Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1921-02-17
MURDER

Murder cold strikes the heart
whenever we hear and we are hearing and seeing all too
almost household word in Alma because of the especially bru
tai murder committed the city the night of February 5th
which took the life of Mrs Thomas Grove and left five small
children moherless
Oscar Collins is in the county jail charged with that
murder and there much evidence which points to him the
person guilty !Gs. of the heinous crime erin -.
1t Is difficult to comprehend the working OF human mind
that could would determine the preparation of such
cruel crime but such crimes becoming that they
reported daily the newspapers the They
only of the signs that something radically
Something must be done curb the tendency in
this country and that something must be for the public to back
and the enforcement of law The greatest credit is due Chief
deputies and Prosecutor L. Smith for the very efficient
which they handled the late Alma With
very little clue aside from the fact that the
found dead they work and night and until
they had secured sufficient evidence to warrant arrest and
To get evidence against supposed criminal that will jus
for officials always handicapped by effort
eradicate all evidence and further by the fact that
cism OF the officials begins which makes the getting of evidence
In the present murder case there are some things worthy
Of serious thought First amongst these the nsnuatng
Free Press Lansing Journal criticism con-
slider unrthfu meddlesome and unjust Both nsnu
ated that local officers lying down the Job whereas
matter of fact they working night and day solving the
riddle and handicapped by the sentiment stirred the COM
peang to the the attorney else
all of which apparently intended dscedt local officials
Common horse-sense ought to tell anyone that the officials
investigating crime could not give their evidence to
cast over the state without injury to the and increased
Detroit or Lansing butt in the police and insist knowing
not told all these details he would all probability be
arrested as dstuber At all events he would at least be told
TO mind his business
Both Detroit and Lansing very unfortunately have their
full share of crime and if their reporters
tell the officials what to do and nsinuate that they lying
down on the Job they call the and
the attorney general they have plenty Of opportunity
else their talents home The officers Of Alma Gratiot
county have fully demonstrated the
capable of looking after criminals without outside
interference without calling the being
harassed by cub reporters.
is just barely possible that the reporters tell the Detroit
and Lansing police what to do and that
getaways but think that the police those cities manage
their without calling the aside and telling
them all the facts and asking their advise.
The next thing for consider that it the duty of
citizen with the officials exposing crime
and arrestng criminals has been stated in Alma times
the week that booze selling has been going several
months Many people they knew it. and that the murder
the of it. If that the every citizen who
had definite knowledge of the booze selling failed notify
the officials and violation of the law
has contributed toward the murder by negectng his duty
American citizen.
1t is true that officials enforce the law but it
also true that the officials watched all of the time by
crooks and is difficult for them evidence This
murder regettabe incident but should each
to demand better citizenship and
stringent enforcement of the law The city Alma and
the of Gratiot congratulated upon having Of
ficials who honest digen fearless and efficient