Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-02-13

CoITectfoh of Fines and Costs in Grim
1naI Cases, Where Prisoners are SEM
tenced 40 she County JzIl 20 .stand
Committed" Until Paid, an Unmean-
ing Farce.
The following remarks of the editor of
the GAINESVILLE Courier viii apply to every
county of the State as well as to Muskin-
gum county, and we have no doubt will
meet the appreciation of the readers of the
HERALD:
The friends OfPrison Reform, with that
fearless champion ofsthe criminal classes,
and 1arge-hearted philanthropist, Rev.
DIR. Byers, at their head, have Yainly
sought to induce the General Assemblies
of Ohio, for the past ten years, to found
one or more intermediate Prisons within
the borders of the Commonwealth to the
end that the young and ignorant may be
separated from the low and vicious law
breakers. DIR. Byers, by his masterly
presentation of the subject, has demon
strated a thousand times that millions of
money will be saved to the people by the
opening of four of these reformatory in
stitutiOns. His principal argument in fa-
vor of the scheme is, that the boys and
young men who have taken their first
lesson in crime, and are condemned to
\ punishment in the jails and penitentiaries
| may be taught habits of industry, and re-
quire trade within the walls of such an
| institution. More than this, they will
contribute to their own support, and ae-
lieVe the State of great burden For
| several years past, the Courier has been
endeaYoring to induce the Commissioners
of Muskingum to open county Work
House, where every man or boy sent to
| the prison of the county should be given
employment. One day last week, an
openly avowed law-breaker, who by his
indecent and wicked course of life has
contributed to corrupting the youth OF
the community in which he resided. was
committed to the jail of the county, on q
sentence of thirty days imprisonment
pay a fine of $50 and to E'stand committed
until the fine is paid.' James B. Rogers
insolently and defiantly exclaims: So
will serve the thirty days, but would
like to see the county collect that $780,
Is that part of the sentence imposed by {
Judge of the Common Pleas Court, where
| in the accused is required to pay a certain
sum of money. an unmeaning farce
Go examine the books of the County Au
ditor and tell US how much money ha
been collected from fines imposed in th
Common Please and Justices courts o
this county. What does it mean to sen
tence a grave robber to pay a fine o
81 900, and to stand committed until it i
paid? The answer will be found a hun
dred times over in the action of the Boart
of Commissioners, and the County Audi
tor in turning loose notorious criminal
to prey Opon Community. In thus exer
T cising their prerogatives, they best sub
serve the Interests of the tax payers, bu
the fact remains that under our presen
system, to impose fine, large or small
partakes severely of the farcical. Their
are no means at hand to enforce payment
If the powers that be will but open
County Work House, the pronouncing G
; penalties will mean something. Nor
: wholesome local restraint of crime woul
have the effect to relieve the penitentiar
I | at Columbus. Gentlemen of the Board c
:. Commissioners, the people of the count
3 are beginning to discuss this matter, an
0 look to you for some action in the prem
a ses