Evening star., 1924-09-11
Press Generally Dissatisfied With Life for Loeb and Leopold
Survey of Nationwide Comment, Made by The Star, Reveals


There is no question that the de-
eision OF Judge Caverly IL that Of a
judgment and conscience fully recog-
nizing his responsibility to society.
The sentence, all the circumstances
considered. will appeal to the public
to be the most judicial disposition
that could have been made in the
cases of these murders"
Regards Sente.ce
As worse Than Death.
THE ARKANSAS GAZETTE-"The
sentence imposed by Judge Caverly
on Leopold and Loeb will disappoint
many people The murder committed
by these youths was atrocious and
they have committed other crimes.
The fact that they are sons of
wealthy fathers weighs heavily in
the minds of many. who think the
death penalty should have been i'm
posed. Death sentences would have
served to re-establish faith in the
blindness of Justice and the equality
OF all before tho law. Az a matter
life sentence is much worse than the
death sentence.
'The thing that disturbs those who
stand for law enforcement is the
ever-pfesent possibility that influence
or something else will obtain a par
don and freedom for these murderers.
But, despite that they have been
sentenced to years Of punishment and
finally death behind prison walls,
Judge Caveriy's verdicts must be con-
sidered a complete victory for the
defendants"
Would Put Protection
Of Society Upon science.
THE TOPEKA CAPITALIZE the
psychiatrists who SO strongly in
fiuenced Judge Caverly convince the
courts, it is up to the psychiatrists
and the lawyers and legislatures to
provide against such perils to society
that lurk in hidden abnormal per-
sonalities. Including measures OF pre-
venti0n. for hanging Leopold and
Loeb would have got rid only OF
these two, and while the Franks case
was unique in some respects. yet
there are continual offenses running
all the way from petty depredations
to rape. kidnapping and murder, COM
mitted by persons who not only ought
not to be at large. but who ought
never to have been born"
Declares Boys Fully
Responsible fer Acts.
THE BISMARCK, N. D., TRIBUNE
whether the death Is the penalty
most feared by criminals; whether
the death sentence acts to curb other
1A
men experienced in criminology de-
clare that it does. Quick and severe
punishment is a protection for So
ciety. Criminals must be held re-
sponsible for their acts. Even though
Loeb and Leopold were abnormal in
almost every sense, even to an alb
normally acute intelligence for boys,
it would appear to the average citi-
zen that they, if any persons, should
be held fully responsible for a cruel.
deliberate murder"
Declares Justice
End Met By Decision.
ALBUQUERQUE MORNING JOUR-
NAL-"Society must geek and find the
preventive for crime. A doctor does
not prevent disease by applying a
remedy. Therefore, medical science
the discovery of the cause Of disease.
If capital punishment is justified on
the ground that 1t serves a deterrent
OF crime, taking the life Of human
detectives on the ground that it
would prevent crime would be
equally Justifiable. The Loeb and
Leopold boys are the victims of an
created for them by the
society to which they were related
and that society-their relatives and
friends-are paying the penalty as So
ciety always does. A murderer is
menace to society and the ends Of
law. which is designed to protect So
ciety, is met when the criminal is
ostracized from his fellow men.
Sees Decision Based
On Caverly's Prejudice.
THE DAILY OKLAHOMAN.-"It is
interesting to note that the sentence
rendered was based on the personal
views and prejudices of the trial
judge. He knew the law, he knew
the evidence, and he had no doubt
that the defendants were guilty of
murder beyond a reasonable doubt
But he refused to impose death SEN
tence demanded by the laws of Illi-
nois. simply because it is his personal
hanged. A Judge devoid of this per-
sonal bias would have sent the de-
PENDANTS to the gallows. In this case
the personal opinion Of the court be-
came the law OF Illinois"
Less Than Justice,
Appraisal Of Decision.
NEW YORK HERALD-TRIBUNE
The sentences imposed upon leopold
and Loeb seem to the ld-Tribune
inadequate justice. and we believe
that most people will share our feel
ing. In imposing life Imprisonment
for the murder and a ninety-nine-
year penalty for the kidnapping the
judge reminded the Illinois Depart
ment of Public Welfare that it was
entirely within its discretion never to
admit the defendants to parole. He
urged the department to adhere to
such a policy. But the workings of
the parole power and the pardoning
power can never be calculated in ad-
vance. and the possibility will remain
Of their exercise later by officials who
have lost to some extent today's hor-
rified sense of the extreme atrocity
and brutality of the deeds confessed
to by these two heartless and soulless
criminals.
THE average mind digesting the
testimony and arguments in this case
could hardly have failed to reach the
that the death penalty was
in itself mild retribution for crimes
of such enormity and such cold
blooded deliberation. The lesser sem
tences will in our opinion create an
unfavorable and highly regrettable
impression"
Hope Seen in Plea
Fur Denial Of Parole.
THE NEW YORK wORLD-"The
burden that was put upon Judge Cav