Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1936-01-16
Frazier Reams Makes Fine Address
To Local Rotarians

The ta-McConnelsville Rotary
club had as it's speaker for the reg
ular weekly meeting. Friday even
ing, at the Kennebec hotel, Frazier
Reams, prosecuting attorney of Lu-
cas- county, at Toledo.
! Crime in Ohio" was the subject
which the speaker used. Frazier
Reams is very familiar with this
subject, since, as prosecutor of Lu-
cas- county, he has made the unus-
ual record of having broken up one
of the worst gangs in the state, hav-
ing convicted two of its leading
members, Wop English and Firetop
Sulkin, with death verdict from
i the. jury, and Yonnie Licavoli, the
gang leader, with life imprison-
ment. This record is unusual in
that Licavoli is the first gang lead
er in the United States to be con-
yicted of murders which he insti-
gated, but which he did not person
ally participate in. It was admit
ted by the prosecution that Licavoli
was not present in the county at
the time of any one of the four mur-
ders for which he was convicted.
1t was clearly proven, however, that
he was the "big shot" and put the
unfortunate victim ION the spot"
Crime" Reams said, ''is costing
the United States more than thir-
teen billions of dollars annually.
This is approximately four times
the amount spent on all educational
purposes and would in three years
pay the entire national debt. Twelve
thousand murders are committed in
the United States each year, and
Ohio gets credit for her full quota.
The criminal of today is not the
dumb, stupid thug that the law en-
forcement officials once had to deal
with. He is an exceedingly astute,
keen individual,' the speaker said.
Reams then told the story of the
gang leader, Yonnie Licavoli-how
he had come from Detroit into To-
ledo and organized a crime syndi-
cate which made him wealthy and
the virtual dictator of northwest
Ohio. Good citizens had to go to
members of his gang to secure
rights guaranteed to them under
the constitution. 1--WE must have
some state official who understands
the criminal of today, and how to
cope with him. a state official
with intimate knowledge of crimi-
nal conditions could do much to
bring to the people better under
standing of crime and the correc
tion thereof
Although Frazier Reams is an
ayoWed candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination Of attorney gen.
eral, he made no direct reference in
his talk to his candidacy. On Sat
urday morning, in an interview in
the office of the Democrat, he stat
ed that he believed that if nomi-
mated and elected to the office Of
attorney general, he could bring to
the people of Ohio realization of
the terrific toll not only in dollars,
but in moral values, that crime is
taking in our state, and could lead
the people toward more law-abid-
ing state.
At the meeting OF the Rotary
club it was ladies' night, and most
of the members had their wives
with them. Members Of the Nor
gan County Bar association were
also present. Music was furnished
by the high school orchestra, under
direction Of Mrs Twyla Edwards. |
An elegant dinner was served. f.
w. Cochran, the president of the
club, presided. Rufus K. Brown.
chairman of the program commit
tee, introduced Atty Reed NJ. Wine
gardner, who introduced the speak /
er.