The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-10-27
THEY DEFEAT
ENFORCEMENT
OF THE LAW
Statutes of Arkansas Do Not
Deter Crime in l. I.
QUESTION OF POOR FEES

Makes enforcement of Law
Difficult for Officers.
Chickasha. I. T., Oct. 25.-The final re
port of the grand jury at this place mad,
to Judge Townsend is exceptional anc
shows plainly the increase in crime il
the Indian Territory and the reason FOL
the same.
Fees of the officers IN the estimation o.
the jurymen is largely responsible FOL
some of the existing conditions in III,
territory. Judge Townsend has ordered
the final report transmitted TO the attor
ney general ar Washington with the re
! guest that he embody the suggestion:
which it contains in his report TO con
| gress in order to place the true condition
in the Indian territory before that body
The report is as follows:
Chickasha, 1. T, October p, 1901.
Honorable Hosea Townsend. United
States Judge:
Sir: We your grand jury beg leave &c
submit this our final report:
We have found true bills in commits
sioners cases ......................... p
True bills in original cases ........... l.
Re-referred bills .........................
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. s.
We have no bills in commissioners
cases ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. u.
We have examined number OF original
cases without finding bills.
or the true bills returned they were the
following offenses:
Selling LIQUOR .-.........-...............
Intercourse female under sixteen -.
Assault to kill ...........................
Uttering counterfeit coin ................
Robbery ...........................
Introducing liquor .......................
Murder ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Aggravated assault .................... ]
Obtaining letter by fraud .............. !
Burglary ...-...-...................
Adultery OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Forgery ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Uttering forged instruments ........... 8
Malicious mischief .....,.................. J
False pretenses ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 81
We find that the crime Of larceny, par
ticularly that of horse and cattle steal
ing. and kindred ofTenses. prevail TO an
alarming extent in this and other dis
tricts in this vicinity and that neither life
nor property is secure against the ev |
designs OF maurading outlaws. who have
focked to this country since the decision
or the comptroller. TO the effect that lar
Ceny cases are prosecuted under the Ar
kansas statute. and that while the pun
ishment is far more severe under that
statute than under the federal statute,
the fees for the officers charged with the
execution of the warrants for the appre-
hension of the offenders. is absolutely
inadequate to enable them TO properly
perform their duties.
The deputy United States marshals arc
the only officers IN this country, and on
them depends 10 great extent the safe
ty Of the people. They are the peace
officers. and iii the Offices OF marshals
sheriffs, constables and policemen, and
are frequently called to maintain order
at public gatherings, for which they re-
fore appear reasonably that in cases
where fees are allowed such fees should
at least be sufficient to assure the depu-
~ a return for his expenses and pay for
his services. Under the present system
this is denied to the officers. We are in
formed and the facts are that in case
deputy is handed a warrant for one or
more horsethieves and he succeeds IN cap
turing them, he is out Of pocket the ex-
penses he incurs and gets nothing for his
time.
The deputy is allowed 70 Per cent OF the
fees allowed to sheriffs Of Arkansas. that
is. he gets % per cent out Of cents for
each mile Travelled by himself, and the
same percentage out of 80 cents for max
ing the arrest. but nothing whatever for
transporting the prisoner. no matter how
far lhus. in going from this point 70
Ardmore with prisoner. the deputy pays
railroad fare for himself and for the
prisoner going. and for himself returning
but receives only 30 cents per mile for
himself 70 pay such expenses. To make
an arrest Of this kind. would therefore
mean a loss of from three 10 four DAYS
time, and an expense OF about ten doIiars
above what the government would re-
fund.
We also hnd that IN cases where the
deputy. N obedience TO a process issued
out OF the court. and which he IS. by
his oath Of Office. compelled 10 attempt 70
serve. he receives absoiuteiy nothing in
cases where he fails 70 ind the party.
And ne has to pay his expenses besides
IN country ike this. where the principal
part OF population IS OF 8 floating charac-
ter renters who move every year. the
expenses incurred endearsrins 70 find
witnesses who have moved OF left the
country entirely. is enough 70 break
Banker E1d without guarantee that ~
least tho expenses Tor ende8voriue would
be paid b. the government. 3 is urreas-
onabie 70 EXPECT that the deputy can az
ford 20 20 10 much tzoable finding q
witness ard without the proper witness
Il Is q little use 20 arrest the criminal
We also find that 2 deputy usrshal 81
allowed 10 assistance. except q. his gWl
expense. in making arrests il s. ~ wen
known that the class - Criui1ais zith
whom the oHcers have 81 den 81 tt,s
country. are desperate rsen whose regard .
FOR tbs life o. anyone bar u9re 60 Ter
seputy marshal. e. very siiEhL arE thst