The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-22
THE SUNDAY NIGHT TRAGEDY.

The tragedy of Sunday night in which
a citizen was shot possibly fatally
by a burglar emphasizes anew the I'M
wisdom of engaging in a struggle with
burglars If the householder is armed
and has fair advantage he may well
enough fire upon the criminal but rarely
indeed is one justified by common pru-
dence in hand to hand contest with one
who enters his dwelling burglariously.
All the probabilities are that had not
Mr.. Croly attempted to seize the burglar
in fact he did seize him and sought to
knock him down-he would not have re-
ceived his deadly wounds. There is no
satisfaction to the assailed nor any gain
to society in putting human life at such
terrible risk. The burglar in nine cases
out of ten has the advantage. He is ON
guard, generally he is in the dark, while
his victim is in the light, usually aroused
suddenly out of sleep, clad in night
clothing and unarmed.
Under such conditions the householder
is reckless who attempts to arrest the
criminal. If he cannot hold him up with
deadly weapon and under conditions
giving him the decided advantage, the
wiser course is to lose the burglar and
be content with his escape with the
chances Of subsequent capture.
This terrible assault upon an old citi-
zen, valued member of this commun-
ity. emphasizes the need for an enlarged
police force. The proportion of one Off
Ger for every one thousand of the popu-
1ation is only modest one for this COM
munity. AS conditions are, the distri-
button of the small body of patrolmen
is below or west OF the most populous
residence section.
The force should be large enough to
place at least six patrolmen above
Eleventh street by night, and four by
day. Such disposition would add ma
Eerially to the safety of the people in the
residence wards, reduce the ease of
escape by criminals and augment the
Tapidity Of timely alarm greatly, so that
the chances of pursuit and capture
would be proportionately increased. AS
1t Is the greater expenditure of the
energy Of the police force is in the Sec
tions where we license dives and resorts
of the criminal element, the section in
which business houses are located
largely. and where numerous private
watchmen and special patrolmen are on
duty by night.
OF course that which stands in the way
of the'needed enlargement or better dis
aribution Is the financial inability of the
city, which will continue until the last
lingering remnant of the city indebted
ness is cleared away. This is now in
such condition that it would puzzle no
hnancier to close it up, and by short
extension Of the small balance at less
ened rate of interest, enable the people
10 give themselves the protection they
50 much need.
In feet Sacramento is very nearly out
of debt, but such is the state of her La
bilities that she is compelled to carry an
enormous sum and pay interest upon it
to herself, the obligations being in fact
N-t4Ellg II uST OWN uanQS ana capable OF
easy discharge on reasonable financial
basis. If this could be done, as it should
he, we could make the needed improve
ments in the way of augmented sewage
disposal devices, a suitable water sys-
tenn, proper public buildings and an aug
mented force of patrolmen.
We would not then need to do as we
are most unwisely doing, mass our police
force upon the extreme western border
of the city. with the necessity now upon
US of sending all calls from every. part
OF the city for police assistance, clear
across the city instead of to a central
headquarter station. These subjects
are all directly in line with considera-
ton of the mournful tragedy of Sunday
night. They are inextrieably inter-
woven.