The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-09-07
But Really the Victims Of Heart
less ScoundreIs
AND RAScALLY ATTORNEYS
Who, for a Few Dollars, Send Inno-
cent Men to Penltentiary Cells.
Cases Brought to Light in IIii-
nois-some Faulty Laws.

interfere. 1t is not necessary for one t.
inqrire very far to learn that law and
justice are not such inseparable partners
us they have been reputed to be. Tho
most glaring discrepancies in the en-
forcement of law are found in bold relief
at the penitentiary. There the Unequal
tiles OF sentence find focus.
The Governor is blamed ii he pardons
many, hut in the interest Of justice he
must make some effort to equalize the
outrageous verdicts which come to his
notice. He can equalize only in one
way, ani that is TO reduce tine sentence
OF those WHO by comparison or in real
ity have been dealt with too severely.
Sometimes, for political reasons, he will
not interfere under any circumstances.
One night the trains from the north
and the south districts met at the peni'
Tertiary station. There was batch OF
prisoners from each direction Huiin each
batch there was one man convicted OF
manslaughter and one for horsc.s;ealing.
The southern county had committed
the mun-klier for one year and the
h0rSc.thicG for seventeen years. The
northern county had sent the hoise-
thief up for three years and the muir
derer for life. There may have been
such a difference OF circumstances in the
two cases OF manslaughter us TO warrant
the variance in the severity OF the SEN
fence, but the difference in the horse
thief eases was great enough to show the
force Of the point suggested. The man
who bad been sent up for seventeen
years had taken IN old horse and tumble
down vehicle, the combined value OF
which was not claimed to exceed $i0
the one who received three years SEN
tcncc had taken u blooded stallion worth
$500 or 81 900.
One OF the granger counties once sent
boy up ior burglary who had lost one
leg, one arm, and the forelinger and
thumb off the remaining hand. When
the Governor pardoned the boy the
local paper Of the county said the poor.
house authorities had trumped up the
charge for the purpose OF getting rid Of
one OF its regular boarders.
A great many boys are sent to prison
without knowing the moral quality Of
crime. They may be merel y mischiev-
Gus or they may be mentally lacking.
II is for such that there should be u re-
fortnary US a primary prison. One Of
the boy convicts at Joliet is serving n
two.yeGr sentence for the larceny OF a
broken and rusty old stove rom an un-
tenanted house. He wanted it to
prepare u barbecue,
There is another instance OF a negro
who is not really n criminal although he
is sentenced for larceny. A man who
owed him some money refused to pay
him and he seized the fellows watch
without the formality OF employing tho
sheriff. He didn't know the law or he
would never have done SO, and had he
not been still further ignorant he would
never have admitted his guilt so that
the law might assume he had acted with
guilty intent and sent him to prison.
Cases are frequent where the mercen-
ary motives OF the States attorney or
prosecuting officer lead TO gross injustice
against petty offenders. In some coun-
ties the States attorney is paid $40 for
every Indictment which hold against n
prisoner. Some years ago FrenchmNn
living in a town in the central part Of
the State was passing drug store in the
front Of which jeweler was located.
There was q chain loaded with watches
hanging in the window, and the French
man who was drunk reached in and took
the entire outfit. As hG walked along
he presented each person he met with Il
watch until the eleven watches he had
taken were gone. The States attorney
secured the commitment OF the poor
devil on eleven indictments for two
years in each case. The Governor dis
covered the facts in the case early enough
TO commute tho sentence from twenty
two years to five.
There is young fellow now at work
in the tailor shop who is not u criminal
per SC. His home is in Canton and his
family is respectable. He may not be
the brightest boy Of his age, but his sin
appears to have been the common one
OF vanity. He drove the fire engine and
took pride in his alertness. OF course
he had fewer chances to exhibit than the
Chicago firemcn. There were some old
unoccupied buildings in the place and
some mischievous fellows told him he
ought to set these on fire and then show
folks how quick he could get around
with his engine and put out the blaze.
He got two young fellows TO do the firing
and he hustled around with the engine.
The trick was discovered and he was ar
TO- n nH.Vnnn1 Nt.
two young fellows who had been his
aCcomplices, thus showing that he was
above the grade OF the "informer." The
residents OF Canton have not lost respect
for the young fellow, il he is in the garb
OF convict, and he will receive a kindly
welcome there when he is released. His
term is four and half years. One year
has been served. A move is about to be
set on foot by some OF the best people OF
Canton to secure a commutation OF sen.
tence or possibly pardon. =,
A puzzling phase of peNitentiary life
and experience is illustrated by an old
man named Mccullough, convicted Of
stealing Il team OF horses from man
named Davenport in Mason county. |,
seems like clear case OF mistaken iden.
tity. Warden MCClaughry is personally
acquainted with the men who procured
the conviction, and says they are hon.
est and reputable, but at the same time
he has always held doubt Us to the old
mans dishonesty. MCCullough's mind
is weak and wandering. but he has been
able TO give HISTORY in such clear way
rs to make il possible for earnest action
to he taken in his behalf. OF course Q
majority OF conviCts protest innocence
but there is an honest earnestness about
this old man that touches one. He
claims that he was In Missouri at the
time the theft was made anG
that he had some receipts and othel
documents which would have readily
proved him innocent, but that enemies
secured them while he was in jail await
ing trial. He claims never to have worr
beard, but the horse thief was described
MS having dark hair and red beard. II,
was arrested on description of hi
stature, on the supposition that he hat
cut off his beard and washed the dye ou
Of his hair. While in Jail the mani
beard grew out. He says that severa
came TO see him and said he was tn
wrong man, but that barber was nut d