The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-08-17
LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THIS TOWN
AND COUNTY


Again The Times-News desires 70 corr
mend Solicitor W. R. Sheppard Of the
County Recorders Court for mis- valiant ef
forts 10 enforce the laws Of North Carolina
in Henderson county. That ne is fighting
against heavy odds is evident. Solicitor
Sheppard is striving 10 prove faithful 70
his duty. He has sworn to uphold and en-
force the laws 70 the limit Of his capacity
as prosecutor in this county. He has the
manhood and courage 10 do his duty and
he has shown ability of convincing sort
as 4 public prosecutor.
The Times-NeTs has said that Solicitor
Sheppard is fighting against heavy odds IN
his efforts 20 enforce the laws-and be il
remembered that the laws he is endeavor-
ing To- enforce are not petty local laws,
they are the criminal statutes Of the great
State Of North Carolina. In his efforts to
perform his duty faithfully Solicitor Shep-
pard-or any other Law enforcement Of
fcer who tries 70 be true To his oath and
his duty-wiiI ffnd almost insurmountabie
difficulties in the way.
First, there are the distractions 10 the
administration of justice which are inner
emit in the laws or have adhered 10 court
procedure, in North Carolina and through
out the nation. Then there is the rapidly
growing and spreading disregard for au-
thority and for all laws which is evident
in this country and there is about "a much
be found anywhere in the State or country.
We look 10 the great cities Of the country
as crime centers, but Che fact is that we
have crime centers here in the South in
some very small population centers. We
have amateur gangsters, racketeers in the
making, and a considerable sprinkling OF
residents who are out to break any and all
LAWS. The beginnings Of serious trouble
for all good citizens is to be found in this
condition.
The Times-Eews has previously quoted
a citizen of this county who is in position
to know as much az any resident of Hen
dersOn county about the increase of law
lessness here, and that man has assured US
in the most solemn manner that he is con-
WINGED there was never before time in
the history of Henderson county when the
spirit of IawIessness was as rampant, or
there was less security for life and prop
erty"
Solicitor Sheppard must meet these con-
ditions in his efforts 10 enforce the laws
He must also meet this condition:
The Pennsylvania Times directed atten-
ton to the condition which we now men
ton, in it's latest issue The condition ex-
lists in that county and probably in varying
degrees in the one hundred counties of the
State.
The Times says that County and town
officers are doing their duty az officers
should when they refuse to be cajoEed and
wheedIed about by friends chat is, the
friends of law breakers) and refuse to let
them go because "Mr. So-and-So'' makes a
plea to the courts for clemency
The Times continues by saying that
talking, threats (by law enforcement Of
fcers) and small fines Imposed by the
courtS) 'seem inadequate" and an ever
increasing number of law violations Is
noted.
This exact condition prevails in Hender
son county. The Times presses for chain
gang sentences in that county, and it i.
going to take changing sentences, en-