The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-10
ENTIRE STATE
CRIME-RIDDEN,
BAR CHIEF SAYS
Conduct of Berch Scored
as Lazy; Blasts at
Lawyers.
CORRUPTION IS TARGET
58.3 Per Cent Increase in
Crime Is Laid to
Marion County.

b. Times SDeciqi
BLOOMINGTON, Ind, July 10
Corrupt public officials and "a lazy
court" we're listed as contributory
causes OF crime in Indiana by At
torney-G General James M. Ogden,
addressing the summer meeting Of
the Indiana State Bar Association
here today.
Ogden is president of the Asso-
citation, and opened the program,
which will continue today and Fri
day. Leading Indiana lawyers are
attending.
Attitude of the Indiana Bar To-
ward the Crime Situation" was his
subject.
He scored present conduct Of
bench and bar and urged that
greater effort be made by the pro-
fession to curb crime and prevent
corruption.
DOdges Dry Problem
we are spending more money on
crime than on education Ogden
declared. 1T costs the nation $4,000
per criminal to build a prison. For
less money a whole family could be
housed.
The plan Of building cities on
chessbOards saves us the trouble OF
thinking, but it may not be the last
word in wisdom"
Dodging discussion of the eight
zenith amendment and the Wright
bone dry" law, Ogden explained
the commission by quoting statistics
showing that but 10.4 per cent Of all
convictions in the state for 1929
were dry felonies.
Crime in Indiana has increased
rs per cent from 1909 to 1880, while
the population gain has been less
than 20 per cent" he asserted.
"Of the total crime increase, 58.3
per cent was in Marion county. The
five largest counties Of the state, in
which 80 per cent of the population
resides, are charged with commit
ting So per cent of all basic ohenses.
Marion County High"
Thirteen and one-half per cent
of the states population, residing
in Marion county, committed 81 per
cent of the cffenses.
Lake county led in the number
of homicides, having forty-nine
compared with twenty-nine in Ma
ron county
Reports from 637 courts in the
state for 1929 show that of every
100 defendants. only twelve received
any punishment"
at this point in the speech Ogden
quoted the results of an investiga-
ton by under-cover men from his
department regarding vice condi-
tons IN "a certain state city not in
Marion, Lake or Vigo county"
The report set out that there was
open liquor selling. gambling and
houses of prostitution being oper-
ateG under a protected system.
Police arrest only traffic law vio-
lators, Ogden declared. but, since
the investigation, a clean up HIS
been launched.
Officials Are FIayed
feQeldl Objects are tic ollly OAico
whom any of the law violatorS
fear" he alleged. AT least n of
these federal officers is weak and
unconcerned.
The chief of police attends
liquor parties and is a heavy
drinker. A brother-in-law Of the
mayor has a bootleg place. The
prosecuting attorney is very weak
on law enforcement.
The conditions could hardly be
worse If there were no law-enforc-
ing agencies in that city"
Urging cooperation Of home,
church. schools and press in put
ting down crime, Ogden turned to
the part to be played by the lawyer.
The government of the United
states is and always has been a
lawyers government" he con-
tended. But we are all agreed that
the lawyer is not performing his