The Detroit times., 1908-06-06
.D0WMEY PUs he 5
! ASIDE POL ICE
CROWN
DIFFERED PRESIDENCY or CHIEFS
ASSOCIATION BUT DECLINES.
AND SYLVESTER is REFLECT
ED-ouNN's CLEVER PAPER.


John ]. Downey, superintendent OF
the Detroit police force, was rendered
the presidency OF the international AS
ISOLATION OF Chiefs OF Police in the
final business session. Friday morning.
This offer was made as a tribute 10
bin and TO the department, for which
the visiting chiefs expressed the
greatest admiration.
Downey refused the honor. and Maj.
Richard Sylvester. of Washington,
was reelected for his tenth term.
Downey was made first ice-president
and Harvey o Carr, OF Grand Rapids,
was reelected secretary treasurer.
When the matter OF elecung officers
came up. the excitement that has been
threatening ever since the convention
began. was on at once. Chief j. II.
Hanger. OF Louisville, began by NOV
Ing that the old officers be elected for
another year. Chief James McWeeney.
OF South Bend. Ind. made warm
speech declaring against perpetuity
In Office and the Old officers manifest
ed a desire 10 withdraw voluntarily TO
allow new heads being selected. Then
Chief George NJ. Shippy. or Chicago.
nominated Downey and McWeeney
seconded the nomination.
Mai Sylvester took the floor to de-
clare his Willingness To withdraw in
favor OF Downey, but the Detroit chief
would not allow this. In a speech full
OF feeling he declined 10 allow his
name TO be used.
This cleared the decks. and when
John c. Whitaker, OF Dayton. insisted
that Downey's name be substituted for
his own as vice-president. the resolu-
ton OF Chief Hanger went through.
Resolutions thanking the citizens OF
Detroit for the hearty welcome &C
corded the chiefs were adopted, the
names OF Fred w. Smith. Mayor
Thompson, Judge Connolly, Allan II.
Frazer Geo. W. Fowle and W. c. May
bury being especially mentioned.
most scholarly paper on The
Causes and Prevention OF Crime" by
Chief VIM. Gum, OF Hartford, Conn.
was read
His most startling suggestion was
that the danger OF hereditary criminal
ity be minimized by isolation and.
perhaps. surgery"
Very few persons are exempt from
the tendency 10 crime as Influenced by
climate and other causes, he declared
Crimes against property are especially
prevalent in winter, because hard
times and speculative mania are then
most frequent. Crimes against the
person occur chiefly in summer, as
fhen the heat tends toward high
PENSION Of temper.
81 The instructive criminal is one who
has not outgrown the state OF child
hood. he lacks reason and forethought.
Lynching Is cause OF crime from
It's effect on the people generally and
all brutality reacts in crime, said the
speaker. With regard to foreign immi |
grafton, Chief Gum recommends a
head tax to keep out the undesirables. |
The Negro factor he holds to be an |
important one, owing to physical and |
mental inferiority and racial inheri |
lance, also to the lack of training for |
skilled work among the Negroes |
Other causes OF crime he mentioned |
ed conditions In cities.
In the line OF prevention, his chief |
suggestion is for the widespread use |
OF the Bertillon system to detect the /
habitual criminal; aids to the convict |
on leaving prison and the prevention |
OF grouping OF ex-convicts together.
THE convict enters a world OF |
scorn," he says.
The wholesale destruction OF Grim |
inals to eliminate criminal hereditary |
he condemns as impossible because OF |
Its reflex action on the community |
which would, In his opinion. be thus |
transformed into.a community OF Grim |
inals.
More widespread insurance against
fire, sickness and old age. laws against
child labor and training schools for
artisans are the chief remedies he
sees.
A paper by Mrs. NJ. z. Holland on
Finger Print Identification" was also
read.
Los Angeles. Cal, was finally chosen
as the next convention city. after
long argument. Chief Kern. OF that
city, has been busy with information
regarding the beauties OF southern
California and won over the conven.
ton. Chief Bodeker. OF Birmin CHAM.
presented the claims OF that Alabama
city, while Michael Regan. of Buffalo,
talked for Niagara Falls.