The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-06-05
JUSTIFIES DETECTIVES EXPENSES
Attorney General r. E. Brown Makes Preliminary State
ment Detailed Statement by Counties Later-Reers to
Mysterious Someone

Editor of The Reformer:-
Dear Sir;-Preliminary to a state
ment regarding the purposes for which
money has been used for .detective
serylce2 and the results obtained, i'll
seems proper that the people of the
state understand just what is covered
by the term collective service un-
der the present law of the state.
In various newspapers of the state
this matter has been served up to the
public under such attractive headings
as 'EThe State Scandal - 4" State Pays
Undertaken, Civil Engineer and Photo
grapher; One Agency Gets $24,45l.-
00-Home Grown Detectives 50 to $13
a Piece Women Sleuths Also
Used; = Z" Attorney General and Sleuth
Money!
From the manner in which this sub
iect has been treated in some Of the
articles referred to, it might well be
assumed that the writer's knowledge
of detective service had been OBJ
tanned solely from a perusal of the de-
tective stories written by "Old Sleuth >
which for several years have been pub
lished in certain so-called .'story pa
pers, = and circulated broad cast over
the country in the form Of yellow Gov
cred literature.
Prior to 1908 the sole provisions for
the use of ''detective service - in this
state were embodied in Sections 3402-
3403 and 3404 of the Public Statutes.
Under the provisions Of Section 3I02
when a felony has been committed by
a person or persons unknown, the
state S attorney is authorized to direct
a sheriff or constable to search for and
pursue such criminal or criminals and
for that purpose sum not exceeding
twenty-five e$25.00) dollars in any one
case may be used.
When one thinks seriously for g
moment Of the difficulty in many cases
in securing the arrest of a murderer
a rape fiend, or even a common thief
the absolute inadeqnacy Of this provi
sion IS apparent.
Under the other sections noted, ap
plication may be made TO the governo
for detective service and if granite,
the governor must fix the maximum
amount of expense authorized in a par
ticuIar case. That this provision is in
adequate because, if for no other rea
/ sou, WHpH u serious 0ifIiSb mas beei
committed and the identity of tn
1 criminal and his whereabouts are nm
| known, no one can foretel the neces
sary expense of a proper and efiicien
I investigation.
Limit Difficult to Set.
If crime is to be commercialized an
| the proper investigation thereof is t
| depend solely upon the cost, it may b
4 said that this provision is sufficient.
would not seem good judgment, how
j ever, to start the investigation Of
i homicide or other serious criminal Of
i Tense and spend goodly sum in sue
investigation and then for want {
funds be obliged to abandon such il
vestigotion when perhaps the expend
ture of an additional sum might resu
: in a successful prosecution.
In 1904 the legislature created IL
office of attorney general and electt
to that office Hon. Clarke c. Fits,
BrattIeboro Mr.. Fits held the off,
Z from December l, 1904, to Deeemb
: /, 1908, aud performed its duties in
most efficient manner and to the emit
/ satisfaction of the people. His expel
: ence in the office convinced Mr.. Fit
:. that E'detectiVe service was absolut
Nv necessary to an efficient administr
:, tion of the criminal law and also tn
j. the provisions of the law for furnis
II ing such service were entirely inaC
5, quate.
l. Mr. Fits also seems to have recG
f nized the fact that crime is on the
= crease. In his report to the genel
= assembly in 1908 he says: 1.-The
II creased number of criminal causes
II mands attention to the prime cons
II Grafton in the administration of pei
II laws, that is, that punishment
II crime be speedy and certain. 7
II language was used by Mr.. Fits
II connection with his recommended
II regarding the jurisdiction of munich
III courts. In this same report under
head of . Detective Service a
H Search Mr.. Fits said: = There is
II adequate provision in the law for
II search for criminals. Under Sect
II 3403, public statutes, the state 5 att
II ney may apply to the governor
II leave to employ a detective. The c
= temptation of that law is not to /
- vide for search for a criminal VIII
II identity is known. Section 3402
II thorizes the state 5 attorney to IN
II an expense not exceeding twenty
II ($25.0O) dollars III the search and I
II suit of criminals. Within my term
II service, it has, in a number of ca
II been necessary to resort to the stat
II for detective service to proc
II means for pursuit OF a known. cri
II nal. 1t is not desirable that such pl
II tise further continue. / urge the
II actment of a law authorizing the
H torney general to employ such pers
as he may choose and without limit
expense in the pursuit and search
II persons charged with crime. >
1t seems that it may fairly be
= ferred that Mr. Fits intended to
Y vey the idea that it was necessary
use more money for " detective
vice than he had been able to
during his term of office and that
- =.