Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-01-13

l knew that he belonged. There was
a gang in Brownsville known as 1.-THE
Strong Arm Gang" and he was one
of the leaders. A citizen was shot one
day and the police arrested this man,
having information that he did the
shooting. They had not completed
their investigation when the man was
arraigned and the evidence was not
convincing, but / was assured that
more proof of his guilt would be forth
coming. 1 held the defendant without
bail, for knew that he would threaten
witnesses whom the police wanted to
build up their case. The prisoner was
committed to Jail.
Gangster Kept In Jail
Other members of the gang got
busy in the interest of their leader
and application was made to the Su-
preme Court, bail being fixed and the
bond accepted. I was prepared, how
ever, and the warden of the Jail was
requested by me to delay the discharge
of the prisoner until officers from the
Tenth District Court arrived to re-
arrest him on another charge-that of
assault. Again l held the gangster
without bail and again a bond was OBJ
tanned through appeal to the Supreme
Court. | countered by continuing his
examination, thus delaying the release
of the prisoner.
"The fight grew hot; another mem
Der of the gang being able to persuade
an important witness to change his
testimony. My next move was to COM
nit that witness IN a charge of per-
jury. Other witnesses then told the
truth and l completed my case, get
ing sworn statements of witnesses and
holding the prisoner for the action Of
the Grand Jury without bail.
ut proved a legal battle from start
to finish, and the influence brought to
bear was very surprising, but l was
determined that the case should be
made complete as possible. And 1
am glad, as l look back on that fight,
that I can say / won it.
THE police must have vigorous
backing by District Attorneys of the
counties and full cooperation of the
courts possessing criminal jurisdic-
ton if they are to rectify the present
situation. Cunning, vicious criminals
who think of no other way of making
a living save by committing crimes,
leave very little evidence of wrong
doing, as a rule. The police need the
aid of clever and active officials in the
District Attorneys Office tt analyze
the evidence and prepare the case for
trial.
"The practice of trying Jail cases
before calling to court the defendants
who are released on bail postpones the
trial of criminals who find it easy to
gain freedom on bail from professional
bondsmen or the bonding companies.
While these criminals are at large
other crimes are committed by them.
In many cases there are two or three
charges lodged against a man who is
free on az many bail bonds, and I'M
doubtedly still committing crimes, for
he gains release on bail every time
that he is arrested. ~or
This, l reiterate, is very discourage
ing to the police. They discover q
cunning criminal, freed on a bali bond,
walking the streets after they know
that he is of a vicious type who would
kill on sight and who is known to be
a professional criminal. The police
have caught him many times, but he
gains his freedom whenever arraigned
in court.
1.-The public wants this stopped. The
District Attorneys presiding in the
criminal courts can stop it."-New
York American.