Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1884-11-29
TIE COST OF A CRIMINAL.
4 NEW AND PECULIAR VIEW OF THE
PEST OF -Ot IkTY.
Wha single Thief lrHici. Upon Soeiety-
AuAppniiiu& Waste.
from ,hyk \ vi TX Hou-.l

ci y = sometimes app iIinB. W rToan
at he iniluity Of politicians, and rejoice
VII. me of them who has stolen a few
Thousand dollars is driven to jail or ont
f 'he country; but such fellow is, as a
rue, less dangerous tIan some common
criminal who is sentenced for a term of
year, for small burglary or for steal
ing a horse. Fer the criminal classes
waste far more than they consume; it is
beyond doubt that thief-and most
criminals live by theta thief, who
does nothing whatever for society but
prey upon it, always takes far more
than he would need were rs operations
honest. Money is worth it's face value,
10 flatter in what hands it happens to
he; but the pickpocket whose specially
Is watch s, knows that to earn twenty
dollars by his delicate handiwork he
must steal at least hundred dollars
worth Of timepioces The Junk" thief
viii tear out of q house, in course of
erection, all the lead pipe of the plumb
ing ys'em, which in material and labor
ha> cost several hundred dollars, and sen
it by the pound as old lead, being we'll
satisfied if he can get ten dollars for his
nights work. The financial results Of
some great burglaries of dry goods and
jewelers. shops, silk houses and private
residences have been shown, at the trial
OF the thieves, to be only tenth, one
twentieth, and even smaller fractions OF
the value Of the goods taken. Even in
great bond robbery cases the thieves
have obtained but very Small proper
ton of the actual value of the securities
stolen. Theft, like many other indus
/ tries, is not complete liz itself; the booty
must be sold, =.frequently it must go
through several hands, to each Of which
sticks part Of the price, and no one Of
,her, is the hand of a person who is
earning an honest living.
This would be bad enough, even were
every thief persistent i'll trying to keep
down expenses in his personal and do
nestic management Unfortunately,
however. among the virtues which some
criminals profess and practice, economy
| WI be sought in vain. No reckless heir
rof million was ever more free handed
Nthan the thief is while his money lasts.
| He wears fine clothes of faultless cut, he
i smokes the best cigars; 'and in the dingy
back-rooms of grogshops, in the streets
most frequented by thieves, there is
more champagne opened than in some
famous places on Broadway. Burglars
always drive good horses, and then
feminine companions are arrayed like
Solomon in all his glory. Such luxuries
cos. great deal of money. So the
thief who does not want to change his
habits is obliged to be industrious il
business, and lose no good chance
through carclessness. If he spends five
thousand dollars per year, he must stea
fifty thousand, in which case he costs
society as much as q hundred homes
day -laborers, and gives society nothing
in return but an unden:able sense OF ap
prehension.
Like breeds like and criminals
families may always be depended upol
to live by crime Perhaps not al
thieves and bad characters in genera
can repeat the appalling record of til
Dukes family, which gave the countr
several hundred criminals; but they d
their utmost, in that direction, multiply
rg rapidly and neglecting to train thei
offspring to live properly.
It will thus be seen to reform even
single criminal i to spare society a scr
Gus and steady iIh ction. A commo
thief, who lives by his craft, steals MOI
il his lifetime than any great rogue
who IS not taLk president, ever get
by single haul Il is hard for
seL;ImeutalIst, OK even missionary,
regard such a fellow with .enderLes
and bro,herly love, but any one can a
ford TO wish the rasc.l's business rneti
OILS were different. Topersuade and 3
STAT discharged criminals 10 lead hone
and self supporting lives Is o.1e oi Il
tasks 10 which tie National Prison \
soclstion has addressed Itself II
work should con r1eu :.se.t 20 any Elats
common sense AID I.rcA't.
THR RgAsos-General B-auregard
Lis artic... on the Battle Of Bull Ran.
ne November Century. gives the r
sons Why the Confederate victory
En-. Run was not followed up by al a
tack on Washington He also discuss
III personal reatlons with Mr.. DAvl
AID criticises, with much pla.nLess
10. ch, the subsequent condEct pf 4
sar on the Confederate side
GENTS : only entitled 70 resp
swim j. nr ne.es the p-Ac- AM II
.u-o.. IL 1rp,ness of nA1Ead.