The record-union., 1897-01-15
ECONOMIC PURSUIT OF CRIMINALS.

In further support of the proposition
to establish a State constabulary as an
economic measure. a money-saving pol
Icy and crime-preventing agency, it is
worthy of attention that most highway
robberies are committed in sparsely set
tied counties, and most pursuit of the
criminals devolves generally upon
county officers least able to ad
vance the cost, while prosecution,
the cost Of trial and conviction usually
fall upon a class of taxpayers least able
to bear the burden.
Yet it is to the interest of all the peo-
pie that highway robbery be prevented,
and that highway robbers shall be pun
ished. If, therefore, State force of
five men, well distributed and having
power to call into cooperation all po-
lice, Sheriffs and other peace officers,
and operating under direction Of a
chief having means and power to pur-
sue systematically and regardless Of
county lines and Independent of county
contribution, Is organized, the crimes Of
the road viii become too perilous to be
frequent, and the counties viii be re-
heved of grievous burdens of cost.
The same reasons apply in the pursuit
and capture of all classes of criminals,
for it is because of the lack of system,
of orderly procedure and of watchful-
ness in pursuit and prosecution under
system that so many criminals escape.
A State constabulary with but five men
thoroughly informed as to all criminals,
their haunts, descriptions and opera
tions, Will be able, with the aid of the
1900 regular peace officers now main
tadned by the cities, towns and counties,
to make California altogether an unde-
sirable field for the criminal class.
We have been asked why men well
known in communities manage to COM
mt great crimes so easily, and so cas-
private and municipal, Sheriffs and
peace officers, prove practically irnpo-
tent in so many great cases? Why is it
that rewards so seldom effect the de-
sired object?
The answer is simple and brief: Lack
of State system in pursuit of criminals
and their punishment" First, there is
lack Of local funds; second, officers of
counties proceed at cross purposes and
without concert of plan and action /;
thirdly. for knowledge of facts they
must rely largely upon the press, the
information by which is often and natu-
rally confusing and conflicting.
Let US suppose q. case-one that has
been tn a score Of instances realized in
fact. and some of which cases we rectted
recently-suppose "a" commits a mur-
der before many witnesses in a town or
city and escapes from county "B''
into county &C" The Sheriff of "B''
tracks the assassin into county &C, -
and after several days toilsome search
finds that he cannot locate the criminal.
He has no means to warrant him in con-
tinuing the search; his official business
requires him at home, and he returns to
his county.
Perhaps the Sheriff of county "C''
then takes up the case. though he can
not be allowed the necessary costs, as
the crime was not committed within his
Jurisdiction He pursues. however, and
runs the rascal into county ID" If now
he goes on, he must do so at his own
cost. He will not be allowed by his
Supervisors, or those of any other ju-
risdictions, a cent for mis- expenses He
knows that if he presented bill of ex-
penses 1t would certainly be dlsaIlowed
by his or any other Board Of Super
visors, and he therefore gives up the
chase.
If the Sheriff of county ID" takes up
the trail he will meet with the same dif-
ficulty. OF this the criminal is fully
aware. and in just the nick of time man
ages to get out Of that jurisdiction He
knows that the Sheriff Of Siskiyou is
not at all likely to expend time and
money to pursue criminal wanted oy