The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-04-24
Prosecutors Apathy in Hold
up Cases Causes Scath-
ing Criticism.
TRIAL WAS YESTERDAY
Lawyer Explains Matter From His
Point of View-Says He
Had No Case.
Especial to Lake County TIme,,

Gary, Ind. April 24.-Attornevs
Hodges and Barden are congratulating
themselves upon their success in clear
ing Keegan and Stinemetz. the two
holdup men who were caught bv the
police Thursday night The trial oc-
Cured yesterday afternoon and fur
nlshed the audience with ample rea-
son for being thoroughly disgusted
with the prosecutor Lake county is
unfortunate enough to have. The
prosecution had made no attempt to
work up it's case from Saturday morn
ing until yesterday, and when the two
prisoners were hailed into court. ma =
turally the defense was ready and the
prosecutors deputy, Charles Flagg. OF
hammond, brought out no material
evidence, and the prisoners were turn
ed loose Judge Fitzgerald held the
prisoners for additional time in order
TO give the prosecution time to get in
more evidence, but even then nothing
was done and he must perforce let them
go. There has been no case In the
history of the local police department
work In which the guilt was so evi-
Gent as on the part Of Keegan and
the man who escaped. There might
nave been slight room for doubt on
the part of Stinemetz, although he Ger
ta1nly was not in that company for
any good purpose That the prosecu-
ton should make but a faint ATTEMPT
to prepare its case when ample evil
dence was at hand is an outrage that
deserves the severest condemnation
The local officers are under an enor-
nous handicap on account of lack Of
numbers and large territory to cover.
and when criminals caught red-handed
as these We're, are thus turned loose
to prey at will. a premium is put on
lawlessness and police department.
becomes farce. Prosecutor Boone
has certainly handed Gary a lemon in
return for the loyal support she gave
him in the last election.
No Evidence, Says Boone.
Il gave that case my personal atten-
tion before 1t went to trial" said Mr.
Boone, "and 1 think the criticism of
my office by your correspondent is not
warranted by the facts The territory
l have to cover is large and 1t keeps
me going all the time. If l had to sit
up with every case growing out of a
drunken brawl in Gary I would have
no time for anything else Mr.. Flagg
whom l deputized to try the case.
showed that no evidence was forth
coming to prove that the prisoners
were guilty of a hold up as charged.
The police who were called to testify
had no such evidence to offer The
Pole who was alleged to have been held
up and his companion were drunk.
Keegan and his companion were also
full of that horrible stuff they sell over
there. The Poles were staggering on
their way when Keegan, according to
the evidence, touched one of them on
the shoulder. The Pole turned and
called him vile name and Keegan
struck him. The pair rolled off the
walk into the lower ground. That
was the situation when the police in
terfered and arrested Keegan and
Stinemetz. When they were searched
they had only twenty cents between
them That didn't look like hold up
OF course, the man that got away
might have got the Poles money. but
the Pole himself did not remember
how much money he had. The case
was weak and everybody concerned
was drunk SO no one could make head
or tail of it"