The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1922-08-16
Lessons of the
Williams Murder
Long Prairie MINI 7

Long Prairie, Mimi, Leader
When Governor Preus came forward
with his suggestion that the safety
OF the people demanded some sort of
state police system, the radicals,
who are always suspicious and look
ing for some boyle man to get scared
at, raised the hue and cry that the
governor was not sincere in his sug-
gestion; that what he was really aim
ing to get was military organization
for POLITICAL purposes and they have
been denouncing the plan with much
vehemence. In our legislative district
the radicals are running Alex Kinne-
berg, of Staples, for the house on his
pledge of opposition to having '"cos-
sacks" in the state. The "cossack"
idea is all the radicals can see in the
suggestion for state constabulary.
+ The robbery of the Hewitt bank last
Friday night and the shooting of Po-
liceman George Williams by the es-
Gaping bandits tells the story pretty
we'll of what Governor Preus is try
ing to take steps to protect the peo-
pie from. The advent of the good
road and the high powered car have
introduced a new element of peril in
to the efforts of bandits and yeggmen.
The old system of policeman in about
every fifth town and that lone officer
unframed and unequipped to handle
the auto robber, won't do any longer.
There are some new factors in the
problem and these factors are bring
ing the looting Of the depositaries
where the people have their savings,
and they are bringing death to many
brave men, like George Williams, who
gave his life to perform his duty when
the conditions he had to face did not
| give him even a remote chance to es-
cape.
The papers day after day carry the
story of similar happenings. The
tragedy of death luckily does not al
ways enter, but robberies by men who
escape in fast automobiles are of COM
mon occurrence. Against this new kind
of crime, the people have little or no
organization for protection.
Governor Preus' suggestion is a
statewide police organization, equipped
to patrol the state if necessary and do
their work much as do the mounted
police Of Canada, the greatest police
organization in the world, and one
which prevents crime as much by its
reputation for efficiency as in any
other way.
At present the people have practic-
ally no organized system of protec-
ton. The bandits and the yeggs know
this and they roam at will, plundering
and numbering.
If a hundred trained and expert
enced men could have been summoned
here Saturday morning from some
central point or station in the state
equipped to reach here a couple OF
hours or so after the alarm was turned
in, their assistance might have beer
the determining factor in aiding the
local volunteers to a successful search
This system repeated throughout the
!; state at every opportunity would soor
bring such results that the bandits
who now journey out through the
: state in a joy ride sort of way, select
ing this or that town to rob, woult
hesitate long and carefully before
: making the attempt.
How absurd as well as dangerous il
) is to reject an honest, practical ant
! worthwhile suggestion such as the
: governor has made and reject it be
cause of fears so far-fetched that they
have to be lugged in, in order to fine
, something upon which to base ths
opposition.
j In the name of George Williams
brave and fearless police officer, let
us have police system for the state
at large that will protect the people
and prevent that condition of affairs