Salt Lake Telegram | 1941-12-13 | Page 4 | End of a Long Trail

End of a Long Trail T THE THE HE people of Salt Lake City must have read with gratification the news that the supreme supreme supreme su su- su- su preme court of Utah had upheld In a unanimous unanimous unanimous opinion the convictions of former Mayor E. E B. B Erwin former Police Chief Harry L. L Finch and R. R O. O Pearce a Salt Lake attorney It has been more than two and a half years since these men were convicted and sentenced to terms in the county jail Now after exhausting exhausting ex ex- f every legal weapon at their command command como com corn o mand wand they are nearing the end of the trail i which h leads to the punishment they have so t long deserved yet et so long evaded They may still appeal for a rehearing before the supreme court but if that appeal is denied they will willbe willbe willbe be subject to Immediate commitment to jail It It is now four years since the original accusations accusations accusations ac ac- ac- ac against Erwin and Finch were made in Salt Lake City Those accusations brought an investigation by bv the then city attorney Fisher Harris anc and further investigation b by bythe bythe the then district attorney Calvin W. W Rawlings Rawlings Rawlings Raw- Raw lings the result of which was a grand jury indictment charging that the convicted men wilfully and corruptly permitted houses of prostitution lotteries dice games slot may machines machines ma ma- y chines bookmaking and other gambling devices devices devices de de- de- de vices and games of chance to be operated in inthe inthe inthe the city Evidence at the trial showed that the convicted men were in a conspiracy to collect collect col col- lect lest a pay-off pay through the police department from these places of gambling and prostitution The high court in upholding the conviction said the evidence clearly showed a consistent consistent consistent consist consist- ent plan on the part of the mayor when he took office to get his his' while he had a chanter chance chan e. e It is all a sorry picture picture one one of the dil dirtiest episodes in Salt Lake City's political history which shames this city It disgraced us because because because be be- cause such official connivance at vice is not at all representative of the attitude of the people of this city We were betrayed by men in whom we had placed d our trust The only possible way that black page in our history could be expunged was through conviction and punishment of th those se ble It is good now to see the long trail nearing nearing nearing near- near ing its end and to know that soon we can wipe this whole miserable business bustness off the slate The aroused people of Salt Lake with the cooperation of the courts and other agencies agencies agencies agen agen- cies of justice have brought their betrayers to vengeance Let the whole sorry record be a warning to any who might ever be tempted to follow in their footsteps