Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-24
Magistrate Appleton Discusses v sSr ''Gunn1en

work they could do; so they make It prac.
Use 20 stir up trouble between parties who
might employ them. They find the work com.
parativey safe because no one will dare tea.
tily against them.
Killing man is matter OF little conse.
auence to a gunman, but TO undertake any
contracts for that kind Of work he must know
his employer pretty well. The people who em.
ploy them for killing have usually made use
OF their services on previous occasions for the
perpetration OF lesser crimes, so that when
they propose murder the gunman feels that
he Is under obligations to accommodate q
regular customer.
Shrewdness of the Gangs
Many of these gangsters are shrewd and
cnterprising. They keep in touch with what
is going on, and if any is starting they
know about it and help kindle the flame to a
point where the parties involved will find it
necessary to call III their services. It's imma.
lerial to them whom they have to beat up or
murder AS long IS they are paid their price
Years ago the Sangsters USED to contine their
activities 10 people OF their own class, but now
they have extended their operations to in.
clude people in al classes. high and low. Their
evolution in this respect Is similar to that OF
the development among bombthrowers. For
mcrly the bombhrower molested no one but
Italians and people in his own strata of soci-
ETY., but they have outgrown that Limitation.
and today devote increasing attention TO pub.
lie officials and persons in high life.
The success OF the work and the ease in es
gaping conviction have made the gangsters ex,
deem II necessary TO carry on their campaigns
OF vicousness secrecy. II they have any
shooting or rough work to do the presence cf
ii crowd i'll the vicinity does not in the least
deter them. After the trial Of the Becker gun.
men number OF gangsters who were in the
courtroom went outside and started to shoot
up and beat each other right under the judges
window
The best way to handle the gangster and
Gunmar is 10 show them no mercy, but send
them to Jail for the limit every time they are
brought into court The people who are an.
noycd by these boys should be encouraged to
make complaints against them, and should be
made to understand that they will be protected
from any of the forms of reprisal that may
De adopted by friends OF the gangster to get
even. :.
l have obtained good results in several cases
ny having heart-to-heart talk with mer.
chant who has been inundated into recalling
ms complaint and pointing out to him that it
is his duty to press the complaint and help the
authorities rid the city of this pest. The police
ana detectives have tackled the problem iu
very vigorous manner and the gangs are not
AZ turbulent now as they were few years ago
Many OF their leaders have been sent to Jail,
ana those who are still at large are more
clrcumSDect than formerly.
long term i'll prison meted out TO gangsters
would soon eliminate the evil. Suspended sen.
,cnces in such cases useless. If the
sansSter is made to feel that he will be sent
TO prison for good term unless he mends his
ways he is sure to think twice before break.
ms the law But If they know that they arc
likely TO be let off with suspended :entence
they ere encouraged to recklessness
The police might possibly get better result,
win the gangster If they adopted more strenu.
Gus methods in using their nightsticSs But
the drawback TO this is that when the police
make liberal use Of the club they are sure to
cccaso lilly batter up good citizen who did
not deserve It, Very often really respectable
people will he brought into court badly dam.
aged by the policemans club, when It Is owl.
dent that the man did not deserve the punish.
ichl the police now are more careful in