Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-06-30
LiOnizing Prisoners.

The events Immediately preceding
the trsgical end Of .he two youna
men who recently forfeited their live,
in this city for the crime Of murder
naturally called attention to the iniu
rious practice, now too prevalent. O
lIonizing those convicted OF infamou,
crimes No sooner is a person ares
ted for an offence which stariles the
whole community than the mag.
nifying process begins. All bis ante
cedents are spread before the commu.
nifty, bis picture adorns The pages d
all the sensational weeklies. and a
hundred incidents are stated in which
the accused displayed traits Of char
acter totally at variance with the
usual conduct OF those who shed blood
either Tor revenge or piunder When
the trial takes place the same practice
continues; and If the sentence Oi
death j. pronounced. the condemned
ones cell is a point OF attraction to
wards which the attention Of the pub
tie is daily turned By sensational
articles Of the most glowing character.
into that cell are also admitted all
who claim 70 be friends Of the prisoner.
and amid the smoking Of cigars. and
other inappropriate and reprehensible
practices, The prisoner is put under
the pressure Of inguisitorial question
ings IN order that the public may be
gorged with bloody food. All this is
iudeieusible. Il Is an Outrage upon
the pers0naccused or convicted Of q
Capital crime, il debanrhes public
opinion and makes II morbid and IN.
healthy upon the subject of murder
aud those who commit this highest
offence against the laws OF God and
man. Such would seem 10 be the
opinion of the late Grand Jury Of this
city and county, for IN their present
ment 70 the Court they expressed
their disapproyal Of the practice OF
permitting indiscriminats visitors 10
those under the sentence OF death
and declare 1.-The time mercifuliv al
lowed ufter condemnation should be
spent 10 strict seclusion, and no visits
permitted excepting those Of the spir-
itunl adviser, the counsel. Gnd Ocea-
sionaliy those of the immediate family
of the prisoner An statements OF
conversation with the prisoner, or Of
his views and feelings, made through
The public press, pander 70 a low and
vicious taste in the community, and
tend 10 make the convict u hero in
the eyes of his former associates.
whilst the accounts OF religious expe-
rionce, occasionally, perhaps. genuine,
are generally the merest buriesques
upon the Christian religion, and might
very naturally iead 10 the conclusion
that death upon the gallows was the
surest way 10 eternal happiness
Changes, such as those recommended.
would doubtless be productive Of good
results 20 both prisoners and the pub
lio. The former, If left 10 the solitude
OF their cells. would sooner realize the
coming end of their infamous career,
and prepare for the inevitable respon-
sibilities. while tie young and mex
perienced would not be directed from
the narrow path OF honesty, truth
and reotitude, by the false glare OF
mock heroism and assumed bravery
under the most trying circumstances.
Prisoners should have al possible at
tentiuns compatible with due respect
for the rights Of the community whose
laws they have outraged Beyond
that the sentence Of the courts should
be silent. grim and inexorable We
have tried houizing murderers, and
the seed thus planted has produced
n bloody harvest Let the opposite
course be now pursued, as suggested
by the 6rabd Jury, and see ii that
viii not decrease the higher grades Of
crime in the iand.-A0c, June 22d.