The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-12-01

freely concerning the Bower case and
many others that have occurred. One
need not get Off the public square to
find a whole lot, of impatient people
who are not pleased with the conduct
of the police department, while In the
homes 1t Is even worse. The police are
blamed for not catching everybody that
commits a crime, vet It is contended
that the system and not the individual
policeman Is to blame for the lack Of
arrests in connection with with the
many crimes that have been committed
in this city within the past few weeks
On other occasions, when it was known
that there were number Of crooks in
town, or likely to come to town, de-
tectives were employed by the mayor
and 1t is a fact that few depredat tions
were committed, which is remarkable
when the circumstances are taken into
the account The detectives had some
thing to do with the fact. no doubt
If crooks think they are known or are
going to get caught, they remove to
other pastures. That they have had
full sway here can hardly be denied, yet
officers, as individuals, are doing the
best they can. It is claimed by the Off
GERS themselves that they lack organi-
cation. Most any policeman will tell you
of the fact if you ask him. He will also
tel you that there is a grea. deal Of
petty jealousy that good management
would overcome. 1t Is said that If one
policeman knows that certain fellow
that is wanted is in another policeman's
beat he will not tell the other policeman,
desiring to wait till he can find time 10
get up on that beat and make the arrest
himself. This is not general in the
force, but 1t is patent enough with some
officers to be worthy of consideration.
The contention that there should be
more policemen is also well put, though
without organization and intelligent
and concerted action, little more would
be accomplished with 40 policemen than
with 26 From the expressions of this
citizens, however, there Will he no COM
plaint about an increase in the force e
| 1t Is to be we'll and effectively organ
lied body AS now managed and op-
Grated the result is too apparent for the
| ordinary citizen to waste time in MAXI
ing argument. 1t is pointed out that in
stead of working quietly for results,
whoever is managing the force-and the
mayor Is supposed to be chief of police
sent a whole wagonload of officers out
| in broad daylight to arrest Few harm
less tramps. At any rate they were
harmless, so far as the officers knew and
IL there were any crooks among them
they got away when they heard the
wagon coming a mile off. The fair
grounds were visited and one excited
member Of the party came close to
| puncturing COW that was grazing qui-
city in the enclosure. But the police
knew that nothing would come of such
work as they were doing. There was
| not an officer in the bunch thar didn't
feel foolish, but they were obeying or
| ders from someone or other. and did
what they were directed to do,
1t Is pointed out that there is an or
dinance in the city that provides for
| the arrest of all suspicious persons, and
| 1T is backed up blythe state law. Yet
during the whole period of time that
the people of Canton have had >paraded
before them accounts of hold-ups, and
worse crimes, there has been but one
arrest in which the person arrested on
suspicion has been suspected of know
| ing anything about the burglaries and
robberies, and that person was in the
| city prison last night, under lock and
| key, while the Bower affair, as detail
ed in the foregoing, was happening. So
| the arrest of one suspicious character
has not solved the problem that has be-
come grave one.
The concensus of opinion, as one hears
, 1T expressed on the street, it that it is
UP to the mayor to do something.