Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1925-10-03

UlHeT SuCn dS Tie diicy
witnessed in 1915 and 1916"
Deploring the little respect that is
shown for the law, and the conditions
existing now, where sort~s of "sickly
sympathy exists for the criminal, and
no respect for the law is shown,
Sheriff Robertson essayed to point out
some possible corrections and changes
that will benefit the county.
The meeting was called by Criminal
District Judge "A. w. Cunningham of
the Twenty-eighth District court. and
was held in the district civil court room
of the county court house here. The
room was crowded with more than so
peace officers, justices of the peace,
other officials and ministers of the va
rious churches.
Judge Cunningham opened the meet
ing with a short talk in which he
stated the purpose of the meeting. The
Judge declared that there are only
few convictions in the county in COM
parison to what there should be, and
that the meeting had been called fer
a general discussion of the situation in
an effort to remedy this matter, and
to work out a more equitable and etfi-
cient system of law enforcement in the
county. He called on Sheriff Robert
son to talk.
Public With Criminal.
"The average public does not con-
slider murder much of a crime Sheriff
Robertson declared. "The sympathy Of
the public. the jury and of practically
everyone is always with the murderer
and criminal. Live men can be a help
in voting in the next election. IN being
a customer or a patron-the dead man
is of no further use. There is sort
Of sickly sympathy for the criminal. "
"The greatest trouble is disrespect
for the law. The foremost citizens OF
the county violate the law and laugh at
the officers because they can 10 1T.
He mentioned the seven persons killed,
and 140 injured on the highway of fhe
county to date this year.
The sheriff gave instances in which
the difficulties Of he officer are shown
where witnesses change their stand al
ter the man they given officers tip
on is under arrest.
He mentioned impractical idealism on
the part of the lawmakers as another
trouble, declaring that they make laws
which could not possibly be enforced,
and that breaking these laws causes
breaking Of other laws.
Another trouble was given as what
the sheriff called "influence workers.
Under this head he mentioned some
secret organizations, clubs of other
kinds, which always come to the aid
Of person accused. and try to beat
the law. "This seems to be the main
outdoor sport of some of these organ
izations some of which l belong to,
the sheriff said.
Court Cost 81 Per Minute.
He urged courteous treatment Of all
persons by deputies, and said that in
his experience this had always been the
case, but that the public considered
most officers as "hard and unworthy
Of trust" and that the officers them
selves woulr have to change this i'm
preston.
He mentioned also hereditary criml-
nails, declaring that they should be seq
gregated and not allowed to reproduce
themselves. He mentioned an instance
here where one was convicted recently
and said that since he "has no money
or influential friends he will have to
serve out at least two-thirds of his
time" Juvenile criminals were also
mentioned as a problem of the county
Colonel Robertson concluded his talk
with a discussion Of "the only phase of
law enforcement which people are in
terested in" which he said was the
financial side. His statement that dis
trict criminal court here cost the coun-
ty and the people in lost time and
other expenses, $500 day. or 81 a
minute was later borne out by Judge
Continued on Page Three)