Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 282, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1913 — CLIFFORD ARCHER GOES TO REFORMATORY [ARTICLE]

CLIFFORD ARCHER GOES TO REFORMATORY

Given Term of 1 to 8 Years for Stealing Chicken* —Brother to Be Tried in Newton. Criminal— The case of the State of Indiana vs. Clifford Archer, charged with the theft of chickens from one Hentz, was tried in the circuit court today and resulted in a verdict of guilty as charged, finding his age at 21 years. The jury might have found him guilty syjid fixed his punishment by fine and imprisonment in the county jail, or might have found him not guilty. They fixed the maximum sentence, and unless paroled by the court, the defendant will be taken to Jeffersonville to serve an indeterminate sentence of one to eight years. The evidence was strong against the defendant. The chickens were stolen some time in the night and delivered at an early hour to W. B. McNeil at Wheatfipld, from whofn they received a check, taking the check in the name of Charles Lewis. The owner of the chickens arrived soon after the sale and he, together with Mr. McNeil and others, found the defendant and his brother at Burrow’s Camp, at Dunn’s Bridge. When approaehed by Mr. McNeil they handed over the money they had received on the check without argument. John Archer, also charged with theft along with Clifford, has taken a change of venue to Newton county. There was other and circumstantial evidence and there is no doubt about the guilt of the defendant and that the sentence is probably a just one. Thieving of this nature has gone on for a long time in parts of this county and there are several bad characters still at large, who have probably participated in such violations of the law, as well as other law violations, committed by socalled,;“home talent.” Of such a nature was the attack on Frank Lewis several years ago and a similar attack upon Henry Dahncke, and other offenses which have-not gotten into the courts, by reason of the careful planning of the same, so as to avoid detection of the guilty parties. Another such offense occurred recently when a party near Newland or Gifford had several hundred dollars’ worth of honey stolen, the thieves having taken and carried off the hives as well as ;he honey, supposedly by the automobile route.

There is evidently an organized gang that participates in these violations of the law and render each other such assistance as may be needed in carrying out their crimes, and if this conviction is the beginning of the breaking up of the gang and will lead to more convictions, or be such an example to others as to deter them, then it will prove worth while to the community and render property and even ife more secure. But in this connection it might be recalled that in the same jail that now holds the defendant is James Willis, serving a 90-day sentence for his attack upon, the Thompson girl, and the comparison is such as to create a feeling of dissatisfaction with the jury system, and tends to create the impression that even a civilized people attack, more value to property

and the offenses against the same than to the virtue of women and girls. But let us think that these cases are the exceptions to the rule, rather than the rule itself, and that hereafter justice will be meted out to all offenders of the law, in accordance with the gravity of the offense and ,the laws governing the

same. Our laws are fairly ample, but in criminal charges, where the jury is judge, both of the law as well as the evidence, there is such latitude given that if the jury desires to acquit, eve nthough the evidence is convincing as to guilt, they can hide behind the authority given them, that they are also judges of the law, and that the law is not applicable to the particular state of facts.

Such contrasts as the cases above mentioned afford, will lead to a saner criminal proceedure, by which the quilty have less chance of evading the results of their acts, and will re-establish faith in our criminal courts. The jury was dismissed until Wednesday morning and the court then took up two issues In the case -of the Manhattan Lumber Co. vs. Peter al, which will probably take ’two or three days to hear, report of which will be made as the same progresses. Oysters, 40c quart; 20c pint, at 202. , Brick cream at Nowels’ for Thanksgiving, 30c per brick. Also the Kehoe Marbach Co.’s, cakes. Silver, gold, Spanish and devil’s food, 10c each, Fruit cakes, 25c each.