Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-04-29
DRUNKENNESS AND CRIME.

80 There is good reason to believe that
public sentiment in other States is grow
Z ing towards the Maine Law policy of pro-
hibiting the traffic in intoxicating liquors.
The more the subject of temperance is
agitated the stronger grows the feeling in
favor of prohibition. Several States have
! adopted it, others have made partial eff
forts in the same direction, and every
where public opinion is advancing that
way. No other theory for the curtailment
of drinking and drunkenness Stands the
test of practice SO well as this. The IL
cense system in its most stringent form is
hardly an apology for the restriction of
drinking, while the advocates of light
wines are admonished by the fact that
, California is becoming State notorious
for drunkenness, also by reliable reports
from the wine producing districts of Eu-
rope. that light drinks are not remedy
for but a promoter of intoxication.
a., At recent Temperance Conference in
New York, DR.. Harris, Secretary of the
New York State Prison Association, read
paper on "'rhe Actual Relations be-
tween Drunkenness and Crime" In that
he stated the fact, as the result Of his in
designations, that about eighty per cent. of
criminals are addicted to the habitual use
of intoxicating drinks, and that IL large
proportion of crime is committed while
the perpetrators are under their influence.
He accounts for this on the ground that
alchohol taken into the system inflames the
passions, and when drunk immoderatcly
overcomes reason and personal control,
and leads persons to the commission of
acts of violence, from which they would
shrink when sober Men naturally most
peaceable and kindly in disposition had
become SO denounced by liquor rs to muir
der even those to whom they were great
~ endeared, while others had been guilty
of arson, theft, assault and other crimes,
who, when sober. were most free from
criminal intent. Alchohoic drinks are Of
ten resorted to on this account, he stated,
by men who desire to perpetrate some
foul act, to nerve themselves for the oc-
casion, and enable then to do what, even
with strong inclination, they would not
have the courage to undertake Thus, he
said, well known murderer in one of the |
rural counties of New York, found it nee
essary, as he confessed before the cxecu-
ton of the sentence, TO fortify himself with |
drink for the act which he committed, and |
he stated that during the night preceding
the murder he drank several times. dcliber-
ately taking just enough to keep his deter
mination up to the requisite point while be-
ing careful to avoid intoxication. As ne
gatye evidence of the intimate connection |
~.~tween drunkenness and crime the
speaker cited number of instances
where suppression or curtailment Of the
hquoi ~aiiic, and consequently of drink
ing haa len followed by a great dimin-
uuon IN 'he amount Of crime committed. |
as uhder the ope~tions of the prohibitory
law in Maine and the Metropolitan law in
New York. From this fac, tho, b.,,;,,a,
drunkenness is SO largely productive or
crime, and does SO frequently, almost in.
variably, lead to the commission Of crime
DIR. Harris argued that the deliberate use
Of liquor, when its nature and the effect it
will probably produce are understood
is in itself criminal. as much as if per-
son should in any other way put himself