The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-27
new LAW NEEDED
Public Demands Legislation to
Fit BisseH Case.
Legislature Will Be Called
Upon to Act.
Sen. TROUTMAN FAvORS BILL
viii Champion Measure for
Public Safety.
Increasing Sentiment for Most
Effective Enactment.

Members of the state legislature will
next winter be called upon to enact
law, as a public safeguard against
repetitions of crimes similar to the as
sault and murder of Edna Dinsmore.
The bill has been offered during sew
eral recent sessions but lacked posi-
tive support sufficient to insure its en-
actment. Senator James A Troutman
today declared emphatically in favor
of a law with adequate safeguards.
but sufficiently effective to meet cases
such as have his week aroused every
home in Topeka.
1913 an effort was made to adopt
law providing for sterilization of
certain classes of criminals. Legisla-
tors unfriendly to the bill loaded it
down with Objectionable amendments
and it was at no time close to final
passage. In 1915 the legislature met
sterilization bill. The measure went
to the committee on public health
and hygiene and was quietly resting in
the popular winter resort when the
legislature adjourned late in March
With revelations of details of the
crime against Edna Dinsmore this
week. Topeka and Kansas suddenly
developed a new and formerly un-
needed demand for an adequate law
for handling of persons such as com
mitted the offense against the school
girl. The law, with adequate safe
guards, would apply to a class of Grim
inaIs whose records showed a tendency
toward the commission of sex crimes.
In the case of Bissell, his record prior
to the death of the Topeka girl, would
have been sufficient to invoke opera
ton of such a law.
Troutman Will Back 1t.
A Of
peka, will probably be one of the
strong advocates of such an act before
the 1917 Legislature. He will insist.
however, on measure that is properly
safeguarded, but affords protection to
the public against degenerates.
Il would have supported sound
sterilization law in the last legisla-
ture had been given chance to vote.
for such a bill" said Senator Trout
man today. THE measure, though,
was never brought before the body of
the senate
In a statement today Senator Trout
man urged a law that would make
the punishment fit the crime"
THE sterilization of deSeneratcs
not only makes the punishment fit
the crime but is in the interest of the
protection of innocent young girls.
said Senator Troutman. ''Of course.
the law should be so framed as to
prevent injustice, and should be ap-
piled only where the guilt is unques-
toned, and without eXtenuatins cir
cumstances.
1T is known to all students of GRIM
inology that such a degenerate rarely
stops after the first offense. The APP
plication of this remedy would pre-
vent a recurrence of the awful crime,
and would have q wholesome deterrent
effect upon others. Human ingenuity
cannot devise a penalty severe enough
for such an atrocious crime as that
committed upon poor little Edna Dins-
more, but the law ought to be severe
enough 10 restrain the vicious propen-
sites of such inhuman wretches, and
to make a repetition of the crime i'm
possible.
The penalty should be applied aft
er the first offense. If that were DONE
the number of such outrages would be
measurably decreased"