The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1874-03-05
The Influence of Whisky Drinking
on Crime.

To the Editor Of the Ohio State Journal:
In your issue of yesterday morning, l
find communication from Hon. Guido
Marx, of the State Senate of Ohio, ad-
dressed to me, showing, as seems to be
imagined, great discrepancy between a
statement made by me, in the City Hall
few evenings since, and those contained
in my annual reports, as to the number
of convicts in the Penitentiary, who were
brought there as the result of intemper-
ance. And in the editorial column of
the same paper find also you, Mr.. Edi-
tor, speaking of my 'incautious state
ment," and adding, 1--WE shall be glad to
see Col Burr explain his City Hall deduc-
ton SO as to reconcile it with the facts of
his report as Warden" etc. The remarks
1 made in the City Hall were called out
at the moment, and do not know that
l can repeat the precise words | then
used. The substance, however, of what
l said upon the point was, that of the
945 who were that night confined in the
Penitentiary, not less than 600 were there
because of intemperance, or through the
influence of Intoxicating liquors; and
that the saloons and liquor-shops are
places where young men and boys are
being educated, fitted and trained for the
Penitentiary.
This Mr.. Editor, was no "uncautious
statement" but one made in deliberate,
sober earnest; and as the result of forty
years of observation, and nearly five years
experience as Warden of the Penitentiary.
Nor is it by any means an "exaggeration"
of the facts in the case.
The discrepancies which the Hon. Sen
ater finds between my statement and my
official reports, are deduced from the table
RI ha Of
ed during the year." and are based upon
the assumption that though crimes
against person may be sometimes the re-
suit of intoxication, yet it is not to be
supposed that this is the case as regards
crimes against property but that on the
contrary, the very idea that such could
be the case. is precluded And, inasmuch
as crimes against property largely exceed
in number those against person, and by
a still further series of presumptions and
deductions, the honorable Senator comes
to the grave conclusion that in but COM
paratively few instances has liquor any
thing to do with the commission of
crime
If this were true, it would certainly
present the question in very different
light. But what are the facts? A
drunken 'bummer" who the liquor-seller
hnOHo 10 Oub vi ulOu0y5 anu 1u6TelOTS CdIl
get no more drinks, gets terribly "dry."
breaks through back window, and
steals jug of whisky; goes into the
nearest stable or shed; gets drunk, and
lies down; is found there the next morn
ing asleep; is arrested, convicted of bur-
glary, and sent to the Penitentiary. 1t
was crime against property. Had
liquor nothing to do with it? Again, a
fellow in a similar condition cannot find
whisky shop that he can get into, and
get the thing that he wants; but he does
get into some other establishment, and
takes the change from the money drawer,
or some article of property that he can
pawn for a little money and thus pro-
cure the means of gratifying his appetite;
and similar results follow. Or one of
your iovial fellows, that takes his "sprees,
but has not as yet got quite so low down
as the others, meets an old comrade,
that he has not seen for long time, and
must needs show him around" He goes
to a livery stable, hires a horse and
buggy, to take ride; starts out, gets on
a tear" overstays his time, is pursued,
found the next day at some crossroads,
or country village, drunk, and it may be
offering to Sell the horse and buggy; is
arrested, convicted of horsestealing and
sent to the Penitentiary. Another is on
"spree," has spent all of his money.
must have more, forges the name of his
employer to an order for ten dollars, in
order to raise means to continue his
revel; is arrested and sent to the Peni-
tentiary. These are all crimes against
property. Had liquor nothing to do
with them?
These, Mr.. Editor, are not imaginary
cases, but each is substantially the history
of men now in the Penitentiary. And l
am safe in saying that similar cases may
be numbered at least by the score.
An examination of our records, as to
the personal habits of those who come to
the Penitentiary shows the following as
the result: Out of 1885 men (women not
included) who have been received into
the prison since it has been under my
charge 946 were Incorporate, lis mod
crate drinkers, and so beer drinkers,
leaving 3Sl who claimed to be temperate.
And here permit me to say, that the idea
that criminals as q class are inclined to
excuse themselves for offenses by throw
ing the blame on whisky" is decidedly
novel one. Just the opposite is the truth
of the matter. Human nature is the same
in a man after he has been convicted of
crimes, that it was before And about
the last thing that man is willing to
admit ever, is the fact that he is drunk
ard. This disposition is sometimes
illustrated: In examining
man as to his previous history and habits,
when asked whether he was intemperate,
he answers very promptly, "Oh no."
did You never drink p "Oh yes, I
drank sometimes, but was not intemper-
ate at all. By and by the question
comes: what led you into the commits
sion of the crime for which you are sent
here 2" "WelP' he stammers and hesi-
tates a while-fnally out comes the an
swer, 81 was drunk" The records of |
this and every other prison in the land,
show conclusively that large majority |
Of the inmates are those who have grown |
up without any proper early moral train
ing. They were educated in saloons and
lram-shops; followed the example of the
trequenters of such places; it was there
they contracted such habits that made
hem thieves, burglars, robbers and pick
pockets. The fact that they are such, is
he legitimate fruit of the training they
'eceived in these schools of vice.
If you, Mr. Editor, have occasion to
eek an interview with any gentleman of
character, standing and repute, in your
community, do you think of going to
aloon to look for him ? Is that the
'lace where you expect to find any pure,