The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-27
THE CULTURE OF MURDER.
Hove Impulsivc Organisms Are Prepared
20 DO DARK Deeds.

20 DO DARK Deeds
No fact is moro patent 90 science
p,an the direct effect OF influences
exerted through the medium OF the
sonscs upon the brain-that particular
p1rt Of the organism whose function
Ing we call mind Darwin, RuskiD
aud all the great students of develop
mont have labor.d 10 bring this fact
within the cognizance of the general
thinking public That they have
failed is only too painfully evidenced
by dhc persistence and surprising IN
penuity Of The practice Of c0ltlvating
homicidal propenslties. and collater
ally murder, By refined use OF the
ait of mural decoration.
While We empower the police TO put
down with q strong hand the cxbibi-
ton in shop windows, and The censor
of stage plays and spcctaclcs to inter
Diet the parade in theatres of pictures
and scenes of an immoral character.
because it is recognized that these have
a tendency 10 corrupt the mind OF
vouth-and arc too-nothing what
over is done to restrain the daily in
croasing evil of pictorial placards dis.
playcd ON every boarding, and o;
highly wrought scenes produced Of
ucarlvall the theatres. which not only
direct the thoughts. bat actively stir
the passions Of the people i'm such way
ss TO familiaIIzc tho average MIND
with murder in al It's FIRMS and 20
btcak down that protective sense OF
horror which nature has given us,
with the express purpose. doubtless, OF
oDposing on obstacle % the evil milu-
caco of the cxompliiication OF homi-
eide. II cannot be disguised that even
tho most sensitive nature Is - come
extent brutalized by the display OF
these pictures.
We are mono 81 us as shocked OF the
succtaclc of knife driven INTO the
chest Of a young woman, and do not
rocoil as violently from the idea OF
This form Of murder ~ before the dis
play on all sides of an elaborate,
nearly life size picture of the deed.
nor do two men graphing together
ond stabbing each other, or one man
shooting another with revolver,
strike MS az presenting spectacles OF
slch hideous cnormity as they would
have done had we not been familiar
led with these scenes by impressive
placards staring Us in the face at every
turn. II does seem strange passing
sfranpe-that this murder culture BY
the cducationary use of the plctona
art has not been checked by public
olthority.
NC ave no wish 20 make wiz
oifrmations. but knowing what we do
qs observers of development, we car
have no hesitation in saying that TN
Increasing frequencyOf horribly bruta
o.fra0cs is bv no means unaccOunta
bic The viciously inclined are, IN
sonse. ?lways weak mindcd-that IS Il
sly. they arc especially susceptible O
Influences moving them IN the direc
ton their passions incline lhem u
lkc. and when TIE mind (or BRAN
/, impressed through the senses, an,
pariiculGrly the sense OF SIGHT, ia sue
inqnncr as 10 produce mental pictures
either in waking thought or dreams
Of homicide. the impulslve organism
T., ass it were. prepared for The PEI
f,inance of the deeds which form ia
subjects Of the consciousness Ncarl
Of course. writing technically, but TN
fact. are indisputable, and we trus
thcy viii be sufficiently PLAIN. IL
high time that this ingenious ana pei
si,tcnt murder culture should cease
4uoct