The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-06-07

Indianapolis, June 6.-That emf
nently good and sacrificing class
of Indiana citizens who have been de-
voting their time and money for years
to the prevention of crime and the ell
ovation of criminals confess them
selves staggered by the record which
the state is making, and in some quar-
ters there is a disposition to give up
the fight and to confess
that, great as are the means invoked
to make men better, they are defying
all agencies for good and seemingly
glorying in the evil bent given to pas
sions Though the administration of
Governor Durbin stands out promi-
nentlv on the side of law and order,
and though four murderers have been
hanged since he came into office in
January, 1901, his administration will
90 into history as distinguished for
the many murders crowded into the
four years he has occupied the exec
utive office.
May Be Laws Fault.
The administration Of Governor
Mount, immediately preceding. was
marked by a number of lynchings and
in one case the mutilated body was
burned by the excited citizens, thus
closely approaching those exhibitions
of vengeance in the south which have
caused so much horror. One of the
first acts of the legislature that as
sembled under Governor Durbin was
to empower him to remove sheriffs in
eases of lynching and to investigate
the circumstances attending the crime
and the officers responsibility for its
commission. There have been fewer
lynchinGs since this law was enacted,
but thoughtful men are not satisfied
that, while it has made sheriffs more
determined in protecting their prison
ers and thus lessened the danger from
alobs and the consequent fear of
ishment, it has not also emboldene(
the criminal class and in some meas
ure contributed to that melanchol,
record which the state is now making
One in Six Convicted.
Certain it is that this class does MOI
now fear the people will take tn
law into their own hands. for every
sheriff in the state, as soon as a crime
is committed within his jurisdiction
that would naturally inname the PEG
tI,n 1
and puts arms in their hands wit
which to defend the prisoner. Blu
for these precautions there woul
have been three lynchinos in thi
state within as many months. for tn
people were never more thorough
aroused over the commission Of Grim
and would have visited it with pu
ishment but for the determined PREF
arations which the officers Of the la
made to resist any attempt at V;
olence.
While thus the fear of punishment
save such as follows u-on the slo
tread Of the law. has been removed
the criminal class has been emboldel
ed and Indiana has witnessed mo-
murders within the last eight montl
than were ever before crowded in
the same lcnght Of time in her hi
tory. Andthouch six murder tria
occupied the attention Of the cour
Of the stateat one time. and in ca
case the crime was without the lea
paliation, only one of the dcfendan
has been convicted. and he was fou,
guilty of murder only in the secOl
degree. Of the other five cases thr
of the defendants were acquitted a
two trials resulted in hung juries.
Five Trials at One Time.
These crimes were almost coin
dent with each other and the tri
were called at the same time, maxi
five murder trials in progress at c
time. and the sixth beginning just
the close Of the most important of
five. Among the first of these was
murder of Miss Sarah Schafer.
ented Latinteacher in the Bedf'
High school. Between 6 and
O'Clock in the evening she was DIR
ced into an alley as she passed all
the street from her supper to
room and was foully murder
James Mcdonald, laborer, was
rested for the crime over the pro
of MANY citizens who did not bell
him guilty. After protraeted t
he was acquitted, and the grand ]
is now in session on another hunt
the murderer