The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-03
SLOW 10 |ND|CT
 SURE ID C0Nv|CT'
Is Slogan of Attorney General
 Wickershar1l
SOUTHERN GRoCERs CASE
"Third Degree" Methods of Police ofi- cinls Will Be Investigated by Specin4 Senate Committee
 Police Deny Charge
nx JONATHAN WINFIELD

Washington July 2.-tSpeclaI.) Slow to indict, sure to convict. This This is the slogan of Attorney General George W. Wickersham in his cam paign against indicators of every description whether they are high off, cers in some large corporation with interest nation wide or of an 1ndivid- ual who violates the federal statutes.
 Useless prosecution or multifarious prosecution ending generally in tri- umphal acquittal for those invoiVed entails a great deal of labor on the part of employees of the government to the detriment of other and more imnortant court work. as well as being expensive to the government.
 Consequently it has been the policy of the Department of Justice to go glow in matters that call for teoerai nrosecution, when involving corpora tions and individuals, especially where the penalty might include penitentl- ary sentence. Mr. Wickersham does not however, approve of too conserv- ative a policy but makes nice distinc- ton between an unintentional wrong land an intentional one.
 On the other hand MT. Wickersham points out that where federal rights are infringed on or the constitutional guarantee of the people abrogated, the Department of Justice will step in and endeavor to set matters arieht. 10 do this, however. MT Wickersham says that 1t is essential that the govern ment secure absolute evidence 10 con-
 
 law.
 If the alleged malefactor IS able to outpoint a representative of this De- pa artment before a court and the gov Lernment looses its case, 1t means. nine cases out of ten that the case was not fully prepared by securing sufficient evidence to warrant a conviction, said the attorney general, The theory of prosecute those who are responsi- ble for violations of the law. is all right. but the foundation upon which case stands, must of necessity be sufficiently strong to reasonably expect a verdict favorable to the govern ment's interests. If not, what Is the use of bringing such case oelore tne courts? It simply means that the dock : cts will be crowded with cases tsdt will not bear the searching scrutiny of the courts and that in all propaph- l1ty the lBSoo Woc S-o~o~-~ - of public clamor.
 rn the mast 1t has been the policy of some of the legal officers ot the l Ir,Aoartment of Justice to bring pros- ecutions against alleged bad trusts corporations and others for various presumed violations of the reoeral statutes. Some of the cases have new er xone beyond the trial courtss where they are either quashed by the presid- | A1l L. torney who was selected to prosecute the case. What was the result? The ldefenda ants' regulations were smircned and probably their business ruined. They were indicted and branded as criminals by a federal government. al- tn ough the government was unable to sustain or prove its case.
 "rhis. of course. was obviously wrong. If a corporation or an indi- viduai Is wrong doer. punishment shouid be meted out accordingly, but before punishment Is thought of 1t should be clear to those who are about to infiict 1t, that they are sure of tn cir ground When that point is es- tablished beyond reasonable doubt then 1t Is time to start a prosecution.
 To help the Attorney General in se- curing evidence/upon which the numer- | ous actions that. the government has filed against corporations and others during the past year, large force of ] secret service men are employed Tc this body of men Mir. Wickersham points with evident pride and satisfaction re- ferring to records in his office showins 5 the results of their work. During tho period of twelve months these men have been active in nearly every city ot Importance in the United States. and tho cases that have come up for trial | in the courts of first instance, convic- l tions have been noted in nearly every