Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-08
Statute Law and Gang Law.

What might almost be regarded as a
competition between statute law and
gang law is in progress IN some Of the
large American centers Of population.
Under statute law crooks, gangsterS,
racketeers and others Of the Tx are sought
and occasionally caught and sometimes
punished. Under gang law those Of the
underworld who offend against that
code are punished more swiftly and eff
fectively than under the statute law. A
large percentage of the murders COM
mitted in Chicago and in New York are
known to be vengeance crimes of gang
land. Men who trespass upon the pre-
serves of others, who interfere with the
established traffic in Illicit goods, who
take more than their share of profits,
and especially those who for revenge
or any other motive peach on their
partners in crime are taken for a ride"
as the Chicago phrase runs. They are
put on the spot" as another expression
goes. Perhaps they have been given a
trial in their absence and condemned
by the gang, or maybe by the leader
alone. There are no hung juries or mis-
trials. There Is no appeal from such a
verdict and sentence. There Is, indeed,
no less penalty than death. There are
no second or third degrees Of crime in
the gangs calendar.
A case is just reported from Detroit
to illustrate the persistence Of the pur-
suit when gangdom goes after its
victim. Three months ago a man
named La Mare, member Of q gang,
fell out with his fellows and was con-
demned. He went into hiding in his
own home, so effectually concealed from
observation and sheltered from discov-
cry that he was not molested. Then
suddenly fate knocked at his door. In
the absence Of his wife he answered the
rap and was shot down. The police, on
searching the place, found veritable
armory, six pistols, q '1eaR gus gun, a
repeating rife a. ghtomAtic rife. a
shotgun, hatH afsfedS Wnzf = clock
for timing bombs&
If the gangs ga1ned no Acruits they
would eventually txterminate them
selves. But unfortunately for lawful
society, they are constantly admitting
new members to their ranks, perhaps
men driven out Of the twilight zone Of
semi-criminality into actual lawlesS-
ness, or maybe adventurous youths at
tracted by the glamour Of q criminal
career, or drawn by the prospect Of
easy money" There is, Of course, no
easy money in gang adventure. 1t is
hard-earned money, blood money dan
gerous money. The gangster stands in
the shadow of both statute law and
gang law. A few of the conspicuous
ones, leaders by virtue Of great shrewd-
ness and bravado, survive long enough
to enjoy the profits of their enterprises
There is, for instance, AL Capone, who
is millionaire, according to repute.
He lives in luxury though in desperate
fear. Some day AL Capone will get
his" from gang law If not from statute
law, with more certainty Of the former
than the latter.
The experience Of Legs Diamond, who
was SO thoroughly perforated by a gang
attack in hotel in New York recently,
Illustrates the high price that gangsters
pay for their adventures and their
profits. AS far as the statute law goes,
Diamond is immune. But evidently he
is under sentence Of death under gang
law, and it is dollars to doughnutS that
that sentence will be executed, with no
parole or probation or communication. If
statute law were as swift and effective
as gang law there would be a quick
riddance of this pest from which the
country is suffering so severely, and for
which it is paying so heavily.