Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-06-08
FROM SUPPoSING TO
CONCLUDING


attention of the Journals readers,
recently, appalling facts respecting
criminal tendencies which insist on
consideration. From these, impress
sions have been received that are
worthy of notice
Included among those impressions
we feel sure is that of the need OIL
greater precaution against an in
creased number of criminally inclln-
ed likewise Of swifter apprehension
of the guilty. Along with these I'M
pressions have been those emphaslz-
Ing the need of better system, better
organization and direction OF the
forces of law and order. And, as IL
were. in the forefront of these i'm
pressions, there has been demonstra
ton of the value of the training ol
experience with criminals and the
resulting understanding, on the part
Of those so trained, of criminal psy-
chology.
For instance, it has appeared tnat
the officers of the law have recog-
nized and been in some respects
guided by newspaper reporters OIL
long and varied experience in re-
porting criminal cases, in tracing
clues, in comprehending the working
of the criminal mind.
The Portland Evening Express In
commenting on this Winthrop trag-
sdy has this to say: =
Now that it is over, it seems
proper to point out again that THIS
was a newspaper solved crime from
first to last. The three essential
steps that marked the progress OIL
the unravelling of the mystery were
all of newspaper origin.
1.-The finding of the body was done
by the officers. step that required
no especial keenness. This discov-
ery caused suspicion to be directed
against the man Kirby. but his
whereabouts were unknown and ut
the time there existed insufficient
evidence to convict him, if he should
be found.
"The first clue picked up was the
discovery of the mans wife and the
securing of the picture Of herself and
child. Mrs. Kirby was located by a
newspaperman and the picture pub
lished in a Boston paper led to the
apprehension of the suspected man.
1t is uncontrovertibly true that had
not this portrait been printed the
man would have been at liberty to-
day.
'The solution OF this crime by
newspaper enterprise is not>an eX-
>ceptional incident. Hardly a crime
of Importance of this nature is com
mitted anywhere in the country but
the press contributes to the solution
when a solution Is found. The Franks
murder in Chicago was wholly
solved by reporters who received the
Pulitzer prize for the best reporter
ial achievement of the. year. Any
number of other similar cases might
be cited
The Portland Press Herald in its
comment on the outcome of the case
said this
KIRBY should have been taken in
to custody within a few hours after
the discovery of the crime at VIM
throp. An experienced investigator
entire community for a man of his
type and in such a place as Win
throp a man of Kirby's character
would not long, have escaped the
dragnet. That he did escape it for
nearly week affords an excellent
idea Of the kind of blundering that
marked this investigation"
This is putting it rather strongly,
for the real blunderer seems to US
to have been the State, in that it had
not provided way to give the local
officers that skilled direction which
they need and must continue to need
so long as they come to their places
by popular selection, in most in
stances. kennebec's local officers
will measure up to the average, we
are sure, probably above it, but they
were not directed as they should
have been.
The Journal. in the issue of May
%. did "a Little Supposing' to the
effect that if the State of Maine had
an office, crime clearing house,
at the Capitol, kept open at all hours
and in charge Of competent crime
experts, the solution of such crime
puzzles might be very materially
aided.
Isn't this the time when, having
done little 'supposing" and having
undergone a grilling and not very
creditable experience haven't we ar
rived at the place where we should
pass from "supposing' to concluding
and should put those conclusions in
TO effect?