The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-05-30
.0REN COLEMAN
PUTS RULE OF
LAW IN HERRN
Former High School Teacher
Does What Was Thought
IN Impossible Job

Marion. H., May --(NEA)--A
square jawed, gray-eyed young man
who used to be high school teacher
| is just now putting the finishing
touches on what everyone else had
figured was an impossible job.
He has restored law and order to
"Bloody Williamson" county.
The man is Sheriff Oren Coleman.
He is 3s, a bachelor, World War
veteran and University Of Illinois
graduate. Without any blare Of pub
LEFTY trumpets he has taken one Of
the hardest law enforcement Jobs in
the United States and has made
good
Peace Reigna Again
| The bombings, machine gun bat
ties. ambuscades, massed fights and
broad daylight assassinations that
| formerly were regular features Of
| Williamson county's everyday life
are ended. The rival gangs that
once ruled the county with the ruth.
less freedom of medieval robber
barons are broken up, their leaders
in jail and their hangouts deserted.
Most astonishing Of ALT is even
getting relatively hard to get
drink in Williamson county!
| To be sure, Coleman didn't do all
of this unaided. 1t took cooperation
cooperation with federal officials,
cooperation with sheriffs Of other
counties, cooperation with authori.
ties in various cities. But one Of
Coleman's chief distinctions is that.
in refreshing contrast to some of his
predecessors, he was disposed to seek
cooperation.
| Coleman took office last December.
The famous Williamson county gangs
| ut that time ruled supreme. Charlie
Birger and his henchmen were fight
ing the Shelton brothers and their
followers for control of the districts
rum running business. They went
about their work openly. They COM
mitted robbcries and murders as il
Williamson county would never rid
itself of them.
Armed His Deputies
First of all, Coleman called shcriffs
and states attorneys of nearby coun-
ties into conference and got their
pledges Of cooperation. Then he saw
to it that his deputies were given
arms as good as those Of the gang
sters--army rifles, machine guns and
bullet-proof vests. And then he got
busy.
On December q he led three depu-
ties to the home Of Jackie Williams,
north of Herrin, "A hangout Of the
Birger gang. Coleman led his men
IN; the gangsters, taken by surprise,
were unable to draw their guns, and,
to their amazement, found them
selves actually under arrest
AS result of that raid, Harry
lThomasson is serving life term for
the murder of Mayor Joe Adams; hay
Hyland is under indictment and
awaiting trial for another murder:
and Ray Rome and Danny Brown are
| serving lO-year terms for other
/ crimes.
A week later Coleman led his
deputies out and brought in four men
charged with the murder Of H. S.
Phillips, Carbonate merchant.
These men are now awaiting trial.
Then he turned his attention to
the liquor trade that had been
move, and to move rapidly. Since
the first of the year he has arrested
more than 60 bootleggers. Not a
single shot was fired in any one of
the raids, and more than 40 Of the
gu arrested promptly pleaded guilty
without waiting for trial.
Arrests Burger Himself
AT last, one morning, Williamson
county citizens awoke to learn that
Charlie Bigger himself was under
arrest charged with murder. More,
as days went by, it became evident
that the charge was serious bust
ness, and that Birger was actually
in trouble at last. Williamson coun-
ty began to believe that new order
OF affairs actually had dawned.
They were right. States Attorney
Arlie Q. Boswell predicts that in less
than year every gang war murder
IN Williamson county will have been
cleared up. Herrin, Marion and adj
1acent towns are enjoying taste
Of real law and order once more.
Coleman was by vocation Il high
jschool principal. Last year he was
about to enter the race for county
school superintendent. when friends
induced him to run for sheriff. He
had never had any experience as an
reinforcement officer; but Williamson
county was full Of men who had been
his pupils, and they had pretty
good idea Of the sort of sheriff he
would make. He was elected over
whelmingly.
When he took office Coleman made
a few characteristic remarks.
II ran for sheriff." he said, mot
because ! wanted office, but because
| was dissatisfied with the way things
were going and the events that were
taking place. We don't need laws
so much as we need law enforce
ment.
Not After Glory
I'm not seeking any glory in this
office. ! don't want anyone to re-
fuse support or help because they
fear | will succeed. I'll sign a pledge
before God that l will not run for
any office if that will cause the peo-
pie Of this county to get back of me
and give me their whole-hearted sup
port"
He has said very little since then.
he has made reputation for taci-
turnity. Charlie Birger once re-
marked, "This is the only sheriff in
southern Illinois l can't call over the
phone and engage in conversation. !"
One of Birger's licutenants, sent
around to Coleman's office shortly
after election to find out what the
. gangsters might expect, reported,
"This bird is pretty smart. He
doesn't talk much"
AVERAGE INCOME II CENTS A
MINUTE
By NEA Service
New Haven, Conn.--Every time
!; the minute hand Of the clock moves
. up a. notch, the workers of the
. United States have pocketed $3.50 600,
l Han a ontnrurtr ;usr =