The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-09
URGES SWIFT PUNISHMENT
Taxpayer" Complains of Laxity in
Furnishing the Vicious.
Criminals

To The Salt Lake Herald:
That the numerous victims of the elu-
SiVe sandbaggers and hold-upS that have
been terrifying this city, are martyrs
to the mode Of mild justice, practiced
mere and IN many other cities, IS the fIrn
opinion of myself and many friends.
am correct in stating that there are
few cities in which 1t is safe to walk
alone in dark places and am convinced
after serious study that it is caused in
the main by lax justice and the many
iOophOles OF escape offered by this pro-
cedure, in a great majority of cases.
When guilt is proven beyond doubt,
nothing viii create more terror among
criminals, than severe swift and merited
justice, without cOlOred newspaper nOtO-
riety, that makes heroes out of crimi-
nails
do not believe in vigilance committees
or mob law. but / think you will agree
with me, that had it not been for the
vigilance committees of early days, the
west, then overrun with lawless charac-
tiers, would not have been what ii is
today. And why? Because justice was
swift not always sure, perhaps, in hang
ing the right party, we may admit but
many eviI-dOerS were lynched, some
were glad to escape the country with
their lives while others had to reform.
I sincerely believe in giving everyone
the benefit of a doubt but when the evil
dence is sure and guilt is proven, then
Justice should follow severely and swift
", newspapers should state cold facts
clubbing and red tape, or new trials
granted for immateriaI trifles, which
usually happens under the present sys-
TENN, especially when the guilty party
has financial backing Of course such
cases make good picking for the legal
fraternity, but IS is a great wrong con-
tinually practiced on a suffering public.
By the procedure of our laws at pres
ent throughout the country, if a guilty
criminal can secure funds, it is a cinch
his case will last Just as long. as his
money holds out; for by employing able
counsel he can secure numerous trials
on all kinds Of crOss-eyed, silly excep-
ticns.
By this time the lawyers are all well
aware that something else will have 0c-
CURED to attract public attention. public
sentiment viii then be dead in this case
and it Is an easy matter to secure &C
QUittaL or a prison sentence that will
very likely be pardoned when new Off
Gals are elected to office. And during
this period yellow journals have made q
nero and martyr out of the criminal
in the eyes of a certain class and the
general public IS wondering why crime is
on the increase.
Tt is cases like these, the miscarriage
of the law, that make criminals, cases
that make little children fatherless, cases
that make wives widows, cases that
make lawyers great, famous, respected
and wealthy.
Frank Rose killed one, evidence conclu-
sive, swift justice and small expense to
the state.
James Shockley killed two good citi-
zens, evidence conclusive, large reward
paid, two trials covering lengthy periods.
newspaper notoriety that made him a
hero in the eyes of all crooks and dime
novel fiends, prison sentence, and is at
present promoted to the prison bakery,
where he is very likely faring better this
cold weather. than the families of his
victims and waxing fat on the kind treat
ment of the good state of Utah, at a
continued expense to the taxpayers, and
the public continues to blame the police
for an increase Of crime.
A rigid enforcement of the laws with,
swift Justice and no favor to the guilty
a big rock pile and stiff sentence to ali
buns and won't works. will do more
to strike terror to all this class and
cause them to give Utah wide berth.
than 500 extra police, and with less cost
to taxpayers
A highwayman is the very worst form
of criminal. for he deliberately premedi-
tates murder and hanging is too good for
him, although he may claim self defencS
in killing the poor victim that had every
right TO defend himself.
TAXPAYER.