The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-16
LAW GUARDIANS AT TYBEE.
POLICE CHIEFS, SHERIFFS AND
MARSHALS MIX Up IN THE SURF.

! The Convention Adjourned ana the
Members Conclude 10 Go to VAL
dOsta Instead of Cumberland Next
Year-The Closing Days Session.
The Necessity For "A State Reform
atOry For Juvenile COnvicts to BE
Urged Before the LegisIature-A
Law wanted Permitting Officers
to Carry Pistols.
The next session of the police chiefs,
/ sherifs, clerks and marshals union viii
| be held in Valdosta, beginning the second
| Tuesday in July.
The convention so decided yesterday at
ter an interesting discussion. Before the
| consolidation of the two unions on We'd
nesday the chiefs of police, sheriffs and
marshais had already selected Valdosta
as the next place of meeting, and Chief
Dampier of that city had returned home
with the comfortable assurance that the
| convention would meet in his city year
/ hence.
After the consolidation, the new asso-
| citation concluded that it was not bound
by the actions of either of the old bodies
and was at liberty to select whatever
place of meeting it chose. The taste of
the sea which the visitors had at Savan-
nah was so effective that a majority of
the members decided they wanted more
of it and Cumberland Island was selected
as the next place of meeting by a majori-
ty of one vote over Atlanta and Valdosta
combined.
The matter was viewed in a new light
yesterday morning. however, and when
Chief Williams of Columbus asked Tor a
reconsideration in favor of Valdosta, the
motion was generally seconded.
Chief McDermott said that Chief Dam
pier had accepted the selection of his
city in good faith, and that he would think
it strange when he found that Cumberland
Island was to be the next place Of meet
ing.
The motion to reconsider was carried
unanimously. and Valdosta was selected
as the next place.
Considerable other business was trans
acted during the morning. The question
of a state reformatory for juvenile con-
victs was discussed and Chief williams of
Columbus offered the following resolution,
which was adopted
Whereas, in many cities and counties in
the state there are many youthful Grim
inals under the age of ten years, who COM
NIT crime and on account of their age can
not be prosecuted, or sentenced after con-
viction by the judges of our courts; there
fore, be II
Resolved, That it is the sense of this
convention that the legislature pass law
establishing a state reformatory for young
criminals, and that existing laws be so
amended that any criminal over the age
of seven years and under fifteen can be
convicted of crimes committed and con-
fined in said state reformatory.
baf Z ha oF
this convention urge upon their immediate
members in the legislature to support
measure on the above IDEAS and that a
committee of five be appointed to memoir
alize the general assembly as to its pas
sage.
In speaking upon the resolution Chief
Williams said: in the city Of Columbus
we frequently arrest boys s to 10 years of
age for breaking into stores. Usually
they slip into the stores and conceal them
selves before night, then after the stores
are closed they open rear door and carry
| off what they want. When we arrest them
we cannot hold them. The grand jury will
not indict them and if it did the courts
would not convict them. The state has
no place for them, so we are compelled
to turn them loose. AS result of this
the parents of some of these youthful
criminals, knowing their children are too
young to convict them, encourage them to
stea,."
The reformatory idea was generally in
| dorsed by the convention and the resolu-
ton was referred to a committee with in
structions to memorabilia the legislature
on the subject Sheriff Patterson of De-
catur and Deputy Clerk Colding Of Savan-
nah also spoke on the same line with Mr..
Williams.
The following resolution was introduced
by Chief McDermott:
Whereas, The courts of this state have
held that under the law the constabulary
of the state are not allowed to carry weap-
ons concealed and as 1t is a weli-known
fact among us that the criminals have a
better chance TO procure the weapon from
an officer if it is fully exposed to view, it
IS, therefore,
Resolved, That this body appoint a
committee of three TO memorabilia the
Legislature OF this state to allow the sher-
ms the chiefs of police, the marshals and
the police of the various counties and the
cities of this state to carry their pistols
| concealed"
Chief McDermott and others spoke in
favor of the resolution, and il was unan-
imously adopted and referred to the leg
| islatve committee.
The discussion of the subject of What
Constitutes Good Officer?' occupied
some time.
An excellent paper upon this subject
was read by Chief Williams of Columbus
/
| quested to prepare paper, but being in
81 health he was unable 10 do so. but sub
mitted paper on the subject read by him
at the recent National Police Chiefs con-
vention. CHIEF Connolly being a. Tybee.
the paper was read by Clerk Powell The
subject was discussed in an able and an
interesting manner.
President Holder submitted "A short and
somewhat humorous paper on What Con-
stitutes a Good Sheriff" The paper is as
follows:
First and foremost among the cuallf-
cations of a good sheriff Is that the Of
fcer must be good man. The word
good Is used advisedly and with a view
| especially to the distinction between Il
and 'goody-goody.' He must be ready 10
go at all times, thoroughly unprejudiced.
possessed Of a Keen discrimination and
that peculiar adaptation OF moral and
physical courage which would enable him
TO levy on the last portion OF furniture I'm
"a widows home 10 satisfy some nlnty-
hearted money shark, or 10 face i'm
pending death at the hands of some des-
pcrado wanted by justice. 10 Is essential
al h.