Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-11-11

who rarely tran 80.
They have learn skVess = prison luiV'
control The g ~ neru lesson q sen s.,-
seli,denisl sS,es sSo su,y sup nm lime q
dav ~ 4, which hastens the
renn,, deliyerance, the day which
nsIs n them 70 their old
AZ and introduces them TO new schemes
fpluzder. I once asked a prisoner,
Al on offender, whose conduct was ir-
aeptoachable, and TO whom had been
referred by connding Official as specl-
men OF what wholesome prison discipline
could effect In the way OF reformation,
now he occupied his mind during his
leisure hours. He answered promptly
and with refreshing frankness: 81 review
my past life and try to discover what
mistakes / have made, so that
may not repeat them when 20 out.
was first detected, arrested and con-
victed because got drunk; so ] have re-
| solved never sgain TO drink to excess. My
next conviction was because had a con-
federate, and he gave me away. have
had all want OF partnership. / shall be
my own man after this. The third time
] trusted my secret 10 woman. II Is the
last time shall fall into that trap. |
have looked over the whole ground care
fully, and think that by sticking to these
resolutions, and some others which have
made, shall not run much risk OF being
caught and Gagged again"
l.But have you never thought |
asked, shat It might be wiser 10 reform
your life altogether" "Well, no,
can't say that have" he replied 81
have obeyed sll rules since / came into
the prison. What propose to do when
get out is nobody's business but my
own" In cases like this, and thew are
the rule rather than the exception, the
time Communication for good conduct is
only valuable as an aid to discipline
There must therefore be other and
more reliable indications, well tested and
carefully weighed, that the prisoner will
not abuse the privilege of being once
more at large. 1t is, OF course, impossi- |
Die here TO enter into the considerations
which should govern in such cases. II Is |
a most responsible and delicate trust,
and should only be committed to compe- |
tent hands.
1t follows without saying-and this is
not the least important aspect of the new |
departure-that the right should be re-
served to remand the paroled convict to |
prison when there is any reason TO sus-
pect that he cannot be longer trusted with
lis liberty.
Fortunately fer my present purpose,
ms policy is not without precedent.
Ohio, In the year 1885, enacted a statute
'mbodylng in its main features precisely
he principles for which have been CON
ending. 1t is as follows:
"Every person who, after having been
vice convicted, sentenced and impris-
med 10 some penal institution for felony,
whether committed heretofore or here
fter, and whether committed in this
tate or else where within the limits of the
United States Of America, shall be con /
icted, sentenced and imprisoned In the
)mo penitentlary for felony hereafter
committed, shall be deemed and taken to
re an habltuGl criminal, and on the expi-
alton Of the term for which he shall be so
entenced, he shall otbe discharged from ,
Imprisonment Ia the penltentiary but shall :
re detained therein for and during his ,
natural life, unless pardoned by the gov
rnor, and the liability to be so detained ,
hail be and constitute part of every
entence to imprisonment in the peni- ,
entlaryi provided, however, that after :
he expiration Of the term for which he !
vas sentenced ne may, in the discretion =
4 the board OF managers, be allowed to
% upon parole outside of the buildings
nd Enclosures, but to remain while ,
n parole in the legal custody and a
nder the control OF said board. !,
nd subj ct at any time to be taken back
within the enclosure of said Institution;
no power Is hereby conferred upon said
oard to establish rules and regulations =
nder which such habitual criminals who !
retprlsoners may SO go out upon parole,
no iull power to enforce such rules and
equations and to retake and reimprison
ny such convict so going out on parole,
hereby conferred upon said board,
nose written order, certified by =
- secretary, shall be sufficient
'arrant to authorize any police i
nicer to return to actual custody any 4
UGH condiiionally released or paroled q
risoneri and II is hereby made the duty
all chiefs of police and marshals OF
tiles and villages, and the sherlffs of
1unties, and OF all police officers and
,hstaoles, TO execute any such order in II
he manner as ordinary criminal process, d
lu Ior the performance OF such duty, the ?
NICER performing the same shall be paid
said managers, for his services, such \
iasonable compensation as is provided r
law for similar services In other like
Uses ia
Prof Baldwin, Of Yale Law School. in
valuable and instructive papcron chow
Deal with Habitual Drunkards,p read
efore the last annual meeting of the Il
merlcan Social Science association, has Il
Illed attention to the fact that Ed d
ard Livingston in his Code of Crimes b
Id Punishments reported TO the lepisla.
ire OF Louisiana in 1924, provided for an o
creased punishment In all cases ON a a
cond conviction, followed by this
ticle; of any person having been
vice previously convicted OF
lines, no matter Of what nature, shall
ird time be convicted OF any crime
forwards committed, he shall be con.
iered as unfit for society, and be i'm. A
isoned at hard LABOR for life.u In the
port accompanying the Code, Mr.,
vingston, after discussing at consider. Il
Ne length other features of the instru. p
emit, dismisses the provision above =,
Ioted with this simple remark: 0It ~
ems so necessary and reasonable that y
may pass without observations
Prof. Baldwin addsi $50 far as am "
rare Virginia was the first Of our states y
adopt the plan thus proposed. In her u
dei framed shortly before the civil war. -
declared that every nerao, co., te.,,,,I | III