The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-27
INTEMPERANCE.
The Prolific Source of Human Suffer-
ing-The Cause of the Present AiSh
Carnival of Blood and Crime.

The Prolific Source of Human Suffer-
ine-The Cause of the Present HiSn
Carnival of Blood and Crime.
The Prison Agent, w. ]. Mullen, in his annual
report devotes considerable space to the above
subject, from which we make the following
extracts
IT. has sent to our prison one hundred and
eighty.tWo thousand four hundred and torty.
nine IS2 449) persons within the last twenty
one years. The evils OF inSempersnGe per- IN nr Inis
sents Itself to us as one well worthy OF our
attentive and careful consideration. NO other
subject appeals 80 strongly TO our sympathles
as tnis When we examine 1t In Its moral and
even political aspects we are struck with
growing curse We have population In Pnila-
delphia estimated at over SOOO 600. Care.
iu inquiry has dsyeeoped sye Inc sSs tGat
houses pay the license required by
law, while more than double that number carry
any regard to the requirements OF the law.
These places, IL Is fairly to be presumed do
profitable and paying business. or otherwise
immense amount OF suffering, destttution, and
miss cry consequent. upon the prosecution OF this
large amount of business can scarcely be estl-
mated. Ou Q fact, however, we do Know, which
constantly stares us In the face and that Is that
one result of the traffic is to fill the prisons and
almshouses. More tnan Lhreefourths of The
inmates of our prisons attribute their iail IN
lte to the use % nSxaCang gases Of
murder which took place in our city
| this last year, we can safely say that almost
| every one otlhem occurred at a Time when the
| murderer was intoxicated. THESE deeds OF
| blood are unquestionably clearly traceable 10
the intoxicating cup, containing the liquid
draught of poison which maddens the brain
and bereaves of reason, and brings man To
condition which intiames all bis angry pas
sions and leads him TO commit acts OF violence
ACTS the thought of which, had ne oeen
clothed in his right reason, would never have
entered his mind
The mania a potu ward Of the prison is CON
stanUy crowded, and the horrible yells OF tht
maniacs continually sounding IN The ears
terrible contortons of tho body present them
| selves to the alarmed and aston1shed gaze
| the beholder. The scenes In this ward ar
| 1rightful to look upon; the pale face, the COLI
| sweat oozing from him, the raging lever, TN
| pupils of the eye distorted, flashing nre as
| were, the muscles of the body conVulsed D.
violent writings, occasioned by excruciatln
pain and high fever = the poor victln
confined with handouts and strappe,
about him necessary TO prevent him from beal
ing out his brains against the stone walls {
| his prison house; the shrinking back into Tn
| corner OF the cell TO escape, AS IL were, froI
| the horrible visions of snakes, devils, etc
| which pass before his distorted mind (vislon
. | of which seem invariably to accompany thi
> disease), the horrible screams and yells {
3 | which cannot be described; they must be wi
. | messed TO be realized; and which, once seen, ca
4 | never he forgotten by the beholder--the tortul
| and suffering betrayed by his countenance al
!, | truly pitiable. The deep and lasting impressio
q ofhorror which ts made upon the mind by sue
q | a scene can never be erased.
Q bave often Wished that the rumseller, WA