Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1921-07-21
CITIZENS TAKE
ACTION TOEND
| PETTY Grimes
Secret Committee Named to
Offer Aid 10 Officers
I Cslfer With City

BurgtArS or night prowlerS whc
arc caught, after protection plans
are Formulated and carried into ef-
te<t by = committee Of citizens ap-
pointed NJ mass meeting held In
tAe Chamber Of Conmerce laSt nighs.
viii be n&rshly dealt with. If the sent
men< expressed towards the thieves
who have been conducting q series
a robberlcS becomes an active force
The time for concerted action has
some." was the spirit Of the meet
ING. ~when any thief or hand Of
thieves invadcs or attempts 70 in
wade the privacy of our homes and
steal those things which have been
gotten only through hard labor il J.
high time that the citizenship Of our
city to combine to fighs these thieves
and drive them from here" was the
sentiment Of the meeting. as expires
sod BY one present In calling the
meeting to order. Lawrence OlnSted
explained that the citizens were not
gathered to criticixe the police force
bat to augment them. and the help
them in any way which would result
IN more protection TO the private re-
Sii1ences Of the city.
The work Of the police force.
handicapped es il IS through lack
Of numbers. Is and has been very
good, Mr.. Olmsted said But. he
said, the number of recent robberies
seemed to indicate that the city need
Cd = detective force, something il
could not afford. $50 it is up to the
citizens to help the police department
TO protect them," he said
An Of the speakers, in suggesting
various methods of action, praised
the police and sheriff's departments
hut AL also stated that the matter at
hand was one Of urgent necessity
which required immediate action.
DR.. W. Z. Spivey. heavy loser
through = robbery of his residence
on Friday night, when the thieves
stole in addition to = number of art
icles Of intrinsic value, keepsakes
which have been in the family for
many years. suggested a vigilance
committee
This suggestion was echoed by a
number of the speakers who followed
e. H. Huff the most recent loser,
told Of the completeness with which
the thieves worked in his home. leav-
ing very few articles of any value
behind them,
Several speakers urged the import
ance Of immediate organized action,
stating that unless the thieving Is
s.nipped in the bud, the city OF
Brownsville will have an cxtraordi-
narily serious condition with which
to cope. Some suggested drastic mea-
Sures~
Opinions as to who it is that Is
conducting the robberies were ex-
pressed by several present, some
stating the belief that the thieves
were organized band, constantly
watching those whom they plan TO
rob, and then doing so at the first
opportunity. Several intimated that
at the head of the thievery there is
4 "master mind" using a number OF
deputies. Other theories were ad-
vanccd.
The elimination of ali the discus
sion. theorizing and suggestions. was
the appointment Of committee to
formulate the definite protection
plans.
Secrecy was adopted rs the me-
tnod Of coping with the unknown
robbers
The committee appointed i TO
make plans and methods of action
all Of which viii be secret The first
step may be u conference with the
city commissioners. regarding the en-
larvrment Of the police force
Several present. who have had
hit of experience IN detective ano
man-hunting work. explained TO tne
meeting that a thief does not fear the
police or any officer because ne
knows the officer is working against
him thereby putting him on rs
guard
But. they ~ |, i ihe ;s'sv'-S g
mt known who l. watching 'heA'' -
who Is likely TO be. he fears the un-
known shadow" and viii leave
town in a very short time
No definite action was taken AZ
the meeting last night beyond tha'
of the appointment Of the committee
~h; n will meet at a time and place
known only to itself. and wnlcn
~;ll make plans which promise 10
rrove uncomfortable to those VINO
h.ve heen connected with the series
Of recent robberies-
With .h;s secret organization work
inc against the thieves, number OF
~;tixens last night expressed tfe
hone that the robbers would be ap-
.prehended CT fcrced to leave the
city.