New Britain herald., 1925-03-28

series Of conlectureS, olIereu hleie- ly because of the general interest.
 The Herald is not on the defensive at all for printing the news That is the function of a newspaper Ihe Chapman trial is unquestionaoly news. News is what people are talking and thinking about. our correspondent has proven by ms letter that he is thinking about the Chapman trial. Many others are doing so, one way or another. Prac- tically every paper in this section Is carrying several columns daily on the trial and on Chapman's career -because people are interested. White paper metal composition Ink and labor are too expensive to waste, on uninteresting matter as any newspaper publisher soon learns to his cost.
 A. to the painting of Chapman as 4 hero. It is our impression that that word has not been used, py the Herald at least. in his connecticut
 He is unquestionably a super
 bandit' and a master mlnd' Any
 rohher who got more than mll- lion dollars in one raid and escaped
 from Atlanta Is no piker-ls ne
 There is no question, however, that
 the general public Is placing haio
 ahout the criminals head, whether
 +ha newsnapers are causing that or not There is some instinct Tn us
 wherever 1t comes from that uoes surround with an aura Of romance
 .,ose who successfully thwart the
 r1os of society in big way we
 Ike great delight, many Of us' In
 ,rading thrilling detective storles'
 wherein one master mind overcomes
 another, It doesn't seem to make
 much difference whether the crooK or
 the law official finally wins out-our
 interest is there just the same small
 bows. in our time, were addicted to
 reading the exploits of Jesse James
 and his ilk. against parental opposl- | ton and against the precepts ot 'he
 schools. Great men, many Of them'
 bv their own testimony. like to reao
 similar stories for reiaXation' al
 least.
 It is an enthralling story that IS
 heinz unwound before our eyes
 one which has all of the romance or
 a novel and has the additional ln-
 +orest in that it concerns people
 whom we know and scenes "lth
 which we are familiar. whatever
 wa may think of Chapman it is in-
 terestlpg, it is news. It may pe loading some into the wrong paths through their perverted desire 1oi
 "publicity and thrills" but tne chances are that those individuai' would be wrong-doers anyhow us' because a local factory furnishes knives with which murder could pe done is no reason to discontinue the sale of knives. Humanity is queer lot it is thrill seeking gang, in the aggregat' and if is going to get those thrllH somewhere, somehow. The Hera'r roakes an effort 10 carry to all th' message of Christianity. Consult th' church page In todays issue II go' will We are genuinely sorry tha romance can not be added to Chris tian teachings in such a way as WI sppeal to all. But, II the ftera'' carried no Chapman story tonlgh' ! Is orite nrobable that far fewer peo nla would see the church page Some. at least, who have read tn , Cbanman story will also read tn
 church page. And we believe Una even those who buy the Herald 10
 tho church page will read the Chap
 man story. .h
 noint when VIC were young, to alter
 nate pages of geography apd page
 of 1assc James. In that way som
 I,ovs might have absorbed som ooopranhv where otherwise they m their book entirely behind the ulfh | novel," .;,, |; : And In conclusion. we reprint .otbnr column what The PhiIade rbta Public Ledger has to say aDot ;. inc case. The item is interesting, | ssv the least, and unfortunate' largely true. And, in addition tn :. ledger has "covered" the story ;ts news columns as have other pa pers. ~.,.. a. Il lords curious sidelight on tn stranre way the American mind rt cards the criminal. Not so long az ': tbe nolice were looking for m crook, gunman and escaped cor 4 yict. After their manner they caIle :. him bv such picturesque names II 4he milIion-dotlsr bandit. The were building up Chapman Iet end Federal officers wanted hin N so did the state of Connecticut. CaI tured in Indiana, he is now on trii s for murder in Hartford.
 H "There was general satisfactlc S over his capture. Another bad ma : was behind the bars. Then the usu N thing in such cases began. mo bid interest grew in the little croo , i who may or may not he guilty S murder. Weird tales of his proves of his slipping like shadow fro 5 city to city, of his defiance Of il J police, were whispered. The faii = outlines Of that halo with which V bedeck the brows of the notoriol nj criminal were shaping
 ID Tt was made known that he VI