New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-16
SOME PHASES OF CRIME.
ADDRESS OF DIsTIuCT-ATroRNEY PHELPS BEFORE
THE YOUNG MEMS HEBREW ASSOCIATION.

ADDRESS OF DIsTRICT-ATroRSEY PHELPS BEFORE
THE YOUNG MEMS HEBREW ASSOCIATION.
At the sixth anniversary entertainment of the
Young Mems Hebrew Association at Chickerng Hal
last evening the chairman, Henry NJ Leipzigr reported
the society to be in prosperous condition with men,
bershp Of COO Judge Gdersl eve, Recorder smyth,-
and Henry Bergh were among those on tho platform.
DlstricAttorney Benjamin X. Phelps delivered lee
ture entitled, Some Phases Of Crime" After dstin-
gushing the different forms Of natural aud artificial
crimes, Mr.. Phelps spoke in substance as follows:
The necessity for restraint upon the action Of ndivd
uns Of cOusc must increase as society becomes more
civilized and compaeed 1t is common error 10 sup
pose that an increased number of arrests convictions
indicates necessarily increase In crime. 1t SIMPLY
shows that criminals are caught, which
is very different thing. To the ordinary citl-
zen engaged 10 honest industry, crime, except IN
its most striking ana lgrant manifestations, presents
itself that which in no wise concerns him. This Is
great error One term of service juror in The Court
OF General Sessions will he Of greater in charging
and correcting ones views Of human nature than almost
any other experience that he is likely TO have the
portunity 10 get.
1t is popular belief that the criminal shows guilt
in his face the saying s and many think that 1t is
possible TO determine by means of mans physOgnomy
whether not he guilty OF tde offences with which he
s charged This belief leads TO curious results in the
tendency has to make people reason backward in the
effort to fnd in the face Of the accused
man evidence OF the crime. The behavior
of the accused Is equally delusive test
OF guilt. Hesitation, embarrassment, incoherence
and standardization are by uneTrng indca
lions crime, JUDGED, they almost sure sgns that
the person manfegng them is not hardened criminal
There moro thoroughly sclpOssessed people than
professional criminals in carrying out their de-
SIGNS Another prevalent notion ia that he who
will commit one crime will commit any crime.
Many good people the dupes OF the least pfetence TO
peuence religion the part Of prisoner. The min
strations of benevoence and of pity to criminals
should be IN the hands only those who are experienced
and judiclous. As 1t is said that no one becomes
suddenly base, it is wise to be q little dis
rustful Of sudden and complete reformation, especially
wien possible escape from punishment is tho cOnse
quence OF It, There can be no real approach TO the
successful treatment Of criminals until we rid ourselves
of the too general notion that they are somehow es
sentiay different in their constitutions from Other
people They have fallen into evil ways, not because
they are not like other men, but from which,
listing in the same degree In others might prooaDy lead
what cure may be suggested for this evil condition. 1t
is difficult to determine. There s however one thing
that we can ana ought to cHre nov IN our OF
tentaDd that is the miugne OF yOuthIu ana lnexper
enced offenders with those hardened III crime While 1t
ia impractIcabe wholly avoid this, much MY BIS done
toward IL. The establishment or the Elmira Re
T Tgbt Direction That Institution receives young
persons who have for the frat time offended against tue
- nossibe of the disease OF CRIME Another thing that
can be and ought 10 be done IL TO keep separate those
and those convicted of crime There should be
house OF detention for those accused OF offences. Which
tho accused should never enter after his
s s the BE prison snOnq eRved but a Convict
and the accused should be together The
for this are obvious Those who most deserve pity
and symratly not the criminals themselves bur the
unfortunate and innocent persons who disgTaccd
and brOken-hearted by their fall-the parents.
the wife, the children OF the criminal tApplausc.l
In one class OF especially the punishment 10
fail entirely upon the innocent. Take the too frequent
Instance Of brute n1lamed by drink VINO abuses and
beats his wife. He s arrested. tTiad and for punish
ment gets thirty days the leland. DufluR his con-
fnement he is we'll housed decently clothed sufficiently
fed and thoroughly sODered: while the poor wife
and children ate left without even the pre-
carious support Of his uncertain labor having moth
ing else I've too often left TO the beGgay or
starvation of the II to that for such
offences this the most sentimental tenderness
ate treatment would he subject the wifc-beater 70
an interview with tie whtppinRpOst, from which he
would depart n wiser il rot better man, Hearty aud
prolonged applause.
There is great Improvement OF late In the admins
tratiou OF our State Prisons in the increased amount o.
iohor exnctcd from the prisoners. Nothing Is moro
likely to restore healthy moral tone to the prisoner
than diligent labor, and nj the same time ~ re-
eyes others Of the support of these criminals
some RefOImatOTy, after the sort OF that at
Emira for tne reception OF young women after their
raf offence have yet to hear OF single case OF q
woman coming from the Penitentiary anything other
than more hardened sinner Than when she entered it,
Mr. Phelps closed with an Illustration OF the advances
that ha1 been made by civilized peoples In dealing with
crime aud ITS gradual decrease among them