Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-08-25
ATTORNEY GENERAL cossoN
POINTS OUT DEFECTS IN PRES
EMIT AAPhAzARD METHODS.
STATE SECRET SERVICE
FAVORED BY PROSECUTOR
Attorney General Addresses Three
Meetings in Mason City and Clear
Laks-Arsues for State Prison Farm
and District JaiIs for Old Offenders
Against Various Statutes.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Mason City, Aug 25.-Prison reform
and the eighth mandment We're the
themes discussed by George Ccsson, at
torney general for the state of Iowa, in
a series of three addresses delivered
here Sunday morning and evening, in
which large crowds gathered and which
he held in close interest as he discussed
the moral questions which confront the
citizens of the state Early Sunday
evening he delivered an address at the
Methodist church at Clear Lake and
shortly before 8 o'clock was whirled
to Mason City in an auto 10 meet
great crowd which had assembled a,
the Cecil theater. Sunday morning Mr..
Cosson spoke at the Baptist church
The capture. prosecution and the
punishment Of prisoners was his even
ing theme. He condemned present
methods and the lack Of system in cap
turing offenders. The county and state
authorities have no means at hand and
to remedy this Mr.. Cosson advocated a
state secret service. He gave as an
instance the Oelwein case. in which
daughter of the Huppertz family had
been stolen and sold INTO wiiite slavery
and how powerless the county attorney
Of that county was to Systematically
run down the offender. who is known TO
be Franz Meyer, Of Chicago. but who
lived for time at the Huppertz home.
Some system for the capture of offend
ers should be worked out in the opinion
of the state attorney.
State Prison Farm Favored
NJ CnSgnr MI
He would have STATE farm on which
they could be employed and would
have district prisoners for local Of
tenders rather than the county Jail and
would eliminate the petty three days.
ten days, in Jail, but would in case OF
the drunk, parole him for the first Of
tense, fine him for the second. give him
thirty days for the third, sixty days for
the next. and 50 on.
BY a properly operated state farm
the convicts could earn their own keep.
earn something for the support OF
their families and grow food stuffs for
the maintenance OF the state institu-
tons OF the state In this way Mr.. Cos
son advoctes. the prisoners may be-
come Of some economic worth rather
than an expense, and he Will not only
be employed in useful way to his
own good but his family will not be
dependents. He advocated road work
and gave instances in other states
where the state was actually making
money of their penal population as in
the case OF Mississippi which made
100000 off her prisoners and Kansas
last year made 100000.
Wants District JaiIs.
There are 1900 who pass thru the
county jails of the state in a year was
the assertion of Mr.. Cosson. Instead
Of the county Jail he would have the
district Jail IN which no man is to be
placed for less than thirty days These
district jails are to be nearest the CEN
into four districts.
The men in these jais should have
useful employment and road work was
the most effective.
Thou Shalt Not Steal" was the text
for a discourse on all manner Of meth
DDS by which property is secured with
out remuneration from petty thievtng
to high finance. Robbery Of material
things, robbery OF character. white
slavery, social reform and reform of
politics, were discussed. He plead for
high moral standard and for social
ostracism for the thief in high finance
who promoted blue sky scheme as
much as for the man who robs hen
roosts and coal bins. When society be-
comes to realize that Of the two Of
tenders, the one who deals in big
things Is as low in the moral scale as
the petty thief then will come re-
form. Mr.. Cosson thought the time was
coming. He said there was deep
change in the minds of the people and
that higher standards were being de-
manded and secured among politics.
aspirants but that there was yet great
room for Improvement.