Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-01-15
MAYOR MCCARTHY ADVISES THE
ARREST OF ALL SUSPICIOUS
CHARACTERS.
THIEVES AND HOBOS
FLOCKED TO BUTTE.
Praised the Officers for Good Work
Performed, But Says Extra Pre-
cautions Should Be Taken.

night and addressed them at length re-
garding the condition existing in Butte.
He said that he had called them to-
gether on account of the number of hold
urs that had been reported recently and
to have some understanding in regard
to the method to be pursued in dealing
with the vagrant population, which
seems to be unusually large at the pres
ent time. He said that he had no fault
to find with the officers, but desired that
they be alert in the protection of the
lives and property of the citizens. as he
had reason to believe that the vagrant
class had more cause at the present time
for holding people up than they have had
in the 2ast.
He said that thieves and hObOs had
focked into Butte from all parts of the
country. and he wished that the police
would be sure and place under arrest
all suspicious characters that they might
encounter on their rounds: that if mis-
take was made and an honest citizen
was detained, the citizen should not OBJ
ject or make fuss against it, as he
would realize that the action on the part
OF the officer was simply an effort to pro-
tect the community. Every suspicious
character he said, should be brought
,estigation could be made. 1t would not
be necessary for an officer to see sus-
| picious character commit a crime before
| placing him under arrest.
| Referring to the size of the police force
the mayor said that he realized that it
| was small for a city like Butte, and pa
tlolmen could not be in all places at
| once. In larger cities two officers pa
troled every beat short distance apart,
So that they could reEder assistance to
one another when necessary, and this
rendered the policing OF community
much easier. Some of the officers in
Eutle have beat that covers ten or
twelve blocks, and the mayor believed
that the interests Of the citizens would
he better protected if the officers would
| pay more attention to that portion of
their beats where criminals were likely
to attempt their work. He said that
during the past eighteen months the
city had been fortunate, as there had
been but very few hold-ups, but the
vagrant element was now drifting to-
ward Butte. and it was necessary that
extra precautions be taken. He praised
the officers for their good work in the
past in the detection and arrest Of GRIM
trails. and said that he felt that the pres
ent force would do all in their psner to
suppress crime.
An informal talk took place after the
mayor had concluded. and that the talk
was we'll timed was evidenced by the
fact that the officers last night arrested
number or Migrants and suspected per-
sons, who are being held for investiga-
ton.
Chief I.ayell is very earnest In the
matter. and says that he intends to rio
Butte of its buns il it is possible, and
believes that he can do so if he can get
the support OF the courts The scheme
of allowing the police judge to handle
the Migrants arrested by the police
meets with his approval. and he believes
that If this is done the police will be bet
ter able to grapp!e with the situation.
Mayor Mccarthy. in discussing the
matter today, SAID that the public is in
clined to blame the police too readily
He cited as an instance the case of Mo-
hard and says that investigation has
revealed almost beyond the question OF
doubt that the man shot himself for
the purpose of p.aking it appear that he
had been held up and robbed of funds
belonging to an organization which he
was collecting for The clothing through
which the bullet had passed showed that
the Overcoat and undercoat had been
held back while the pistol was fired. and
the vest was powder burned. This in
connection with the fact that the man $
pistol was found in Close proximity ia
the place where the shooting took place
indicated that Mohard had fred the
shot The mayor, after reciting these
circumstances. said that if the man had
died at the time. the police would have
been severely blamed for not catching
the "highwaymen" who had done the
shooting.
The mayor. IN citing another incident
referred to the case of last Monday
where a man found $1,000 in a pocket
book and returned it to the owner.
the money had not been returned, tn,
man. as he had kept the pocketbook il
a valise. would have made up his mins
that he had been robbed, and woul.
have reported it to the police. an,
8 they would have been blamed for no
t catching the thief.
II Still another incident recited by tn
+ mayor is one which has not yet bee
s published. 1t appears that one of tn
e employees of the HennesSy Mercantil
=. company few days ago started cas-,
e ward on a trip. He placed quantity O
n money and tewelry in a valise and Wen
e down to the train, and while waiting 70
/. the train to be made up, placed tn
valise on the platform near him. Som
IL person, evidently knowing what tn
valise contained. picked it up and sui
# sti;uted another of the same appea,
ance and made off with the one cor
2. tanning the money and jewelry, whic
- was valued at about $1,000 The ira,
eler when the train was made u
picked up the valise that had been le
IS by the thief and went on tIie train. Il
/. was at some distant point before he di
% covered tie substitution. and then tell
le graphed the police. The latter hay
I. been hunting high and low for the th
" and the missing valise. but as they ha,
y no description OF the man. their progre
Il is necessarily slow. Some people see
Is - blame the police because they do n