The Sheriff’s Frustration with Aberdeen’s Courts

Editor Herald—In a late issue of your paper, I saw an article touching upon the duty of police officers. Now, if you will give me space in your paper, I will try to explain why there is so much lawlessness in the city of Aberdeen. A few nights ago, word came to me that a robbery had been committed, the hobos succeeding in getting $90 and some clothing. One officer went to Hoquiam while I and another found two tough characters who could not give an account of the money they had in their possession and early next morning we got two more. I then telegraphed to South Bend to get another of the same gang, who had left here that morning. The authorities there got him, and sent me a word, but alas, by the time I received it the men arrested here had been turned loose. Now, as the stolen money had been divided between the five hobos, had the rest been held until we got the one from South Bend, the loser might have recovered at least a part of his money. Stolen property was found where they had been sleeping. It seems very easy for a justice to cinch an officer who in defending himself commits an assault upon a rounder, but a very difficult thing to convict a prostitute who pleaded guilty to having robbed an unfortunate who sought her company when under the influence of liquor. Another remarkable case of judicial probity was that in which a prisoner accused of theft was sent alone by the justice to a distant town to secure a witness in his behalf. Such things fill an officer's soul with joy. They are conducive to efficiency.