Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-05-04
POPULAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR sENTI-
MENTAL. MURDER.


By sentimental murder we mean the
kind of crime which has for its motive
some idea of indicating honor or aveng-
ing insult offered to the murderer or his
clearly distinguishable from the murders
which are committed by habitual crimi-
nails, under the impulse of intoxication,
in the course of violent quarrels, etc. The
latter are liable to occur in any stage of
civilization yet reached by men. but the
sentimental murder is an index to partic-
ular condition of social development, and
it is necessary to point out that it implies
the existence of a more or less barbarous
public opinion in the communities where it
occurs. When, for example, Charles De
Young attempted to kill the elder Kalloch,
even those who reprehended the manner of
the deed in many cases held that the prov
ocation he had received justified homicide.
When the younger Kalloch killed Charles
De Young, quite general if vague senti-
ment made itself recognized, that however
heinous his offense might be, there was
that in the provocation he had Tor was
supposed to havel received, which might
warrant a resort even to the weap-
ons of the assassin. Now if Charles
De Young, without any previous
quarrel with DR.. Kalloch, had
in a drunken fit shot him, there would
assuredly have been no hesitation about
the popular verdict. And if young Kalloch
had waylaid Charles De Young, and killed
him in order to get possession of his pocket
book, the condemnation of the community
would have been equally prompt and de-
cisive. But when sentiment enters into
the case it is plain to be seen that the pub
lie judgment is warped by want of posi-
tive conviction as to how far men may go
in the process of GO vindication" 1t Is
probable, if not absolutely certain, that
we have in this confusion of thought the
effects of two distinct influences, namely
the ." old code of honor" and the more
modern proneness to use extreme measures
in self protection, engendered by the laxity
of government in frontier settlements. 1t
is, however, of less Importance to ascertain
the genesis of this tone of public senti-
ment than to show its effects upon social
progress and civilization. One journal
stated not long since that if Charles De
Young had not sought Kalloch's life when
he did, he could not have continued to live
in California. Now if this statement
were true, it would be very serious
impeachment of California civilization, and
to the extent that it is true it constitutes
such an impeachment. For it is very GER
tain that a sentiment of that kind can
only obtain in comparatively barbarous
condition of society. Resort to homicide
for any other motive than representation
is both barbarous and irrational. No
SANDER was ever refuted by killing the
slanderer. No lie was ever exposed by
killing the liar. No mans reputation was
ever indicated by washing it in blood.
The idea that anyone can prove his worth
by taking upon himself the ineffaceable in
fanny of murder is so utterly preposterous
that it can only be entertained by such as
are incapable of reasoning at all. And
when community accepts these barbarous
views of responsibilities and obligations,
and gravely talks of such vindication
as the pistol and knife effects, as being suf-
ficient and conclusive, it is evident that it
is in low stage of development, whatever
pretensions it may advance to the con-
trary