, 1869-01-18
How to A'exl with Crime.

70 the EdtIoE OF The Chicago Theune:
In former letter on this tnbiect no!ed
the uncertainty Of punishment ~ tho great
difficulty IN the way Of preventing the com-
NILSSON Of crime. s,nee the publication OF
that letter IN ex,Untted States oMc.al has
been shot dead at Sapcrvitle by the husb.ad
Of WOMAN With whom be was committing
crime. In your i8sue OF Thursday last, you
very properly charactedze the killing Rs
"mutder,'
Two crimes have been committed; and
why Simply because each Of the perpetra-
tors had good reason 10 hope TINT he would
escape the punshment which should inevlsa-
bly, follow the wrong. Zach had been co.,nl-
rant OF many cases In which such acts have
not been punished, though proved upon the
perpetrators. The adulteret knew we'll that
punrshments Tor that crime arc The txcep-
lion to tAn rule, and the aver knc equally
we'll that If he did not take tbs Iar Into his
inal would 20 uuo1nis1ed, while he had gosd
reason to bellere that be would ran no
greater ruk thtn did Cole for tho killing OF
| bis freud Hlscock.
Lo. k \, tho case A man Of llbdinons appc-
| ttes indulges his un1a y {ul passion In conpst-
| Alive security. Hc knows that II detected he
Ian be prosecuted on y under certain circuna,
| stAucea, and that his dak oi punish neul Ly
the l1v IL scarcely one In thousand. Toc
worst that hc calculates on Is that the NO
| man mAy be cast more ta1nu1ete1Y ut hts
msfcg. His experience has shown him that
great raa.Y people will simply Ia1.h at him
as acapeErace, that majority Of the Re-.
mainder will On : gossip aoont the case
entionssy,. and, perh.ps, shrug tne'r
.honidezs Ia morsl rtpuSnance, but They will
be Just as ready a.. ever to call him friend,
and do business With bin ~ before. Tbs
ceu4urc ot the few he can brave easily lt{s
only IN tie disturbance Of ht. own family re-
laNons Qf he hAs au1} that he Is valuetAbae,
ala not always on that potat. II he fat ab-
solutely certain that det' c:ion would result
In SIX nonshs' hard labor IN the Bttdc@ell Or
PcnltentlarY, he would not risk the punIah-
ment on any ordlnarY temptation. do not
kaS- that fherr would be no such thug ~ =
breach Of the Seventh Commandment, but I
would be diminished 1t least ninety per cent.
On the Other hand the husband knors that
he cau expect no good IRON a public recital
! o5 his wrongs. He knnHs that his mel xhbors
would chucklc over the aca.dal, or cou.sls
| hun With mock pity, or cau him coward
! well lha. 10 sue Tor damages would expose
him to the reckless charge Of seeking to gam
money bS bis Wits dlshonoT, whiis to bfsaE
criminal suit would be to ectn The reputa ton
J ! Of l. iool. II he were certain that the Ian
would punish the destroyer of his peacs be
would Appeut to tho law ia ulno casea out OF
: ter. Then. on the other hand, he kao%s
! that there u really but Itt'e ehancn Of being
| hung Tor the shooting ct the adulterar.
: He has Rad tho newspapers, aad
! Iot:nd that such Avengers are geaes
ally acquitted sfiumphausli, md thA'
, where the jurY hos hrcn " ".enselc.s enough
! 70 convict, the Governor has alWar. zee.
. prevailed upon to ...,uou He takea tdae lss
: i spte nnn na-ds. II he were morally Ger
! taifl that the rope. or .nur.ccn years In tht
! Pens&eptiaEy, would !ollsw the killing at I
g fellow. being under even such clrrums,a ,aucc.
be would Eo. dare to shoot: whle II he ftl
/ | equally certain that the law ~uatd d. tusstel
i to the villain, be would not tcans 70 shoot.
We ts1nll meyer succeed In rcfo, ming thta
i abuses by preaching against thern- Thc oal,
war to deal with thc1a II to make the la'
speak With uulnls:akabIe c3earneas to all
:. peoelaimEng itae1G ee7taia pun1shet Of crime
)! no matter who may be thc criminal, 1hethc
: lnan OF woman, rieh or poor. Or whether i
> be the seventh, or SIKH, os eighth, or an
: other comm numcnt that mas be violated.
" The modern Goddess Of Justice was Ion
t sfnce ;.,',,1s1cd 10 1elaoTc tbs classtc bandaE
! frptu her hrox. II srder that she might :
! able 10 thread her wsJ through Tue .s:.seErlu
thine mazcs Of the lsH Without stumbling
When We stEafEhteu the path, cut aRaT =
= !. the useless incuubtaucts Of our judicial PIT
ccssess 4ad m2kt punishment for efl1,1ee .aE
, and swift, by dealing with crime and crfn
. fua1s IN direct fearless way, only then ri
> law become tho embodiment OF Justice, An
r not TIL thfn will the purbl1nd goddess b
Rtle to rcsume ii. b&udaze wh:eh xhoul
= prevent her from seeing suisors, md d.
=. eliminating between persons. JC3-