Evening star., 1928-03-25
LIFE SENTENCE OR DEATH
ASKED FOR MAIL BANDITS
Post Office Department Launches Coun
ter Offensive Against Criminals.
New Proposes Legislation.

workers; peace officers and trainmen
( made up the reSt-and the depart
ment has record of but a single instance
| Of the death penalty being execated.
| and that III Pennsylvania. Chapman, of
course. finally went out on the end of
| a rope in Connecticut State prison, but
| only because he was careless enough to
kill policeman while robbing safe
after escaping from the Federal Peni-
tentiary in Atlanta, where he was serv-
| ing 8 mail robbery sentence.
| Under the present situation. there is
| divided authority when a homicide is
committed in connection with mail
robbery. The Government can only as
sumo jurisdiction in the robbery itself,
while the State courts take over prose-
: cution of the homicide. which is not
| covered by Federal statute.
Federal Law Needed.
Obviously, it would be beyond the
bounds Of reason to make an effort TO
have each State pass law prescribing
deth for mail robbers. and a Federal
law. therefore, would be the logical way
TO handle the matter.
Coupled with this is the firm belief
OF the postal heads that the severity
of the punishment meted out IN Fed
eral Courts has the effect of keeping
down offenseS against the Federal sta
tuteS, and they argue that by increas-
ing the severity there will be result
ant decreaeS in crimes against the
mails. 1t is evident too, that the law
is sought because ii is felt that the
States are having difficulty meeting the
problem.
Again, where a prisoner stands two
trials for what amounts 10 the same Of
sc hal fn faf
first undoubtedly bears on the second,
and in the end. justice is not served so
well. This works two ways. for If there
happens to be an acquittal in the first
instance the second case is correspond
ingly weakened, and II in the first
case. the sentence is severe, another
jury is just as likely TO come along and
feel that the poor fellow has been
punished enough" and render a ver-
dict accordingly. Something of this sort
was in evidence in the Middle West not
many months ago, when a mail robber
who killed a deputy sheriff in making
his getaway got exactly 25 years for the
murder-the same sentence that Fed
eral Court had meted out for the mail
job which netted him not a cent.
Then, too, there is the question of
paroles and pardons. II is agreed that
there is little likelihood of any mail
robbeT. sentenced 70 25 years getting of
at the expiration Of third of his SEN
tence by virtue Of the recommendation
OF board Of parole. but good behavior
automatically lopS OF about eight years
OF the maximum term under the law as
now Constituted, and il ii so happens
that 1t Is only by good luck that the
robbery has not also cost life. the atti-
Sc
adequate punishment
Defect in Law.
There Is another serious defect in
the present law also, and that Is the
ability Of convicted bandits TO gain their
freedom on appeal bonds.
When gangs are organized as they
are today. with unlimited resources at
their command, ii is a difficult matter
to set bond that cannot be made. and
appeals, always tedious. allow ample
opportunity for the bandits to pursue
tnen calling while awaiting final dis
position OF their cases. And. as it some
times happens, this opportunity is seized
with guSto TO raise funds TO put up a
fight in court on the original charge.
A capital offenSe. however it not bail
able, and the way 10 liberty opened by
naDeas corpus proceedings is narrow.
The thief-catching machinery of the
department Is considered the equal of
anything Of its kind in the world, and II
has had 10 be for the mails have ALWAYS
been lure promising riches 10 the law
less; but even in the widest DAYS of
the country there was nothing 10 cope
with IKE the gunmen Of today--young
men nostly--who rob and kin with nom
cnaIance. Ihus postal authorities are
! firmly convinced that there is but one
way 70 deal with these, once they are
IN the tolls