The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-08-27

to. If there was some little regard fol
the law, some little regulation of the
things, we would not have thes
troubles with us
Tells of Personal Inquiry.
"After reading this evidence, I in
quired and found that all that was said
was true, that the officials knew OF the
crimes and criminals, of the violations
of the excise and gambling laws, of the
lewd women and obscene pictures, but
that they refused to do anything TO
better conditions. In fact, as to excise
conditions, in respect to the sunday
law enforcement, they not only refused
but have admitted that they were aid
ing the notification of these laws.
These officials have been notified. The
Justice of the Supreme Court presiding
in that circuit has called the grand
jury and charged it. T~wenty-six cases
OF excise violations have been pre-
s~ented-no one questioning their proof
and the grand jury adjourns without
action. In fact, it is asserted that no
grand jury will indict, and If 1t were to
do SO, no petit jury, drawn by the
presnt sheriff of Atlantic county,
would convict.
THE admitted conditions amount to
a combination of officials and certain
influential citizens to subvert the State
laws; in a word, treason against the
State.
Makes Public Correspondence.
AS the Governor of the State, charged
with the duty to see that all the laws
are enforced, the following communica-
tions were sent to the Sheriff of the
county and Mayor of the city:
Sea Girt, August IL, 1908.
Smith e. Johnson, Esq,
Sheriff of Atlantic County.
Mays Landing, N. j.
Dear Sir:
In reading your evidence before
the Excise Commission taken in At
Iantic City the other day, your ideas
Of the duties of the Sheriff of a
county are most surprising. Fear
ing, if these ideas are allowed TO go
uncontroverted, hat other sheriffs
in the State may get the impress
sion tina you have rightfully stated
a sheriff's duty, as well as for
other reasons, l write you this let
ter.
The sheriff of q county is at the
head of the ~constabulary of the
county. He has the power to sup
press vice and detect crime, and he
not only has the power, but 1t Is
his duty 10 do so. He should not
wait until someone tells of a Grim
inal act and of a violation of the
law, but he should seek out offend
ers and endeavor to suppress their
practises. A sheriff who does not
see because he will not look is just
as guilty of wrongdoing as one who
does see but will not act. There is
no difference in the degree of
wrongdoing. You do not pretend
that you do not know; in fact. you
state in your evidence that you be-
1ieve that the law is constantly vio-.
lated. You do not deny that you
know that gambling houses n
places of i%ll-repute exist, and other
violations of the law are constantly
occurring, not only upon Sunday,
but upon every day, in your county.
You seem to think that all you need
\ to do is to hide behind the fact that
no one makes a complaint, m that
no writ is delivered to you to be
executed. If this satisfies your con-
science IL UO6S not Satisfy the INV
You are entitled, as sheriff of the
county, to the support of the State
in enforcing the law. If you call
for It., the executive of the State
will gladly lend all the power of
the State. If o are unable to
break up these places, after an eff
fort to do so, the State will gladly
lend it's aid TO the extent, IL neces-
eary. of giving you It's entire citi-
zen soldiery TO assist you.
No sheriff has the right to dis
tinguish between grades of crime.
All crime stands before the law in
the same light. When the Leglsla-
ture declares a thing to be wrong,
and seeks for the punishment of the
wrongdoer, it is h duty of the
sheriff, and every other officer
charged with the keeping of the
laws, to see that those guilty are
brought to Justice.
The facts in my possession, not
only in the evidence taken before
the Excise Commission, but other
wise obtained, indicate that in your
county the law is openly n fla
gravity violated In many respects.
If you were to taxi the initiative,
or any other officer, under your di-
~rection, 1 have not a shadow of
doubt that the courts of your
county would enforce the law.
1 regret that there does not exist
IN this State any power to remove a
sheriff who openly and wilfully VIC