The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-12-28
DEATH PENALTY
DEPL0RED AS
CRIME CURB
By ERIC FRIEDHEIM
International News Service

a Los Angeles bungalow followed
by the curt demand: Don't try
anything, Tommy" last May
marked fins to the most spectacu-
lar criminal roundup in the an
nails of American law enforce
ment.
When Thomas Tommy" Robin
son was led away by agents OF
the Federal Bureau Of Investiga-
ton to face charges of kidnapping
Mrs. Alice Speed Stoll, Louisville
society matron, Federal "Grmen"
had bagged their fourth desperate
in II days and wiped clean the
roster of topflight public enemies
on the Government wanted" list.
Record Reviewed
Reviewing the FBI's accomplish
ments during 1886, j. Edgar Hoo
yer refers to the apprehension Of
Robinson as the climax of the
"Eleven-Day May Round-up"-a
period of concentrated effort which
also resulted in the capture of
Alvin Karpis, Harry Campbell,
Karpis' partner in crime, and Will
liam Mahan, kidnaper Of young
George Weyerhaeuser.
FBI critics on Capitol Hill led
by Senator Mcclellan CD of Ten
nessee, had just refused to share
the nations enthusiasm over the
previous exploits of Hoover's men
who had shot it out with such
gangland king-pins as Dillinger,
the Bankers and others.
Mcclellan had been particularly
critical of Hoover, asking him why
he did not make arrests person
ally.
Hoover replied by taking per-
sonal charge of raid on Karpis'
apartment house and arrested the
gangster.
Campbell Next
A week later Hoover received a
"tip" that Harry Campbell was
"laying low" in Toledo, and the
FBI chief and his agents collared
Campbell in his lodgings without
firing a shot.
While Hoover was on his way
back from Toledo his men in San
Francisco were taking Mahan into
custody, climaXing chase that
led into virtually every State. The
capture of Robinson followed few
days later.
Attorney General Cummings
Stilled Congressional critics in lead
ing nationwide congratulations
for the eventful "Eleven-Day
Roundup"
While the four captures provid-
ed headline material for the press,
the FBI did not rest on its laureIs
throughout the year.
Activities of a less sensational
nature, but more important to the
nations welfare, were carried for
ward with equal diligence.
$4,000 Prints Checked
Justice Department statistics re-
vealed that the bureau during the
first nine months of the year ex-
amined nearly $4,000 fingerprint
records in order to obtain data
concerning the age, sex, race and
previous criminal history of per-
sons arrested. With the coopera-
ton of local authorities, the FBI
increased its fingerprint file to ap-
proximately 100000 cards during
1896.
Valuable information was devel-
oped from the bureaus study. OF
the total arrest records examined,
only $4,000 of the offenders were
shown to be women.
The FBI reported that in it's
study there was noted a decrease
IN the number of records reflect
ing arrests for murder, robbery
and burglary as compared with
1885. It was also disclosed that
there were more arrests for age 81
than for any other single age
group. More than half the per-
sons arrested for various offenseS
were under 30.
ExtOrtiOniSts Bagged
The bureau also was active in
tracking down number of indi-
vidualS who attempted to eXtort
money from wealthy persons on
threats Of bodily harm. Motion
picture stars usually are targets of
extortion threats and Omen ar
rested two youths who attempted
to wiring large sums from Shirley
Temple and Ginger Rogers.
In addition, the FBI reported
progress in the drive against the
ever-present white,Slave racket and
commercial vice.
During the fall months, Justice
agents maSsed their forces in Con-
necticut and other New England
areas and turned up evidence lead
ing to the Indictment Of SO per-
sons who were reaping rich harv-
ests from vice-den operations in
those areas.