Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-11-12
PERSONS Who Are Deemed Guilty
Until They Prove Themselves to Be
innocent and Who Can BE Impris-
Oned For COMMITTING No Ohense.

prevention of crimes act" on the mere
suspicion that their conduct is not what
it should be.
The act operates against persons who
have already been in prison, and it's ex-
istence makes it very hard task for
an ex-convict to enjoy real freedom.
Any person who has served term
Of Imprisonment may be arrested,
without warrant, if his conduct does
not favorably impress a policeman, and
summary convicted.
For instance, the men charged with
completely in the Conduit street jewel
robbery some years ago were not coz
victed of their offense, but the EVIL
dence given was that their mode Of
life was probably dishonest" This
was accepted by the judge, who SEN
fenced them to years Imprisonment,
not, be it noticed for any crime, but
because they were probably guilty
and could not prove themselves inno-
cent.
Another man only few weeks ago
w
prisonment for lettering. He was dis
covered by the police waiting about
some quiet byway of Chelsea and, hav-
ing been recognized as an eX-cOnvict,
was promptly taken in charge.
Another case of crimeless criminal
was that Of the youth who was SEN
fenced to eighteen months imprison-
ment for merely having in his possess
sion implements made for the purpose
of coming. The man had not coined
anything, but it seemed fairly clear
that he had thoughts of doing so.
The blow of this prophetic system of
prosecution, however, falls most heav-
lily on the man who has already been
convicted. Such person finds it al
most impossible to shake off the law.
During his ticket Of leave period if
he does not report himself regularly
he is liable to be sent back. Not only
this, but if any action of his strikes
the police as suspicious it is only nee
essary, according to the act, to state
that there are reasonable grounds for
believing that he gains his living by
dishonest means"
Not only are ticket of leave men liza
BILE to unexpected arrest for no definite
crime, but also any convict whatever.
For seven years after the expira ton
of the sentence passed on him if he re-
fuses to give his name or address or
gives a false one. or if he is found in
any place. whether public or private,
without being able to satisfy the court
why he was there, he is liable to
years Imprisonment.
A social gathering of criminals in
the east end was some years ago sud-
denly interrupted by the entrance Of a
we'll known detective. The company
was only engaged in the harmless oc
cupation of smoking and chatting,
though, doubtless. only between
crimes. Said the detective:
"A watch was stolen yesterday from
a gentleman in Fife street. Now, one
of you knows where it is. Unless you
deliver it up in twenty-four hours the
whole lot of you will be run in tomor-
row for being alive.
Being interpreted, this, meant that
the detective had special reason for
recovering the watch for his client, and
to save himself the ordinary process Of
searching he had adopted this method
of intimidation
BY this threat he meant that the
whole company could be charged I'M
der the prevention Of crimes act OH
suspicion OF not earning an honest liv-
ing or for lettering with feonious in
tent
Quite recently in 4 well known civil
lawsuit the plaintiffs ros't.on was dis
credited by detective witness who
came into court and testified that he
was ''on the market
This, being interpreted meant that
the plaintiffs habits haG not met will
the approval of the le.~ion of plain
clothes detectives who are known to
haunt LOndon's streets. The methods
of these gentlemen are not confined to
the actual detection OF crimes so much
as to the general watching of persons
passing to and fro in certain streets.
One of these detectives says that he
spends the greater part of his time
daily in walking up and down a crowd
ed thoroughfare and fixing his eyes on
any person whose progress along the
street does not suggest urgent bust
ness.
IF when l catch his eye," said the
detective, ''this person stares back at
me or turns to look after I have passed
know that he's a wrong 'un and
watch him carefully"
If the individual subjected to this
treatment should often frequent the
thoroughfare in question and if his
companions should not meet with the
entire approval of the detective on
watch then he IS ION the Market
London Globe