The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-11-10

vi
THE years 1867 were in England
pre-eminently remarkable for crimes of
an extraordinary character. The crimi-
nails were no vulgar thieves; they were,
on the contrary, men of brilliant abilities,
who were apparently led astray by am
bition and aesthetic tastes. On Sabbath
morning, Feb. II, 1856, man, wander
ing over Hampstead Heath in search of
strayed donkey, found dead man
lying on the rise of mound on spot
which seemed to have been carefully
selected. Beside it was a silver cream
ever smelling strongly OF prussic acid,
and in one of the deceased's pockets was
piece of paper bearing the words,
"John Sadleir, Gloucester-square, Hyde
Park" Mr.. Sadleir was member of Par
lament for Sligo, ex Lord of the Treasu-
~, and had been chairman or director of
any number of banks and companies; in
fact better-known man did not exist in
the politico-commercial world of En-
gland and Ireland. When the inquest
was held, letter found in his house ex-
planned all. 1t ran: 81 cannot live;
have ruined too many; l could not live
and see their agony" and more to the
same import. 1t was too true, as many
in Ireland at this hour can to their sor-
row attest.
And then there came crime, of which
we have been reminded by the telegram
referring to extensive frauds said to have
been perpetrated on an English railroad
company. About the year 1850 there en-
tered the service of the Great Northern
Railroad one Lionel Redpath, who rose
to the position of Registrar. 1t was his
duty to know who were the shareholders,
what stock they held, and the amount of
dividend due each, and likewise to place
against every name the sum due to
bearer. Redpath's custom was to make
transfers of stock to imaginary indi-
viduals, and to sell out and appropriate
the money. In this way he realized an
nually splendid sum, part of which he
used for speculation and with the rest
INDUCED his really refined and aesthetic
tastes. His house was a model of luxury
and elegance; pictures and objects dart
abounded, and on one occasion when the
Emperor of the French was very eager
to get certain statue at famous sale,
Redpath bid against him and got it.
Altogether it was computed that not less
than S750,000 had thus been stolen by
him, and this case, in connection with
those that had preceded it, created
very grave reflection and animadversion
throughout the country. 1t was heard
before two particularly able and en-
inent Judges, who expressed the opinion
that frauds of this kind seemed greatly
on the increase, and that in this case of
companies they were in some degree
due to the fact that no friendly relations
grew up between employees and en-
ployed, to prevent men committing
depredations from feelings of attach
ment.
The frequency and magnitude of
crimes of this sort may, indeed, well
make people ask themselves whether a
secular education is, after all, of that
value in checking criminality which
many of its advocates contend that it is,
for in this country, as well as in England,
the number of forgeries, defalcations,
and misrepresentation, nowadays, is such
as tomake most men feel very respondent
as to moral progress. Crimes of vio-
lence may show decrease, but do not
crimes of fraud and cunning show cor
responding increase? Are there not IN
this community to-day numbers of fami-
lies of the highest responsibility who
have members guilty of crimes for which
they are, or ought to be, in the State
Prison? Education of the intellect will
not make men good. 1t will not change
the nature of their criminality, and too
often sharpens their wits to a point
which will enable them to evade detec-
ton. There is large and increasing
body of thinkers who are of the opinion
that our common school system educates
the intellect without enough considera-
ton for the education of the heart, and
who contend that thousands of boys and
girls are annually turned out of these in
situations who thus get no moral or re-
ligious instruction, either at home or at
school. We hope they are mistaken. But
the frightful catalogue of all sorts of
breaches of trust which our columns are
daily presenting gives terribly effective
handle to those who hold to such theories.
" T. Times.
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