The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-12-16

street that they supposed were in Jail.
It's good deal like pouring water
through a sieve and dipping it up and
pouring it through again. Under
these conditions it is little wonder that
criminals are nervy. A few months in
Jail means good care. good food, a nice
rest from life's cares and picnic gen
orally. Looking at it in this light the
modern hold-up doesn't have to be
very brave or daring.'
1T is reported that the railroad and
express companies have offered to pay
$1,000 hereafter to any trainman who
shall Kill a train robbery. What effect
do you think that will have? Will it
decrease the number of train rohber-
ies?' Chief O'Neill was asked.
No" was the reply. 1.-The fact that
they would have to stand up and be
shot at did not deter men from crowd
ing the enlisting offices for permission
to fight in the Philippines. No more
are criminals deferred from their en-
terprises through fear of bullets.
They have the first drop" on their
victims, and that is what counts most;
they are willing to take the chance on
that basis
When seen at the Harrison street
station. Capt. Evans turned back over
his books and announced that from
November 1 to November "a rs young
fellows who had been in reform school,
had been brought before him for iden-
tltcatlon. The crimes with which they
were charged included the boldast rob-
berries and the shooting of policemen.
These young fellows" said Capt. Ev-
ans, ARE the worst criminals we have.
They have absolutely no regard for
life They don't realize the enormity
OF the crime of killing human being.
They will hold up man, and perhaps
shoot him or anyone that interferes
when they don't know whether the VIC
TINS got so cents or not. The profess
sional robber doesn't do things that
way. He may shoot man; but he's
got to know that there's something in
it for him worth while. Think, on the
whole, that criminals have degener-
ated in their policy and methods. It
used to be that only robber who was
master mechanic would attempt to
open safe. Now any ordinary Grim
inal can do the job with little SOAP
and some nitroglycerine. To be sure.
he ruins the safe and maybe blows a
hole in the side of the building. but he
gets the booty, which 18th main thing
he is after. 1t used to be that when a.
farmer wanted to dig out an ugly
stump. he hitched several teams to IL
and tugged away until he brought it
out. Now he puts in little piece of
dynamite and does the work good
deal quicker. The same thing is true
OF the criminal. The building of great
public works is one thing that teaches
all classes the use of explosives and
the criminal profits by the knowledge
along with the honest man. The build
ing OF the drainage canal, for example,
taught idlers the use of dynamite"
In summarizing, it may be said, then,
that the old-time highwayman of the
plains, while he was almost sure. if
captured, to get in the pathway of a.
bullet Or run his head into a moose.
committed his astounding feats of
lawlessness in comparative safety, be-
cause he had a good chance of evading
the sheriff. The modern hold-,lp man
fiourlshes under exactly the opposite
conditions, Capture sooner or later
is pretty certain; but punishment is
less severe and, if we may believe what
we hear, in some instances even invit.
ing to man weary of the vicissitudes
OF robbers existence.
MILTON MARKS.