The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-01-13

bra ms could be 20 trained as 10 abhor
crime. Nothing is so costly to the state as
jsils and penite niisries. III the state is the
guardian of its children, il should be pre-
pared to take charge OF the little waits of
society, "Ihe fotsam ard jetsam on the
wild sea Of life before the evil DAYS draw
nigh" when they become hardened crimi
| mails
The st. Joseph Gazette well says upon
this subject:
"One Of The main purposes OF punish
ment is reform. But what a blot upon our
lcivilizatioD, sad commentary upon our
so called enlightened methods of dealing
with crime, is thus revealed by the records
of Just one OF thousand criminal courts
Clearly the present methods OF dealing
with crime are a colossal failure so far as
their reform tory influence, are concerned.
Something is wrong and must be corrected.
Here reform begins, and this reform, this
gradual leading of 4 young heart from a
channel OF viciousness to one OF right and
honor, is not to be accomplished by
hardened criminals, nor can il be done in
day, or a week. IL is the work of men and
women who have made it life pursuit. 1t
is a work which belongs to a school estab-
lished purely for the purpose OF reforming
boys and girls, around whose lives bsleful
| influences have been thrown, but who, if
properly treated, can be developed into
honorable and useful members of society.
Christianity and civilization and humanity
demand such an Institution In Missouri to-
dsy."
Experience teaches that there sre fewer
convictions for felony where reform schools
exist, as there are fewer violations of law
The legislature should give serious
thought to The importance of such a school.
All the PR gressive stats of our land have
such schools. Here, too, Missouri must
keep pace with them.
INsANE CRIMINALs.
The attention of the legislature is earn
estly called to the existing condition OF the
law In rel ,tiOn to the treatment of persons
acquitted of criminal offences on the
ground of insanity. Such persons are at
present turned loose upon society, where
the same cause NAV produce the same un-
fortunate results. Ii is recommended that
law be enacted to the effect that when.
ever there is an scquittsl on the ground of
insanity, verdict TO such effect shall be re-
turned by the jury, and tbereupon the &C
C, d sh I'll be demanded by the court to
some public asylum for the insane, there
to be retained In custody until pronounced
cured by competent medical authority.
Ii is Submitted that under such law
the interests beth of society and of the in
dividC al will be better subseryed than is
now the Sc. Ii too often happens, as the
records of our courts will show, that with
the alternative of a verdict OF murder in
the firsl degree or of one of acqui,tal, q
jury is apt, according 10 the prejudices pre-
valent in acommunity, to be readily swsyed
either by sympathy with the accused
and doubt as 10 his true mental condition
or by too stern a disposition to avenge the
outraged law. In the one case a guilty
person goes wholly UNPUBLISHED because the
jury deems cspiial punishment too severe
penalty. In the other, it may and does
happen that one who is merely the victim
OF disesse, and In no sense criminal, is con-
demned to an ignominious death.
From the experience of other countries
where such law as the one proposed is in
force, it is confidently TO be expected that
the plea of insanity will be mu, more
rarely invoked, VII n, If successful, it may
consign the accused to life long punish
ment, snd juries will be less likely TO In
flict unmerited punishment, when they are
satisfied that the public may be projected
10y milder measures.
There is no branch of the criminal law
in a more unsatisfactory state than that
relating to the plea OF insanity. Cases of
homicide are cons, antly before our cosrts
in the the trial of which the sciences of law
and medicine appear in irrepressible con-
iict. The lawyers charge the doctors with |
"a sentimental indulgence for crime" and |
these retaliate with a charge of "inhumsn-
ity towards the defects OF human nature"
Juries, in consequence, confused with q |
discord where all should be harmony rem
der verdicts which are irreconcilable with |
the true principles of either science. The |
proposed legislation, it may Be hoped, |
would do much towards curing this evil |
The dispute between lawyers and doctors |
would cease TO be OF practical importance |
The penalty of death would be inflicted only |
In clear Cases. Society would be amply pro. |
tected by incsrcerating the insare GRIMM al |
for life or until a permanent cure was ef |
fected
In the light of several tragedies during |
recent years in tie penitsntiary, il is clear |
hat this is not the place for insane crimi- |
nails, while these sad events would seem |
equally to prove that its walls not infre- |
quenily coDtsin those who are not other |
wise guilty Of crime than through the ire
sis.able dictates If a diseased brain. L
urge upon this legislature the importance
Of building criminal insane asylum with |
10 the walls of the peniteniiary for the
dOhb purpose 4 prote cting the SAFE from |
the deadly attacks of the insane criminal, |
and sffording some lutte ligent means OF |
restoration TO r:ss)n of those so unfor,un-
ate as to lose their re 'sou while in prison.
DOWNING LAW.
/ suggs ST that this law should .it5tr be
repealed or SO amend as to make it appli
cable in Its provisions to every part of the
state alike. This law has been. ip part
made imperative in the city of st. Louis
by the presumed existence and operation of
the sct of 1857. / am not inclined to that
view but "a IL was so declared nv q oon..