The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-12
CRIMINALS In THE SOUTH.

The question OF methods of punish.
ment for crime, or rather tbs cues
ton OF the disposition to be made OF
criminals while undergoing punish
ment, where they are 10 be bestowed
and bow guarded, ia fast becoming q
most serious one in some of the
Southern States. Itappears to many
thoughtful observers that the sheer
impossibility OF finding room, or
secure prison Accommodations. for the
swarms and herds of criminals con-
victed of theft must lead to changes
in the laws relating to crimes OF this
class, and to some relaxation of the
penalties now provided. This is the
characteristic crime of the negroes;
that is, the theits committed by them
greatly outnumber those committed
By white men, and the expense to
which the State is subjected has al
ready reached alarming proportions.
But the expense incurred is not the
worst feature in the case. These
prisoners. or criminals, white and
colored together, are so numerous
that they constitute q distinct social
element or factor in the life and civil
ization OF the community or state.
with an apprecisble influence upon
public opinion, sentiment, and NOR.
ais. Their class must be recognized,
in any just su-vey.of existing condi-
tons and tendencies. as the source of
potent formative or educating forces,
as 80 many people are constantly in
contact with them, either as guards
or in other necessary relations. In
the streets OF some Southern capitals
'tbe penitentiary stripes" are nearly
always in sight, worn usually by men
who are truetsd to labor or attend to
errands outside the prison Enclosures,
often. indeed. without being accom-.
panied by gard. In one instance
! me! handsome young man, wear.
ing the prison garb, ct various times |
in the streets and at PLACES of busi-
ness in the city, and inquired regard.
ing his crime and origin. was told
that be had murdered his moet init
mate friend and companion in q
drunken quarrel, and that his con-
duct had been 80 satisfactory during
MS imprisonment that be would
probably soon be released; 'pardoned
1ut." to quote the phrase used. I
that be chatted with the
young ladies behind the counters in
he stores; aud other customers, with
,ase and selt-possession; and II was
plain in this. as in many other cases,
hat neither the criminal nor the
people about him felt that he was In
my wise degraded by his crime, or
hat he was in'.consequenes of it to
uf1er exclusion from pleasant social
Citations with the community. The
,eaalities now for some of the most
COMMON crimes do not constitute any
cal punishment for such men as
make up the mass of criminals in the
outhern States, where / have exam
ned the prisons and the methods of !
heir management. As many of them
re not confined to the prieon, nor
YER to the enclosure around it, and
g the labor Of such convicts is by no
lesns severe, being usually per-
ormed in very leisurely'msnner,
1eir life is not destitute OF compensa-
ons and attractions for many idle,
negroes and young white
ler. They are brought up from
ull little country towns, where they
ad "mighty hard work to live," to
lie city, where they have "a chance to ;
'e all the sights" with better food,
othing, and shelter than they ever
1joyed before. What is to be the
,uiss OF society, under the conditions
modern life, in its treatment OF
Ie classes requiring control and pro-
tion,-orininals, paupers, and To- IL
ne persons, -and what is to be the
feet of the reflex influence which :
ese classes will in turn exert upon
ciety, are of course somewhat
rious problems in all civilized
and ne have abuudan. .
aterial and opportunity for o5ervA- |
IN and experiment here IN Amer a
q February Atlantic. o