The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1904-12-29
Mayor German Orders a Crusade
Against the Suspicious
Characters.
SIX PLAIN CLOTHES MEN ON.
Mayor Gives Chief of Police ReinOld
Orders to Throw All Suspicious
Looking Persons Into Jail, and
Hold Them Indefinitely.

Mayor German this morning took
drastic measures to suppress the
epidemic of robbery that prevails in
Kenosha, and if the orders of the
mayor are carried out the coroner is
liable to beskept busy during the next
few weeks, and several questionable
resorts which have fourished by the
concea1ment of thugs and burglars
will be forced to end their existence.
During the last forty-eight hours
it is claimed that four houses in the
city were entered by burglars, and
the work was done either by local
crooks orsswith their assistance. These
conditions cannot continue. People
are afraid to leave their houses at
night, and a Ereign Of terror is practi-
cally on in the city. Mayor Gormau's
orders TO the force this morning leave
no manner of doubt. His order to the
chief follows:
1st. Put on at once six new police
officers in plain clothes, and see that
they patrol the city and arrest ali
suspicious characters.
End. Arrestsevery suspicious char
acter IN the city, and place him in the
jail until he is able to give an account
of himself and his actions.
3rd. Drive all hobos out of the city
and see it that they do not return.
4th., Close the saloons up tight at
the time set by the city ordinance,
and rid the streets of the saloon
buns.
5th. Keep a close eye on every man
IN the citysswho has ever been arrest
ed, andsif he makes a false step land
him behindsthe' bars.
The chief at once communicated
these orders to the day men, and the
full forcesof lsix plain clothes detect
ives will go on at s O'Clock this even
ing. Added to.the orders in regard
to arresting the criminal suspects,
the Mayor gave the following order
to the chief: "Shoot on sight any per-
son, be- he man or woman, seen enter
ing house over a porch or by means
OF ladder. Don't wait to look into
the matter and let the fellow get
away, but shoot"
The crusade will be on in earnest
tonight, and the jail will probably be
pretty well filed up if any suspicious
characters are found lurking about
the city.
In regard to his orders Mayor Cor
man said this morning, TT is evident
that this burglary is being done by
local crooks with the possible aid of
outsiders and we must take some
steps to end this reign of crime at
once. These fellows who are 1oa1ng
about the city with no visible means
of support must be landed in jail and
held until they agree to either get out
of the city or go to work. hold that
such men are menace to the city
and the sooner we get rid of them the
better"
During the past three or four weeks
there has been from eight to ten bur
g1aries in the city and it is evident
from the nature of these crimes that
these crooks are keeping a close
watch on the movements of the peo-
pie of the city and they make for the
houses as soon as they are left vacant.
It is to be hoped that the officers will
be able to catch one of these men In
the act of enteting house and that
a bullet will terminate his career as a
robber. Such an eaccident'' would
do more than any thing else to drive
this gang forever from Kenosha.
Local news on page s.