who rob and steal and murder are de.
teGted?
The following is peCtion Of the arti-
Gle;
"THE wIcKIDGsT SMALL CITY.
"The report made by Porter Smith,
Chief OF Police Of Wheeling, W. Va, i
very startling. He shows crime OF oil
sorts to be on the increase, Here are
Chief Smiths statements in regular
order:
/. Crime is on the increase.
.. Drunkenness is the chief offense.
8. immortality is alarmingly on the in
crease.
4, Criminals mostly come from among
the uneduCated.
8. Drunkenness among women Is on
the increase.
0. About 5 per cent OF the released
criminals reform.
7. In some cases the opium habit is
feature Of tho vice Of our city.
s. The male criminal Is easier to re-
form.
Q. The upper classes furnish the most
cunning criminals.
10. About 90 per cent OF those who
steal and so per cent Of those who muir
der are detected.
at Is not strange, perhaps, that the
chief should conclude by saying that
how to bring about u reform oil this con-
dition Of affairs is to him a problem be-
yond solution"
Elsewhere it is remarked:
ION minor points there are few differ
cnces. Nearly all Of the police chiefs
agree in the opinion that comparatively
few criminals reform as they do In say
ing that kind, but firm, treatment Is the
best in dealing with them. From tho
evidence at hand 1t would seem that the
palm for general all.around wickedness
will not go to any OF the great cities.
The chief contestants are Wheeling, W.
Va, and Sullivan, ILL.,"