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ITIUI10IL LHTILLOO.Grand Jury Requested to Start Machinery in Ferreting Out City’s Crime Perpetrators.COURTS’ POLICIES ATTACKEDIllegal Manufacture of Liquor I* Termed New Industry for the Cityand Careful Inquiry Is Urged.(Special to The Xndianspolis New*]MUNCIE, Ind/f September 15.—Branding: Muncie as a gamblers*paradise and declaring that in thelast two or three years gambling has flourished openly and publicly, William A. Thompson, judge of the Delaware circuit court here, todayasked the grand jury to set in motion machinery by which shall be ferreted out all perpetrators of crime. A careful investigation and the indictment of all law violator* was urged.The numerous kindergarten schools of : gaming, Judge Thompson said, where music, confections, cigars and other things serve as decoys to lure the unwary youth to ruin, and where a multitude of city and country hoys mke their first lessons in gaming and on up through the various gradations to the secret lair of the big games and poker rooms, where admission Is gained only by peepholes, bussers. pushbuttons and other secret devices— there are here and they flourish and do not depart, and not only are the keepers of these places, as a rule, not punished, but this flourishing Industry fs fostered and protected.Ask* Examination of Records.The policies of the lower courts in disposing of victims after gaming houses had been raided was attacked by the Judge, who said usually thepersona caught at* charged withkeeping a gaming house, while none is charged with visiting them. He cited several Instances and asked that the dockets of local Justice of the peace courts be examined. Jail sentences never are attached to theminimum fine of flO which is established here, he said.The return of gaming paraphernalia by lower courts and police officials to operators of Joints also was attacked by the court, wlfo cited two instances for the benefit of th# jury and asked investigation and action The court held the return illegal. He asked that a complete investigation of all county offices be made, called attention of the Jury to .the last grand Jury, which failed to Indict a public officer on a charge of extortion, and wished the present Jury,more success. jLiquor Traffic Investigation.A complete Investigation of the liquor traffic was suggested and thecourt remarked that a new industry Kftn Sprung Up In Muncie. Whereby stills were being used for the manufacture of whisky, , He called gt-tention to tlie lawlessness prevajen her# and told oFtwo members of th police department who recently wars intoxicated, he asserted, hut who re*, ceived their clubs and badges on returning to duty. One Is h ranking officer and the other a patrolman, he said.The grand jury was asked to roundup the dive Owners and operators as well as owners of property leased for Immoral purposes. Judge Thompson referred to editorials appearing in The Indianapolis News and the local evening paper regarding ponditlonshere. fg ; ™.. •It also is an open secret, the court said, that for more than six months the federal officials have had one 01 morv d.-twyves or agent* 111 this city gathering evidence to be submitted to the next session of that body it willprospects are now flattering that atthe next season of that body it will gather in the meshes of the law more than were caught” in the last haul frofti Muncie. '■ ' jffflWHiFirst ftesslon of Jury.Only one of thto «ix men Jirst called lo serve on the grand Jury remains on that body, the others having been excused because of business obligation* Today was the first session of the body and tbe instructions ofJudge Thompson were given before th£,« bo-y went into session.The first case to be taken up. according to Clarence K. Benadum. Will be that of the attempt on the llffe of George Lee Denny, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Denney, at Eaton Home one placed carbolic acid !n the child s milk bottle and his mouth wasbadly burned. • ' • *'\ officer, who- has been?£duStJ,1®r 'v«»tl*atlon of condl-Hons here, has been summoned to appear before the grand Jury, but it isunderstood that he has been inatruct-obtai°ned° lvulgt th# ev^*nce he has
Newspaper Details
Indianapolis News
Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Wed, Sep 15, 1920
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Full Page
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USA 31 Jan 2020
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