Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-09-29
THE FATAL RED.
Effect of the PredOminnn nnCe of the Col
or I'm Exciting Crime.

oTAh LASAehhs ShAhes
"There is no doubt that the predomi
nance of red colors in architecture, dress
and decorations exerts powerful influ-
ence in exciting crime, particularly muir
der and sexual offences" " said Chicago
physician recently. This pursuit has
become passion to which he brought
naturally strong and discriminating pow
ers of analysis, and mind well furnished
with NIL that recognized authorities on
the pathology and treatment Of disease
could teach. "No one will deny the ex-
citing effect of red upon the inferior ami
mails. At certain seasons it transforms
even the timid deer made a demon OF
fury Any one who has interviewed q
vicious bull in close paddock won't
need much argument to convince him OF
the maddening effect the color exerts on
the bull A child wearing red sasl,
will change gander or turkey-gobbler
into veritable harpy. Butchers used
to be thought unfit to sit Us jurors in
capital cases, because their occupation
was supposed to blunt their sensibilitiet
and make them careless OF life. There
is no doubt that they are more truculent
than those of other callings, but / don't
think the cause of their harder hearts il
the one assigned. If my theory is cor.
rect, the color, which is constantly pre-.
sent before their eyes, both in the blood
and the flesh of their victims, is charge
able with portion, if not all, of theil
unenyiable mental condition. Has il
ever occurred to you why firemen have
grown peace-loving and law-abiding
Take the history Of the volunteer fire
departments of older cities. The pages
of crime are filled with the bloody deeds
of the men who ran with the machine
At fires they forgot duty in the excite
ment of bloody fights with the members
of rival companies. If fires did no
come close enough together to affort
them fighting opportunities with eacl
other, they gratified their ferocity b,
violence against unoffending passers-by
One does not hear of such atrocitiel
nowadays, and generally attributes thu
Improvement to stricter discipline.
more natural explanation, to my mind, il
found in the different attires. Firemel
now wear PLAN blue. Formerly the,
were not thought to be equipped miles
they had stiff leather helmets and re,
shirts. 1t was the shirts that made tn
trouble The fighting color was con
stantly Haunting before their eyes, and (
natural appetite Tor violence and excite
ment would not surrender to law or dis
cipline. Now, as to the frequency of til
recurrence of red in cities. A man witt
half an eye can see that it is the prevail
ingcolor. Nearly half the business house
and fully three-fourths of the dwelling
are built with staring red brsck. Dea'
walls are brilliant with the color depict
ing scenes that would excite if done i
more sombre hues. The pigment is use
in signs of all sorts to catch tho eye an
Just now shop windows fairly blaze wit
it. The women have fashions warran
for adorning themselves with Oolors tina
were not thought to sort with modesty
few years ago. They are investigator
color-blindness with view of removin
that defect, but if my theory is corree
(and who can doubt the proofs adduced
science might better be engaged in pro
noting The disease, and thereby helpin
to repress the crime and its attendan
evils"