The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-06-29
WHY THIEVES BREAK THROUGH AND
STEAL IN HENDERSON COUNTY

ESQUIRE w. L. Miller introduces for pub
lie discussion the subject of law enforce
ment in Henderson county, with particular
reference to enforcement of the statute
against larceny. Squire Miller says the
county is infested with thieves, that no
progress is being made in enforcing the
law, and suggests that a vigilance commit
tee be organized to deal with the problem.
The matter is important to the peace, Sc
curity and welfare of good citizens; and
should not be passed lightly by any Hen
derson county resident who values his pos
sessions or citizenship in the county.
Records of the courts show that thieving
is one of the prevalent crimes in Hender-
son county at this time. In an interview
with this newspaper Squire Miller has
stated why it has been found difficult to
secure convictions and enforce the law
against thieves. The first reaction to this
interview coming to The Times-News was
q statement by good citizen of Hender-
sOnville, who says that conditions which
are fast becoming intOlerable can be traced
to failure to enforce the laws in cases
where law enforcement is easily possible.
= This citizen cited his personal expert
snce in the following case: A negro wonl-
an employed as a servant in the family was
found to be a confirmed thief, was prose-
euted, convicted and given q sixty days
Sentence After the sentence was imposed
the citizen was urged to use his influence
TO get the woman out of JAIL the plea be-
ing that it was costing the county money
N keep the prisoner in Jail and feed her.
The citizen replied that the negro had
been fed at public expense for months past,
and declined to take action. A little later
he learned that the woman had been re-
BASED after being jailed one day. She re-
turned to her habitat, gleefully circulating
the news among her associates that in spite
of her clearly established guilt, the white
folks had not been able to keep her in jail.
:, This was the case of a negro woman.
No doubt there are other cases of negro
women, and men, and white women and
men, that look as bad as this case to good
Citizens who are interested in law enforce
ment,
This citizen states that the course he has
how mapped out for himself is to protect
his own family and property with a shot
gun and let other citizens do the same or
Be robbed.
4 The Times-News mentions the expert
enee of this citizen merely to show one
mans reaction to Squire Miller's appeal
for the organization of vigilance COM
mittee.
In considering this problem of law en-
korcement fact which should be remem-
bered is that a large majority of those who
are prosecuted in criminal cases a=e white
6eopfe. This holds true throughout North
Carolina, according to information given
The Times-News, and is not confined to
those counties where the negro population
Is small. White people are in the majority
among law breakers in Henderson county
and the greater part of the thieVing is per-
petrated by white people.
= What can be done about this problem?
Ehe thing that must be done is to arouse
public sentiment in favor of law enforce
thent to such pitch that rigid law enforce
aaent win be secured. If it takes vigilance
committee to do the Job, Henderson county
should organize vigilance committee.
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