The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-07-28
THE LAW AND ORDER LEAGUE.
A Statement from Assistant Secretary
Prince.

|
Prince.
Office of the Law and Order League OF
Connecticut.
New Haven, Conn.,, July 26 l9oo.
| To the People of Connecticut:
| know but one paper in the state
that wilfully invents lies about the Law
and Order league, but items of suppos-
ed news innocently creep into other pa
pers from time to time, rejecting on the
character of the league operations
For example, an item was of late
widely scattered to the effect that the
league had subpoenaed sixty witnesses
in a Westbrook case. The Westbrook
authorities have already denied that
any such number of witnesses We're
summoned and have correctly stated
that the league was connected with
that prosecution in no manner what
ever. Elsewhere appeared lengthy de-
scripton of the way in which alleged
agents of the league conducted them
selves while securing evidence in Hart
ford, coupled with the insinuation that
such conduct is "characteristic' We
had no agents in Hartford at the time,
nor any who answered the description.
AS usual fable furnished the Char
acteristic" features.
The Law and Order league possesses
two regulations. One is that which it
wears for those, both friends and foes,
who know it to be what it is, an honest
straightforward, business-lilSe organiza-
ton cautious and punctitlous exact in
method, not to be bullied or bought.
The other is that which it bears in the
eyes of some prejudiced, besides many
doubtful because misinformed people,
namely, the reputation Of being So
ciety which interferes and NEEDLES,
hounds and persecutes, needlessly null
tiplies bills and employs sneaks and
ruffians to manufacture evidence by
introducing we'll meaning people to
commit crime This mythical reputa-
ton is fostered by vague insinuations,
unfathered and unsupported, which APP
pears in print to the effect that league
detectives pretend sickness, or by other
illegitimate means begufle their vic
times into violating law. IT is a fact,
too, that strangers are often taken for
agents of the league, when the league Is
not responsible for them or their antics.
Having been in charge of the office
during the two months that Secretary
Thrasher has been in Europe, and not
having time or Judging it wise to reply
to individual canards that appear in
print, I wish through the papers to adj
dress the public and issue a general
,6a 1n,,r ~ ;rI &c INV,
months that l have been cognizant of
the details Of league operations. If
there be anyone who processes to know
any instance on our part of dishonest
or improper methods of obtaining evil
1ence or of conducting prosecutions af-
ter evidence was obtained, let him come
forward and produce a bill of particu-
lars Vague, cloudy insnuations that
at some unknown place or some unmen-
toned date, some unspecified discredit-
able act was performed by some un-
named person connected with the
league, ought to have no standing in
the court of public judgment. Let any
one who is locking the Hateful secret in
his breast produce 1t, and state where,
when and by whom a sample of objec-
-ionable claw and order league method"
was done, and just what was its charac-
.er. When this is done we will either
the informant and the public
hat he has been grossly deceived and
hat the facts are quite otherwise than |
he has heard them reported, or we will |
confess that we have been as deceived |
n the character of the agent we have
and will refuse longer to en-
boy him.
Until some one is ready to come for
ward and speak plainly, it is fair to ask
III doubters TO abstain from unfavorahle !
alignment. Since we carefully instruct |
,ur employees what methods are proper
ind what are improper to employ, since |
hey knew that failure to observe those |
Instructions endangers discharge and |
ince their wages are the same whether I
hey discover or fail to discover evil |
leace, I am confident that all insinNa-
ions regarding them are groundless as
hey have proved heretofore. Every |
ther species of innuendo naming
league methods" in an opprobious Sc Sc
5 included in the above challenge to
ONE forward and declare themselves,
Walter F. Prince,
Assistant Secretary Law and Order
League of Connecticut.