The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-03-23


10000 professional criminals. The
Chicago Crime Commission estimates
that there are 10000 professional Grim
inals in that city. It is estimated from
these figures that there are at least
100000 professional criminals in the
United States, highly organized and
efficient.
It is said that the crimes which at
| tract the most popular attention are
those possessing spectacular qualities,
notably homicide, robbery and bur-
glary. Wrongful killing of human
being is generally regarded as one of
the most serious of all crimes. There
are consequently the -trongest reasons
for strict enforcement of the laws pro-
vided for punishment of murder and
manslaughter. That seems to have
been the case here, for it is only
crimes of that, character which seem
to have aroused sufficient interest to
be given vigorous attention; but it
is easy to understand how ineffective
the administration of the law against
those more violent offenses becomes
in community where the enforcement
of hte law is not thorough-going and
uniform; and it soon follows that this
| class of violent crime increases in a
community where the more insidious
offenses go unpublished.
In Chicago in 1921 there were 352
murders. For years the annual aver
age number of murders in Berlin, a
h. Of
was 25-the proportion in Chicago
being eleven times greater than in
Berlin. Cleveland, with one-tenth of
the population of London, had twice
as. many murders as London had in
1918. Los Angeles, one-twentieth the
size ,of London, had ten more murders
than London in the year 1917.
Crime Record High Here.
| The record of Kenosha county muir
der cases is high compared with sur
rounding counties, or counties any
where in the state of the same popula-
ton. This would naturally be ex-
pected where conditions are such as
the evidence disclosed has prevailed
| here.
1t is, of course, no excuse for an
official charged with enforcement of
the law that the number of law viola
tors is large and that many who are
guilty lof offenses are his acquaint-
ances, friends or political supporters.
Such conditions oftentimes make it
unpleasant for an official to do his
duty, but if the integrity of this gov
eminent is to be maintained, it must
be understood that the law must be
respected, that individual opinions as
to whether it is a good or bad law
cannot control, and that every viola
ton of the law will be earnestly and
honestly prosecuted.
Many Go Unpublished.
1t has been said that no matter how
skillful those concerned in the admin
istration of the criminal law may be,
from the very nature of the problem
there must be many cases where the
offender goes unpublished.
Francis J. Heney (191D before the
Political Science Academy, made the
following statement:
at has been said in effect this eve
ming that the criminal laws are all
right and that only vigorous prose
eutor is needed. IIsused to think that
myself; l was quite we'll persuaded
that any vigorous, aggressive, honest
district attorney anywhere could en-
force the law. That was at time,
however, when I believed that men
and women like yourselves in this
country all desired to see the laws
enforced. 1 have learned better.
have found out that we all believe
that crime should be punished in the
abstract-because crime is never COM
mitted in the abstract. The test comes
when friend or fellow director on
the board or in the bank, or brother
or even a next door negihbor, has COM
mitted crime, and one is called upon
to exercise some responsibility as an
individual. I say the test then comes
as to whether you really believe that
the criminal laws ought to be en-
forced"
Tried to Perform Duty.
We have endeavored to perform our
duty with malice toward none in &C.
cordance with the instructions of this
court, and in compliance with the law
and we trust that we have met the
grave responsibility placed upon us
in such manner that no injustice has
been done, but that from our work 8
lasting benefit to Kenosha county may
have resulted.
Respectfully submitted,
VIM. L. MARTIN,
Foreman.
/ E1k,