The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-02-05
WEST OPENS WAR
ON ARMED BANDITS
Life Sentences IN Many
States Passed OH Pistol
Carriers.
COURTS SHOW SPEED
Culprits Start Long Terms
en- Very Day of Their
Crimes.
MANY STATES AROUSED
Sentiment Strong for Extreme
Penalties on All Potential
Mankillers.
MANY STATES AROUSED

Special Dispatch to THE New YoRK HERALD
MILWAUKEE. Feb. 4.--Severe penal
ties, in many cases the maximum pun
ishment, life imprisonment, for per-
sons convicted of robbery with pistol
have done MUCK to curb such major
crimes in the middle West and West
ern States. A fine example of this is
given in the official records of the
courts hare.
Quick service" which is guaran-
teed to all crooks and criminals who
desire to use Milwaukee as the scene
of their outlaw operations, is the chief
reason why the underworld gives the
Wisconsin municipality wide berth.
Keep out Of Milwaukee. b." is the
word passed on by the ex-convict
these days. stay out Of this burg. 1t
Is no place for 'jobbie' who works
with gun. II you take a rap there
you are out of the game for life."
And many gunman and highjacSer
who failed to take this warning passed
along through the underworld grapevine
is cogitating over his carelessness during
his working moments on the rockpile in
Waupun, the State penitentiary of Wis
consin. Here Is q recent incident Of
quick service mcted out In Milwaukee
which has done more than anything else
TO curb highway robbery
Arthur Neal. Detroit, ard Walter
Daniels of Chicago. veteran gunner,
came to Milwaukee and held up saloon.
robbinE twenty-six men at the point Of
pistol.
Swift Justice.
After rifling the cash register also
the bandits escaped In a taxicab which
they had Communicated q few minutes
before. This occurred in the morning
bout 3 o'clock. At 6 o'clock the bandits
-ere overtaken by two city detectives
and confessed after, their victims identi-
fled them. When court opened at $
o'clock they we're arraignad. and then |
taken to the Municipal Court for sem
tence.
Judge A. g. Backus Immediately SEN |
fenced them to twenty-five years IN
Waupun and ordered them removed TO |
begin their sentence at once In the |
custody OF deputy sherifrs Neal and
Daniels were taken to the penitentiary
ana at o'clock in the afternoon were
safely under lock and Key--for twenty
FIVE years.
The next day two bandits who had
robbed jewelry store and trussed W
thu ownor received a similar sentence
with as little delay.
One of the men sentenced to waupun
confessed to the Judge that he had been
arrested for robbery with gun In
New York and had received fine of
500 This was paid promptly and he
spent not a single day in Jail.
Inc penalty for robbery with pistol I
in Wisconsin, under the State laws Is
one to thirty years. and man con-
victed Of such crime is never given less
than twenty years In the State peniten-
tisry. The law provides that IL a man
is carrying pistol during the course of
a robbery he receives the same penalty
even though he does not use 1t.
Urges Drastic Sentences.
You can't keep criminals out of the
city by inflictinJ mild punishment" says
Judge Backus. THE Wisconsin statute
has done much TO reduce crime. Give
criminals the limit and you will put the
tear OF God into their would-be follow
ers." As soon as criminals realize
city or State has rigid laws they will
shun that place.
Since the Wisconsin Legislature passed
law seven years ago providing for
sentence OF from one to thirty years for
armed holdup men crimes have de-
creased from every source In Milwaukee
and throughout the State.
II Crlme IS decreasing each day II !
New York. Chicago or any large city
wants to get rid OF its crime and keep
criminals out they must have speedy
trials and eliminate delays. Don't keep
the prisoners in Jail. Rush them into
court ana give them the maximum
SHOW no mercy said the Judge.
Judge Backus further suggests that
other States follow the new Wisconsin
law which provides a thirty day SEN
a drix / .
pile while Intoxicated. Hundreds OF ac-
cidents. he said, are prevented each year
IN Wisconsin as the result OF the law.
In Illinois the penalty for robbery
with gun IL even more drastic--the
minimum being ten years and the maxi
mum life sentence under Section 246.
Chapter sS. OF the Criminal Code.
Cleaning Up Chicago.
Chief OF Police Charles c. ritxmorris
or Chicago says the present status OF
zen years TO life for persons convicted
% armed robbery has had a remarkable
ERECT In curbing such crimes.
Hanging ia too good for a man con-
Nictsd OF robbery with a gun" said
Chief F1tzmorris.
Every man who goes out TO rob
Win gun Is potential murderer.
nope the time will come. and I've been
working actively for Il. when the mini
mum penalty VIII be twenty years in
stead OF ten. One advantage Is that
the parole law does not become effec-
i've until the minimum penalty has
been served.
One of the drawbacks In fighting
such crimes because OF political pull
Is the so-called reasonable time to pre-
pare a defense. In ono case here a
man was given nine years to prepare
BIS defense. As result the witnesses
against him dropped out OF sight and
could not be found readily. leaving the
state a mighty difficult task in the
attempt TO obtain mis- conviction The
real reason why II II impossible to en-
act new and drastic laws to c,pb rob-
berry and such offenses Ia because Of
the large number OF criminal lawyers,
N the State Legislature who are de-
fendent on such clients for their busi-I
ness and vote down any such attempt
The man who carries a gun when
he goes out TO rob Is a murderer at
heart" says judge John r. Caverly
.s'atcran criminal court Justice. "IIe n
10 slay his victim and kill a police
iran should the latter surprise him.
During 1921 total OF 1898 defenf
ants appeared In the Chicago cou9
charge with armed robbery. accord