The herald., 1893-12-26
rHE ROSCOE HoLD-UP-A SUGGESTION.


The practical people of Arizona have
mads train-robbing a capital offence.
This is good idea. Many persons have
theoretically no objection to the ban
dts, but 1t is cruel and insufferable to
be rudely aroused from ones sleep by
q big jar. Naturally one turns out OF
bed. Curiosity is as strong in human
beings as in ostriches, and the result is
that one ia tempted to poke ones head
out of the windows, or go out of doors,
to be greeted by volley of pistol shots.
Happy is he who manages to retreat
without being winged. In California
the passengers generally escape with
their valuables. Not 80 in Texas,
where, the other day, travellers were re-
lieved of Gheir last nickel. The robbers
sie losing their good manners; and, as
corollary, the people ought to lose their
mawkish sentimentality.I If Monsieur the
train robber were assured that he would
dangle from ropes end, after the knot
had been deftly placed behind h, eft
ear, he would be little more careful
about going on such errands. There is
a certain class OF criminals who have q
keen eye to the main chance, and they
are quick to note the moods of juries.
The failure to hang Chris Evans was
quickly interpreted by them to mean
that hanging for anything connected
with train robbery is played out in this
state, and the Roscoe hold up followed
very naturally. 1t involves expense,
but until the next legislature meets,
Wells, Fargo d Co. and the Southern
Pacific and Southern California rail-
ways must really provide sufficient
guards to assure the safety of trains.
Some time ago the HERALD. made a
suggestion that the state OF California
ought to have mounted police force,
and we have every reason to believe that
1t was wise one. 1t need not necesss-
rily be large, but it ought to be composed
of picked men, and be in readiness to
concentrate at moments notice in any
section of the state where it might be
required to apprehend dspredators. A
dozen trusty men would be ample. Ap-
pointed for efficiency, and continuing in
office during good behavior, they would
soon take pride in thoroughly equip
ping themselves for their work. They
would fsmiliarizs themselves with GRIM
inals and their resorts, and the probable
ity ie extreme that they would nip most
villainies in the bud. California has
haan and fAy -.Irx L.
favorite rendezvous for the desperadoes
of Utah, Nevada and Arizona. We are
not only obliged to police our own law
less element but to attend to much of
that which sbounds in neighboring com.
munities. A force such as we suggest
wonld make it hot for bandits and af
other criminals. Detection and pursuit
would soon be reduced to a science,
and General Grants sententious utter
ance, ''let no guilty man escape" should
be adopted as. their motto. The COM
parstively trihing expense involved in
such force would be recouped TO the
state tenfold. The express company
and the railways would doubtless
largely and gladly contribute to it,
although great state like California
should be willing to incur all the neces-
ssry outlsys herself. 1t would be a
peculiar feature OF the state government,
but then California is peculiar state,
and her needs are not to be gauged by
those OF hum-drum eastern common
wealth. The coast line mountains and
the Sierras afford 30 many opportunities
for conceslment that mounted force
which could put itself Immediately in
pursuit OF depredators would be specially
appropriate. 1t would probably be hard
to estimate the damage done to the
Golden state by the long unchecked
careers of such men as Joaquin Murietta
and Tiburcio Vasquez.