The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-02-18
KleptomanIa.

When men and women are provided
with all the luxuries which wealth and
position can bring to them, and are
caught in some petty theft, discrimina-
ton is made In their favor, and instead
of being called thieves they are charita-
bly, spoken of as the victim of disease,
and this disease has been named klepto-
mania. Now, if there are those in the
ranks of the opulent who may be looked
upon as the victims of such a disease
how naturally We may conclude that
there are those among the poor and lowly
who are even more likely to be visited by
an infrmi3v over which weak reason has
no control. Then why not carry this
morahzing little farther? Such dis
ease being recognized why may 1t not
be possible that theft and all crime is the
product of disease? Disease has its diff
terent stages, these stages being ag-
gravated by circumstances A person
predlsposed to pulmonary disorders sui
feTs an aggravation of the disease by
taking cold. A person predisposed TO
rheumatism has a severe attack after
being exposed to thorough drenching.
One subject to the headache suffers
severe attack often by incorporate eat
ing. And so on. Presuming that ali
crime is the result of congential moral
deformitv, we will say that We have all
stages of this deformity. The milder
tpyes are quickened to activity by the
pressure of circumstances, such as great
prOvocation, starvation, seeing the family
who looks to the husband and father for
support, suffering for even the neces-
saries of life, and various such clrcum-
stances which will act in way to quick
en- this deformity of the moral sense,
just as colds and exposures aggrayate
consumption or rheumatism. Taking
this view of crime and of criminals
would it not seem quite as important to
overhaul our warehouses and prisons as
our insane asylums ? Great abuses are
charged to the latter, and more or
less has been done to mitigate the con-
dition of those who are suffering from
unbalanced minds. But, what Is being
done for that no less unfortunate class
who are victims to kleptomania and
COngential mental deformities? Under
the prison contract system there seems
to be but one purpose, and that to ex-
tract from the convict all the labor that
he is capable of giving to the State.
Many break down and die, but what of
that? They are only convicts! Less
favored by birth and circumstances than
their fellows, they have made themselves
obnoxious to society ane they must not
only be sent out from higher associations
which might possibly reform them, but
the physical forces with which they are
endowed must beput toa perpetual strain
for a period of from one to twenty years
in labors which shall make the contracts
of those who keep those powers en-
ployed in the highest degree profitable.
It was once charged upon the slave
holders of Mississippi that they held 81
convention to determine which was the
most profitable, to Tighten the work OF
their slaves and prolong their years of
labor, or to put heavy tasks upon them.
and as rapidly as they died out, supply
their places with fresh young muscle. 1t
would seem as if this plan was practl-
cally pursued lii our warehouses and
prisons. After doing something for
those who have already slipped into the
would under such unfortunate circum-
| SDdlIc6S It's W ilAtAC VI bAiSll IAh1'aitA
thieves, housebreakers and mrderers,
would it not be well to turn attention to
the philanthropy which Loring Moody
is trying to inaugurate, and see how We
can stop up the holes through which
these vermin come into the world? Un-
der the circumstances We beg pardon of
the unfortunate people for Gaming them
vermin, because they suffer already
enough of taunts and cruelties, but the
term is only used to give our question IS
forcible expression. DR.. Foote's Health
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