The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-12-13

have preferred giving up whatever
they mi ght happen to have about
them rather than have their features
smashed by brutal fists, OR permanent
injury inflicted by kicks from heavy
boots? Let any one ask himself OF
herself this question, and, l venture
to say, there will, be but one answer
In whose interest, then, is it that such
disparity should exist between senten-
ces affecting property and sentences
affecting the person? The admins
traitors Of the law seem to look upon
attacks upon property, however small,
with the utmost horror, and deal with
them accordingly. On the other hand
they treat crimes Of the most malig-
nant and savage character against the
person as trivial and venial, to be
dealt with in the most lenient way.
It has long been a puzzle to the few
who take any interest in such matters
that such should be the case, but am
glad to see that the public is becom-
ing interested in the question. And
it is time, for if rufianism is to go on
practically unchecked by exemplary
| puulSuutlltS Gle SGIecGS VI hUuuOu
will soon be unsafe for decent people
to walk in.
It is time, too, that the wives Of
these savages should have some effect
i've protection afforded to them. 1t
may be safely assumed, that for eve
ry case of wife-heating that comes be-
fore the police at least hundred oc-
cur that are never heard of. It may
be thousand. for there is great nat
ural reluctance on the part Of poor
women to appear in such cases. 1t is
not wonderful that it should be so,
for woman is mcrciful and forgiving.
But there is stronger reason, and
that is the fear Of consequences when
the few days of comfortable imprison-
ment are over, and the husband and
father returns. If the punishment
were exemplary and sufficient to de-
ter. this fear would be diminished. |
am afraid that no punishment will be
really effective, in these cases, that
does not infict bodily suffering, Of an
acute kind, npon the perpetrator. The
rufian who is before the magistrate
may be, for all his brutality, the
bread-winner Of the family, and to
lock him up may result in sending
them all into the work-house. Al
though this is difficulty, it is not
greater in the case Of violence to the
person than in cases of attacks upon
property It will not therefore afford
any explanation Of the disparity of
the sentences, to which I am refer
ring, although it is well worthy Of
consideration when any change in the
law is contemplated. There is a
strong feeling in this country, and it
is natural and commendable feeling,
against the use of corporal punish
ment, except in very extreme cases.
But is not such wife-beating as we
see almost daily in the papers an ex-
trerae case? It is bad enough for a
man to assault his own wife, but |
hold it to be even worse to assault an
other mans wife, or daughter, in the
public streets. And then to plead, as
is so often done, that drink was the
cause. One disgusting crime is plead
ed as a set-off against another, and
the plea is allowed. This would be,
to great extent, checked if drunken
ness in the street, or any other public
place, constituted an offense in itself,
without waiting for the too common
homicidal development of it. A night
in police cell, or small fine, might
be a sufficient punishment, but per-
sons who are obviously drunk should
not be permitted to go at large in
public places. Lunatics are not al
lowed to walk about the streets, and
drunken men are temporarily lunatics
and very dangerous lunatics too, as
many poor people have found. If the
streets were periodically swept by tie
police, and all persons found drunk
were conveyed away to the cells, the
effect would be most salutary, and
many loathsome scene would be
avoided and many a brutal and bloody
crime averted. But when drunken
ness is not treated as an offense, but
is daily held, in our courts, to be n
admissible plea in mitigation Of the
punishment due for other crimes, COM
mitted under it's influence, it is no
wonder that it is common. An intel
Egent criminal who has made the lit
erature Of the police courts his study,
must see that if he has made up his
mind to commit crime it may miti-
gate his offense if he can plead that
he was was drunk. He will find no
instance, in all the records he may
search, in which drunkenness has in
creased the punishment. Let every
drunken man or woman, no matter
what their position may be, who
are found walking, or staggering, or
lying in public place, be locked
up, without appeal, until their senses
have returned, and the number of such
people will sensibiy diminish. Those
who commit outrages from the exub-
erance Of their own brutality must be
taught by the experience of bodily |
pain that which they are certainly not
taught at present, and that is to dread
the consequences Of themselves.
| have reserved one case because it !
is recent and very important, owing to
the serious nature of the crime. In
this case the victim was more or less
under the influence Of drink, and the
criminals were sober. A widow, nam
ed Anne Jacques, was in the neighbor
hood of footing on the night of the
7th of August. She was knocked
down, outraged, and maltreated to
such an extent that she died on the
I4th of October from peritonitis, re-
sulting from the injuries she received.
Five men were put upon their trial
for the willful murder Of this woman,
at the Central Criminal Court on
November 23rd. The prisoners were
acquitted on the charge of murder.
TIL - IL - II -oox 4Lo;r 4,;o1 !