Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-06-21
A singular but not CreditabIe History.

] A singular but not CreditabIe History.
The following case fully illustrates the fact
that our laws for the punishment and reform of
criminals are radically defective. A new educa-
tional system of reform must be commenced be-
fore men are reformed by such kinds of punish
ment.
The Boston Journal of yesterday gives the fol-
lowing illustration Of the operation of certain
laws Of Massachusetts, with history of the stat
utes and their provisions;
By several of the State statutes, the first of
which dates back to 1918 10, culprits who have
been once sentenced to the State Prison, if they
commit a new offence, and are sentenced there
again, after having been duly discharged, besides
the statute punishment for the new offence, they
are liable to have an additional punishment, it
being considered an aggravation of the new Of
fence that no improvement resulted from the
| first attempt TO reform them. They are called
second or third Corners, as the case may be.
| The act of l849 transferred the duties Of pro-
ceeding against such conviGts for add tional sem
tcnce, to the Attorney General but the act Of
/ 1850, repeating the 10th section OF the lS6th
chapter of the acts l849 recast that duty upon
the attorney of the Commonwealth, for the
county of Suffolk, who, at the present June
term of the Municipal Court, has filed niorma-
ton against eleven such convicts, the histories
of some of whom are very remarkable.
Take Henry Woods case, for instance. On
the 10th day of DeCemb ,r, 1910, Henry Woods,
who is now rs years of age, was convicted at
Cambridge of burglary, and sentenced to impris-
onment at hard labor during his natural life, in
the State prison. After serving about one year,
he was discharged by remission of sentence.
This was in the month of November, 1871.
About four months subsequent TO his discharge,
Gin March, 1922 he was convicted in this city
of larceny, and sentenced to the State prison for
80 DAVIS solitary confinement and years hard
labor. AT the expiration of this sentence, June
%. 1850 he was detained in custody upon an
other sentence of days and years, passed up
on him December 9Th, 1914. FOR an offence
committed in Cambridge prior to his conviction
in II.
! AT Cambridge, on the 18th OF November, 1918,
he was again convicted of larceny, and sentenced
to the same prison for ten days solitary contne-
mpnt and Il rec wears hard labor but on the Goth
day of the same month he was taken before the
Supreme Judicial Court, (then in session at
| Cambridce0 as a third conner" and for the
second time was sentenced to the State prison,
there to b. kept at hard labor during his natural
life On the Both day of Oct. 1924, however,
after serving nearly six years, he was liberated
Inv order of the Supreme Judicial Court. In less
than seven months after this, the second tune OF
+ his receiving the remission from "lIte sentence,
(NIay 9th, 1920 he was once more convicted
OF larceny in this city. and received another sen
tcnce of ID days solitary confinement, and I
years hard labor in the same prison; but Jusi as
this term was about expiring in 1882, he was
brought before the Court, and Tor the ulrd
time sentenced to the State prison Tor lie, Tor
having been three times convict III sald prison.
| After having served five years and aDoutten
months of this sentence, he was once more DIS
charged by remission OF sentence, on me 3Otl
/ of April. 1888. In about 70 months after this,
: (June ~, 1900 he was convicted at Lowell OF
assault with intent to commit teloniue crime;
sentenced to three days solitary confinement,
and 10 wears hard labor in the same prison.
I This sentence expired yesterday, bu; the con-
Wet was detained by process in order to be
/ brought before the Court this morning, for sem
/ tence once more as third conner.
Woods is a native of Acton, and has been sem
fenced nine several times, 0hree OF the senten-
Ccs were for life, but subsequently were remit
ted) to the State prison, in Which he. has passed
Sic V-itr,e dijS in solitary confinement and mr.
ul-Ssrrn or Mr'y-ei9H years at hard labor so
mat it will be seen that since his first sentence
/ in 1910, although he has six times been DIS
CHARGED, either hy the expiration of his terms,
or by remission OF sentence by the EXecutFe,
ne has been at liberty only about two years
In company with ten others brought from
State prison Woods was this morning placed in
the dock or the Municipal Court for sentence
is a second conner. On account Of Woods sem
tauce expiring yesterday Sunday, George Be-
mis-, Est appeared for the prisoner, and argued
that he ought not to be held, by reasonot his
not having been brought into court befoe his
sentence expired but the Court, Judge Hoar,
decided tlat the proceedings in the case were
LEGAL After stating that this was the mist re-
ma~kabe case ever before the Court, and lecap-
Itu atine the principal facts as above narrated,
and roic,ng particularly the pardons and Mercy
extended to the prisoner, he was sentenced 10
six months additional Imprisonment IN the State
prison.
After sentence had been passed, WOODS ad-
dressed the Court somewhat at length, sying
among other things thatif being shut up inprls-
on was likely to DO any good, he had had enmgh
of it in his day. He had lived long cnolgh,
and had made up his mind to do differently for
the future Il the sentence Just passed pon
him could be lessened, it would be just as yell
in the end. for going back to prison would b. of
no benefit to him or any one else. The APPEAL
Of the old man was of no avail; and he was re-
manded to his former quarters.