The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-02-20
Calumet, Mich. Feb. 20. 1911

odiuiHtii req. ~, 1918.
Editor Calumet News,
In your issue of the 10Th inst you
published letter signed Subscriber
which / believe TO be a harsh and un-
founded criticism of the prosecuting
attorney of this county. Subscriber
should become more conyersant with
the facts as disclosed by our court
| records, before giving voice to the
sentiments expressed by him in his
! letter. II is true that Mr. Lucas made
a statement to the effect that slot ma
| chimes, gambling and blind pigs
! should go; and our court records of
the criminal term just concluded
show tie conviction of two defend
ants on the charge Of selling liquor
without a license. also the conviction
OF defendant on the charge Of keep
ing and maintaining "a gaming room,
I which | trust will open the eyes of
Subscriber" to the effect that the
prosecuting attorney not only made
the statement that he would prosecute
violators Of this nature, but carried
this statement into effect.
AS to the action of the prosecuting
attorney relative to slot machines.
practically every one will concede that
since the prosecutor assumed the du-
ties Of his Office. slot machines have
teen practically dispensed with for
the first time in four years. IL NAV
be true that in some isolated cases n
slot machine may be found, but if our
friend the Subscriber" is we'll
meaning, law-abiding citizen of this
county, who believes in the enforce
ment of the law relative to slot ma
chimes and the other features he men,
toned in his letter. would kindly call
at the prosecutors Office, am more
than positive that Mr.. Lucas would |
Immediately cause warrants to be is
sued against the offenders my friend !
the Subscriber would inform against. |
| am glad to see that Subscriber"
credits Mr.. Cruise with being sincere |
in his efforts, but / believe he has
signally failed TO be at all fair i'm the /
matter and he seems to misunder- /
stand the duties of the two offices;
Cor i'm my estimation, the Office of sher-
ift and that of prosecuting attorney
are linked together, II being the duty
of the sheriffs office to secure compe-
tent evidence OF these violations. he.
and not the prosecuting attorney, hav-
ing the power and authority to ap- n
point deputies and aids to aid him in
ferreting out violations of the law and
after this evidence is compiled then
the prosecutor steps in and continues
the work Of the sheriff's Office by see
ing that this evidence is properly
presented in court. II is not the duty
Of the prosecuting attorney to go out
ana make any personal arrests; his
duty commences when the evidence is
brought into court And from my
with Mr.. Lucas, his rea-
son for handing out communications
20 the newspapers with regard to the
Inherent violations, Is to arouse pub
c sentiment and to get the public
Interested and to secure their moral
support for both the sheriff and him
ielf. And IL the public becomes in
ormed of the true state of affairs In
his county IL was the hope of Mr..
lucas that public sentiment would
rave been aroused to such an extent
hat the citizens Of this county would
10 longer even passively countenanco
hese violations and would personally
assist both the sheriff and the pros
'cutor by informing them of any vio-
atoms that come within their knowl-
,dge. end in large measure thew
gould be abolished without any
egal action being taken by the fact
rat these vioiators will know the
tsnd that the oficers will take when
violence is brought to them Citizen