The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-12
ASSEMBLY To
GET BILLS TO
FIGHT BANDITS
Measures Would Double
Terms for Use of Guns
in Holdups.
TIGHTEN ON FIREARMS
Proposed Laws, Already
Drafted, Being Given
Finishing Touches.

Banditry is to be ambushed in the
legislature.
Three bills, doubling prison terms
for crimes committed at guns point
and Tightening restrictions on the
issuance of permits to carry fire.
arms, are the legislative weapons
with which two statewide police
officers associations expect to curb
Indiana's crime wave.
The measures, already drafted,
will be given final consideration by
the legislative committees of the
Indiana Railway Police Association
and the Indiana Municipal Police
Chiefs Association, meeting with
Frederick E. Schortemeier, attorney
and former secretary of state, Mon
day morning.
Indcrsed BY Bankers
Schortemeier and Fred G. Cause,
attorney and state election commits
sioner, have given their services
voluntarily in the framing of the
bills, which have the Endorsement of
A. G. Brown, Indiana Bankers AS
sociation president.
Commission of the crime of lar
ceny, robbery, bank robbery or rape,
while armed with firearms, would
constitute a separate felony, under
provisions of the first of the bills. 1t
provides not less than ten nor more
than twenty years for the crime it
self, and separate prison sentence
of from ten to twenty years for
carrying firearms in perpetrating
the crime. The bill proposes that
the court may declare that the two
terms shall not run conculTently.
Present penalty for burglary is
five to twenty-one years imprison-
ment. The second bill to be spon-
sored by the officers associations
would make the imprisonment ten
to twenty-one years if firearms are
used.
Check on Firearms
Endeavoring to check the promis-
cuous issuance Of permits to carry
firearms, the third bill would require
the applicant to get the recommen-
dation of the police chief or sheriff.
The circuit Judge would be empow-
cred to grant or refuse the permit
after hearing. At present the per-
mits are granted if two freeholders
sign the application. Since legisla-
tion cannot be retroactive, holders
of permits would not be affected.
Backers of the bills believe they
would be an effectual check to BAN
ditry. Increased sentences, they
argue, would be a powerful deter
rent.
members of the pardon board at
the states penal institutions have
asked prisoners if they would have
attempted their crimes if they had
lascked weapons" Schortemeier re-
lated. 'Nine out of ten replied they
would not"
"Guns are drawn, if not used, in
rs per cent of the felonies commit
ted in Indiana" Schortemeier said.
ct stands to reason that If they
didn't have the guns they wouldn't
attempt the crimes, and stiffening
the penalty for having the guns Will
cut down their number" :"
Want Uniforms Dropped
The police organizations also are
considering legislation which would
change requirements regarding the
use of uniforms within city limits.
Railroad police. particularly, are
hampered by the present uniform
requirements, they complain.
They may decide, further, to ask
that the $100 minimum now re-
quired for the charge of grand lar
ceny be reduced. Defendants con-
victed of thefts of property or money
in any amount less than 500 can
only be charged with petit larceny
under present laws. 1t is proposed
to set this figure at $25 to bring
more convictions for grand larceny
and consequently heavier penalties.
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