Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-07-26
A JUDGES EXPERIENCE.
HE THINKS LAZlNESS IS THE CHIEF
CAUSE OF CRIME.

The Results of Judge Dufy's Observe
tious as q Judge in Police Courts-Re-
formation of Criminals-Evils of Tene-
ment Houses-Idlers.
From my experience as Judge in police
courts. | should say that laziness Is the
chief cause of crime. The young man
who is inherently lazy will steal rather
than work According to the Scriptures
o man should earn his bread by the sweat
of his brow but in our large cities there
are thousands Of men who will do neither
mental nor manual work, and who prefer
to get their living by preying upon the
community in some form or other Young
criminals are born bad You cannot
expect that the sons or the daughters of
q thief or a burglar will be naturally
good Their whole surroundings are bad;
nearly every influence that is exerted
upon them from childhood up tends to
make them as bad as their progenitors.
Even girls and boys inclined to be good
may by contagion, become bad
REFORMATION OF CRIMINALS
We have many institutions in this city
for the reformation of criminals of both
sexes. but think that very few Of the
vicious are reformed in such places. My
experience with law breakers justifes the
truth of the saying Once a thief
always thief" once let a boy get con-
taminated with the poison of crime and
he will live and die an outlaw of society
In the court room | can tell at a glance
children who have been brought up in re-
formatories-their manner is deceitful
and they have hang dog. crouching ex-
preston of countenance.
In my official career l have met great
many criminals, and must confess that
among them | have never known Of a
genuine case Of reform. Quite long time
may sometimes elapse between their terms
In the penitentiary or states prison. but
they are sure to return for some new
offense sooner or later. more hardened
than ever Once in great while man
who has gone wrong will attempt to re-
form, but that Is exceptional Burglars
will die burglars; pickpockets cannot be
reformed. and confidence men would
rather get half dollar by practicing their
beguiling methods than earn S. honestly
In the same length of time. 1t is indeed
true that to them stolen fruit Is always
the sweetest.
Crime. however. is no more prevalent
In New York than 1t is in any country
village in proportion to the population
have visited every large city in tho
United States and most Of the large cities
OF Europe | have made inquiries in re-
gard TO crime and have come to the con-
clusion that New York, notwithstanding
that It Is a rendezvous for criminals from
all parts Of the world, Is comparatively as
free from crime as any city in the uni
verse
CHEAP LODGING HOUSES
What is called the tenement house sys-
tenn causes an immense amount of crime
In tenement houses people are obliged to
herd together In such way that the
rising generation cannot help witnessing
the meretricious relations that exist be-
tween the sexes In these dwellings, Free
reading rooms. lectures. etc., diminish
crime to certain extent. but the ten cent
lodging houses more than counterbalance
the good done by all the former Such
lodging houses have caused more destitu-
tion. more beggary and crime than any
other agency l know Of Mechanics and
laborers were better of years ago when
they had to pay from $3.50 to SIS a week
tor their board In regular boarding houses.
Mechanics nowadays seem to have got
INTO Bohemian habits they are like the
gypsies. they are shiftless and love to
wander from place to place. content if
hey can supply the absolute needs Of the
passing moment. think that the cheap
odging houses ought to be abolished by |
he board Of health
| believe. however. that promiscuous |
Inns giving is wrong The public would |
70 showing more charity and humanity |
" giving nothing to street beggars, be-
:ause If tramp can make dollar or two
! day by begging he will not work. /
would like to see stringent law passed
making 1t obligatory upon every able
'odied man, rich or poor, to perform some
ind Of work Every man in the commu-
lity should be compelled to produce some
hing In my opinion the saddest sight
o be seen in q largo city like this is the
lumber Of idlers. young and middle aged
nen. looking out Of windows on such
as Broadway and Madison
men, signing for some new
Measure; men who never did stroke Of
cal work and who never had dozen
riginai thoughts in their lives. It would
" good thing II such men. even If they
re the sons Of rich parents. were com.
elled to work.-P G. Duffy in The