Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1910-02-05
emf F0RCE:ME:NT OF
LAW FAVORED
BOUNTY ATTORNEY CORNELL
SETS ATTORNEY GENERAL
STRAIGHT ON CRIME.
GIVES STATISTIC S
In Response to Inquiries of H. W.
Byers, Ottumwa Official Gives
Record of Criminal
Proceedings.

Ottumwa and Wapello county is
shown to have had less crime during
The past year than in the three years
previous, according to the report made
TO Attorney General II. w. Byers by
County Attorney Seneca Cornell yes
terday. Mr.. Cornell emphasizes the
fact that he believes the officers of the
county and of the city, together with
the Jurors believe in the enforcement
of all laws In his suggestions for
strengthening the laws of the state,
Mr.. Cornell states that the laws are
Sufficiently strong, but that officers
who will do their duty, and jurors who
are afraid to convict are essential. MI.
Cornell also discourages leniency on
the part of the court.
Tells of Crime.
The replies to Attorney General
i3yers' letter of inquiry to County At
torney Cornell are given in full in the
following letter from the county prose-
cutor:
ottumwa. Ia, Feb. 2, 1910.
Hon. H. w. Byers,
Des Moines, Iowa.
"Dear Sir:
I'm compliance with your request
hated January 81 1910, but received by
me today, ] will give you brief re-
port of the work in my office, in GRIM
hal cases, for the year 1909.
"Indictments have been returned
against sixty-three persons (this. OF
course, includes cases where more
Than one indictment was returned
against the same person. for the fol-
lowing offenses; to wit:-for main
taining LIQUOR ruisances, 10; for break
Ing and entering, 10; for prostitution,
,nder Section 4942 of the Code, 6: for
breaking and escaping from jail. 5; for
receiving stolen goods knowing the
same to have been stolen, 4; for grand
larceny. 4; for keeping a gambling
Eouse, 4 for cheating by false pre-
tenses. 2; for forgery 2; for murder in
80 first degree. l.; larceny from y
-'n~ !, Go wife desentinn. for
l. for assault with intent to commit
i; great ho0ily injuI% i; fef
salary, !; for keeping house of III
fame, /.
some of the above cases We're dis
missed on my motion and many of the
parties plead guilty. but, of those tried
by a jury, all We're convicted except
six | think the above statement DEM
onstrates that the jurors of this coun-
ty are in favor of law enforcement.
Tho Saloon Situation.
- IN answer to your special questions
AS contained in your favor of January
81, will say
First there We're no saloons operat-
Ing in this county December 81, 1908
On the 21st day Of December 1908. q
revocation petition was filed with the
county auditor and all saloons then in
operation 36. in number, discontinued
business and closed their doors They
remained closed until after the dis
trict court adjudged the petition to be
insufficient. On the 31st day of Decem-
Der, 1909 there were % saloons operat-
ing in this city, Ottumwa, under tht
nulct law.
Second. know of no saloons being
crfra'r1 in this comfy on Sunday, MOI
have ! had any complaints made to ms
b st.tpDns operating ca Sunday.
Third There are no saloons beins
operated in this county except those
operating under the Mulct law.
The Question of Gambling.
Fourth. | do not think any of thc
cities in this county permit gambling
10 be operated under any arrangement
with the officers of the cities; but
hear frequent complaints of the opera
tfon of such places secretly and
Whenever the evidence is obtainable
they are indicted and tried. Indict
nents were entered against three