Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-12-24
u, S. PRISONERS
NOT So MANY NOW
DECREASE OF NEARLY A THOUS-
AND WITHIN THREE
YEARS.

YEARS.
Washington, December 22.-In his
! annual report General Bonaparte
! shows that there were in confinement
on June $50. 1905, 3,455 United States
| prisoners; on June 80, 1906, 1924;
! June so, 1907, 2.7SS: and June So 1908,
! 3,674. OF the number in confinement
! 80, 1908. LOG were in the United
States penitentiaries at Atlanta, Leav-
enworth and Mcneil island, Wash:
the national training school for boys,
Washington, ID. c., and the govern
ment hospital for the insane. in the
District of Columbia. The remainder
were confined in 6S state institutions.
From July l, 1907 to June 80, 1908,
there were received about 1000 Ber-
tillon records, making the total num-
Der of Bertillon records on file $4,000.
| From July 1, 1907, to June 80, 1908,
| there were collected and classified
2.661 finger-print records, making
! 1863 finger-print records on file. Dur
| ing the fiscal year 1908, 80 identifica-
tons were made from the finger
print records. Since the removal of
! the records to LeayenwOrth they have
| been brought up to date and Identified
lions are more-readily made. This is
evidenced by the fact that from July
| 1, 1908, to October 20, 1908, over rs
succe- sful identifications have been
made. In addition TO the Bertillon and
! tinger-print records, there are on file
2704S index cards. containing the
names and criminal records of pris-
Oners
Processes Against Corporations.
The United States has had occa-
sion of late years, and will probably
have occasion in the future" he de-
! clares, TO prosecute criminally many
corporations or other artificial per.
sons. AS such offenders cannot be
physically arrested, it is obviously de-
sired that a simple and convenient
form of process shall be prescribed by
law to have the legal effect of an act
district as in the case of natural per-
sons
Peonaae.
The classes of cases which have
engaged large part of the attention
of the department have been prosecu-
lions for peonage and civil and Grim
inal proceedings arising out of al
legged frauds and Irregularities in the
acquisition of title by private parties
to the public lands. I'm both cases."
he says, II am happy to report that
the energetic prosecution of offend
ers has undoubtedly rendered the
crimes less frequent, and also less
profitable. 1t is VIGOROUSLY difficult
to secure convictions in peonage
cases, owing to the antecedents and
surroundings of the victims and wit
nesses and the frequent existence of
strong local sympathy for the de-
PENDANTS" He reports, however, that
through the determination of the de.
partment the frequency of these of
lenses has diminished materially, al
though they are still by no means I'M
known THE land fraud cases." he
5 avs, have forcibly illustrated the I'M
fortunate consequences of admins
trative laXity and federation of abuses
in the enforcement of any laws during
a considerable length of time.
Bank Troubles.
The number and gravity of the Of
| lenses against the national banking
laws by officers or employees of ma
| tiOnal banks constitute matters of
reasonable solicitude and regret" he
'tates. THE moral culpability in
volved in such offenses seems often
to be imperfecly appreciated and, al
though they usually excite great indig
nation and provoke loud complaints
| from the sufferers when they are first
discovered, so much time is frequent
ly lost in the preparation for trial and
actual trial of these long and compli-
| Gated cases that the crime it elf has
faded from public memory when the
criminal is at last convicted, and
there is need of vigilance lest he fin
ally escape with wholly insufficient
punishment"
Sanctuaries for Crooks.
In his opinion as a matter of justice
no good reason exists why a warrant
OF arrest issued by any court of the
United States should not be directly
executed in any part of the United
States. He asserts that it has been
found that certain districts constitute
for practical purposes sanctuaries for
certain classes of offenders against
federal statutes. He believes that
there should be a law giving commit
ting magistrates of the United States
authority to issue search warrants
when stolen government property or
any property which it is crime
against the United States to misappro-
pirate is believed to be concealed.
| We know woman of forty. Every
| time we have met her lately, she has
been abusing a certain story in GER
| tain magazine. Finally we procured the
the magazine and read the story. 1t
refers to the heroine, a woman of
| forty, as old! And there you are again.