Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-11-11
THE INCORRIGIBLE.
Prof. Francis wayland Of the Yale Law
School Tells Who He IL and What
Shall DO Done With Him.
A EohoIarIy Paper Read NJ the Annual
Meeting OF tho National Prison Asso.
citation In Session 1t Atlanta, Ga.


Incorriglble read this evening by Prof.
Francis Wayland Of Yale college at the
meeting Of the National Prison associa-
tioni
The existence In the community Of an
element, growing steadily In numbers
and In capacity for mischief, generally
known as the g criminal class" or as
q habltual criminals " or as "-incor-
rigibles,n Is one OF the most
palpablo as it is one Of the most painfrl
features Of modern civilization. rear
after year conyIcts are liberated from
our prisons by expiration Of sentence, OF
whom 1t may be predicted with almc 4,
absolute certainty that they will seize tbe
first opportunity TO commit some evsu,s
of violence or rapine or fraud. 80 SS
not desire OF design to earn ~ h6ras,
living. They return at once a rhs,r nid
haunts and their former ass .,ie.t,ons and
recommends a criminal c sr0sr vith Wis
sharpened by experienc sg,d sdded c "rSo
tlon born Of previous d,ssection and nm.
isnmept' IN many Jases their purpose is
not even masked g promises of reforma-
ton Iney can themselves professionals
Ihey are nien sbers OF guild. They are
robin hoous. or Rob Rows under altered
conditions, They are brothers IN arms
Iney 90 not attempt g. conceal pride In
tnelr past record, and are thoroughly
loyal 10 their chosen profession. They
rCVel in the fierce delight OF danger.
GUS enterprises. They are intoxicated
with the excitement Of their varying for
tunes. 0ne Of them exclaimed when
urged to turn his talents into some use.
full and profitable channel, "I would
rather die With Jimmy Ia my hand than
to be possesDOr Of the finest property In
America" They desire nothing better or
more,congenial than 10 measure resour.
cesI mental and physical, with the police
man or tine detective. Their ingenuity
and trained skill often enable them TO
overcome Every precautlon which honest
invention has devised for their discom-
nt6re, and they study with Jealous perse-
yerance worthy Of much better
cause to keep pace with the
progress OF the mechanical
arts When arrayed against their schemes
OF plllage recent number of the In
ternational Record Of Charities and Cor.
rections supplies US with an excellent
Illustrated anecdote on this point: ga
perry OF bank robbers arrested IN Penn. !
sylyania were advised by their counsel TO |
plead guilty, In the hope of receiving a |
light sentence. But the court instead of |
fulfilling their expectations gave them the |
longest sentence that the law would al. !
low--tweuty years Whereupon one Of |
them turned pale and cried ont, my God ! |
In that time all the sales will get away
with usp"
as In other professions or ayOcatlons, !
there are specialists IN this branch Of In |
dustry-men adopting certain depart. |
ments OF the general calling. Thus a |
noted bank robber OF whom made some
inquiry about the habits OF housebreak. |
ers, replied with the utmost sincerity, al |
cont know much about that from ex-
ptrieuce. have always been In the bank
buslness.n This was as II a physioian
should say, "I do not attend 10 general
practice. give myself wholly to the
treatment oft eyes" or as II a druggist |
should protest that he did not sell allo- |
pathlc but only homeopathic medicines.
In word, as we indicated at the com. |
mencement OF this paper, we have among
us, partly In prison, but In far larger pro.
portion at liberty, class who live by
plunder, and whose pastlme consists in
deeds OF violence.
Moreover, this class Is perfectly well
known, almost to man, by policemen.
prison wardens, prosecuting officers,
criminal lawyers, judges on the bench,
Acknowledgements reporters. Sometimes
they patrol the country In gangs, some-
times in pairs; occasionally they 90 sin.
gle handed. But whether operating SEN
arately or In active coniederacy, they are
united In q common cause, ana recognize
common enemy.
These men are as distinctly hostile 20
law and order, as clearly arrayed against
what society holds dear and seeks to pro.
tect, as pirate on the high seas or A
Commanche on the war path. They are
a perpetual menace to the honest citizen.
WDelher wage-earner or capitalist Their
criminal instincts may appear In the torch
OF the incendlary, the Jimmy OF the bur
gar, the night raid OF tho horse thief.
lhe brutal lust OF the ravlsher, the prac.
sloeu pen OF the forger or the deyllsh
cowardice OF tho railway INSTRUCTOR, But I
lho uinerence Is, after all, only IN method,
lot IN Spite. The outward manifesto
aon always one against which :
hat society which is organ, |
zed to secure protection to life and nron. !
srty, which has surrendered the right az I
me individual TO be his own protector. IN Z
order that the general welfare OF the com. 1
hunlty may be more wisely because more h
leaceably promoted. II Is certainly NOT /
Impairment or Irrelevant TO inouIre !
whether society Is sufficiently guarded or 4
Nnether the innocent, law-abldine citizen
receives fair equivalent for taxes .,well a
ma truly paid' into the treasury Of tbs l
'tate when dangerous and lncorrleible !
'fiminals are let loose upon the comm. 4
N.Y. simply because an arbitrary term Of 4
has ended, the sentence hay. !
ny neen originally awarded with little re-. c
lection and really representing neither :
ne misdeeds OF the culprlt In the case A
asst under consideration nor the record ~ /,
rs previous convictions. \
Indeed 1t cannot be doubted that tbara 4
no more effectual agency for creating y
M fostering q criminal class than A ee, n
los OF short sentences for repeated Viola.
IONS OF law. A few instances win INNS. A.
rate and emphasize the truth OF this n
On september 20, 1869, George ia. q,
ards, alias "Frenchy,n native of Can. n
la, where he had criminal record g,
men mas not been investigated, was con. m
loted Of burglary In the superior court "a
y view Haven county, In the state OF n,