The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-15
How Municipal Inquiries
Are Conducted.
A Move to Stop R0bbing of
Country POStofficeS.
What Is Thought Of 1.-THE Disposal
of Pawtucket Sewage.

There is a good deal that is amusing and
much more that is ~farcical in the munlcl-
pal investigations TO which the people OF
this town are being treated just at pres
ent. But there is also another characters
tic which should not be lost Sight OF, and
that is theapparent unfairness with when
these inquiries have been conducted thus
far. Among the visitors to the city hall
this morning was a taxpayer who has
been classed as an independent. That Is,
his friends say he believes in a municlpai
turnover now and again "for the good
of the city, and on that belief supporter
the Goo-Goo ticket last November. III
what he said today Is true he isn't very
well pleased with his action or Win the
results which ii aided in bringing about.
az came down here Thursday night
he said to two or three acquaintance
who were chatting with him, thinking
that ] was going TO see a specimen OF Ialf
and impartial investigation into alleged
abuses in the license department. was
a little disappointed over the way things
were conducted at the last one and l hoped
that this one would be a vast improve
ment over it in every respect. In some
respects it was, but there was one feature
which spoiled the whole thing, so far as
1 am concerned. The committee allowed
the prosecuting attorney 10 question Mr..
Nixon, a very nervous man, as Sharply
as he pleased, without any inter-
ference on the part OF the chairman,
when several times it was apparent that
the answers made by Mir. Nixon were
made under n misunderstanding OF the
question asked him. That 1 did not
think was just the right spirit to show
but later on there was something whlch
seemed to me like downright unfairness.
Gas I said, no one, not even the other
commissioners, interfered with the exami-
nation of Mr.. Nixon. The attorney for
the people who brought about the inves-
tigation was allowed full swing to ask
what he pleased and to make as many
points as he could out of a nervous wit
ness. Now then when one of that same
attorneys own witnesses tells his story,
and Commissioner Burnham begins TO
cross examine him, what happens? Why,
the chairman, without any objection ever
from the attorney conducting the case
fer the complainants, interferes, and tells
Mr.. Burnham that his questions are
entirely out of place. i did have a no
tion that Alderman Fuller would see fsir
play, but l must admit now that that
nOIlOu WAS n utClOtulN nllhbdfSh oht. Afo
man h permitted a paid attorney
full swing with witnesses as he did, and
then turned ABOUT and cut short the cross
examination of an accusing witness by
one Of the men accused, can claim
that he is giving fair play, because he
isn't. There's no fair play where both
parties to the contest do not have the
same chance, and hat was not given
COMMISSIONS Burnham Thursday night. T"
The postofice authorities have offered
rewards for the detection and conviction
of persons who rob postofices and blow
open safes. The rewards are graduated
according to the value OF the property
taken, but none is less than 500. Pro-
badly this will give a stimulus to the
business of hunting down tbs safe crack
ers and a person who has a taste for the
Hawkshaw business might find nerma-
nent employment here in Rhode Island
in searching for the marauders who make
p~ostofices their prey. OF course 1t doesn't
follow that the business would be partic-
ular!y remunerative. That would depend
entirely upon the scuteness of the person
engaged in II and the degree of careless
. ness and cluinsiness displayed by the
crooks. The latter, however, are general
ly expert workmen and could be more
than a match for any country Hawkshaw
who might be tempted to win the re-
WaAdo Wh1th tht 6OfCiiheht oANAos
A chat with a detective this morning
brought out the fact that as a rule the
offering of rewards for the detection and
punishment OF criminals Is not very sue
cessful. When a crime has been scommit-
ted by. or is known 10 several persons,
largo reward and promise of immunity
may sometimes tempt one of them TO tell
what he knows, but otherwise this sys-
tenn n not very effective. The difficulty
OF catching the gang OF postofiice robbers
lies in the fact that they jump from one
tlace TO another. They have no permanent
habitat save probably New York or Bos-
ton where they spend time when not en-
gagged in cracking safes and spend The
money they secure on their excur. ions into
the country. IL is very evident that those
who have been operating in this state
spend only tint enough in each place to
get the lay of the land and to familiarize
themselves with the customs and habits
of those in charge OF the postofiice, the
people who live near it, and the police
"a we'll When conditions are
favorable they strike ADD are gone
before any one knew they
were in town and are hundreds OF miles
away sometimes before their work is dis.
covered. In his way they may elude
capture for months or for wears Only
by an accident or through the failure OF
ronie part of their plan can TREY b,
caught. They will certainly not he cap.
trred by the country detectives VINO would
be tempted to 60 on their trail by the
small rewards the Government has just
offered.
The Gossiper had a chat today with
= leading citizen Of P~awtuckst, who 1,
very much interested i'm the growth and
development of that bustling city. lie II
one Of the sort OF men who is ALWAYS lcok
ing ali al instead Of looking backward
One of the important subjects he talgeS
afout was the sewage - stem. "Thl
sewage problem Is going TO be a very inn
pcrfanf one In Pawtueket before long
Indeed 1t is growing more impcrtan.
daily. The time will come when we will
be forced To find some other way OF dis
rosing Of our sewage than ~ dumping
In the river. j have bfen looking int
this great system this city Is just complel
tuv, uuu ! tave bpcn Impressed with %
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