Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-29
BAD FOR CRIMINALS,
Hard Work, Coarse Food and
the Whipping Post
RECOMMENDED BY SOME.
Brazilian Methods of Work Touched
Up by a Traveller.
SPICY TALKSON CURRENTMATTERS

Talking of the proposition to put crimi-
nails to work on the roads County Commis-
sioner Mercer said that be could scarce
make up his mind what be did think OF it,
and rather took the stand of ''Put-yourself-
in-his-place" Continuing he said:
'While society doubtless owed very little
to some of them, yet it is largely response
bic for vice. Intelligence is strength, and
when it exercises itself to live at the expense
of ignorance, it is not astonishing that the
latter, not being logicians, attempt 'specu-
lation' also, and when they are detected,
and you know people in palaces who are
more guilty, and who gave the stumbling
stone and rock of offense to these criminals,
and who are rioting in ill-gotten
wealth, how can you feel revengeful toward
people vino are largely creatures Of circum-
stances have known men lauded for
philanthropy who have been the cause of
more crime, not only by their commercial
dealings, but by their debauchery-pleasure
purchased at the expense of ruin to poor
families. than are all the criminals in the
workhouse."
Mr.. Mercer thinks solution of the ques-
tion considerable distance away. In view
of the environments, he thinks much charity
should be Infused into deliberation on the
subject
FAvoRs THE WHIPPING POST.
Judge Fetterman said that about 400
criminals could be utilized to good ad-
vantage Just now and for a month to come,
between the city and his home, on the old
Washington road. Mr.. Fetterman said:
81 am in favor of the whipping post for
wifebeaters, and the chaingang for most
other criminals. 1t is q fact that in
Delaware q man is rarely whipped twice,
which proves the reformatorY effect of the
lash well laid on in public. Offenders
either repent and sin no more, or emigrate,
and in either event give no more trouble. !"
Mr.. Fetterman allows no room for mawk-
ish sentiment. He says that if man, or
woman either, does not want to work In
public or be whipped in public, neither is
compulsory, and he suggests that in lieu of
magisterisl sentences of SIS fine, or 80 days
to the workhouse, let it be the same fine or
so many days work on the streets or roads.
A rich loafer might pay his fine, fhe didn't
like It. and If sympathetic friends didn't
like to see any of theft number exposed to
public derision they could pay the fine, and
devoted to the purposes of sahitarium to
restore the nerves of toughs who wreck
themselves By course of vice, and recuper-
ate periodically at public expense.
Thomas H. Davis, Esq, suggests gradu-
alton of punishment Ii il be found neces-
sary to punish some one more sinned against
than SHINING, let him for the first offense be
punished by sending him to the workhouse
and treated decentlv, but furnished with
some kind of reInunerative employment.
For all subsequent offenses, either whip him
OF put him in chain gang. There will
always be work needed on the highways,
work that does not conflict with the inter-
ests of
HONEST LABoRIEG PEOPLE,
work that will not deprive cooUers Of en-
ployment and work that will never be
properly done unless BY the utilizstiop of
the labor of criminals. Mr.. Davis would
go further, and by act of Assembly give the
courts power to sentence criminals to work
on the country roads as we'll as on city
streets. Mr.. Davis suggests some diff
culties in the way:
For instance, it would be necessary to
house criminals at night He thinks the
county buildings. the old University build
ing and the one at Old avenue might be used
in the city, but in the country it would be
different, though in hot weather tents would
answer. He suggests that coarse prison
garb should be furnished and all made wear
it, as not only are there many people sent
mp who are inadequately provided with
clothing sufficient to Withstand rigorous
weather, but uniform would serve to COM
pei those doing public duty to remain at
their posts, as it would proclaim their deser-
tion. he also suggests that they should be
made work hard, but be treated humanelV
and well fed with coarse food, and SEN
tenee Of a certain number of days be held
70 be wet and dry, and the prisoner get the
benefit of wet weather unless he could be
found indoor employment
As to female employment, he sug-
gests that they could be en-
ployed at making and repairing the
wardrobes of their male companions and
at laundrying beside other suitable employ
ment might be found for them, If this were
not sufficient. The proportion of female
convicts is much less than that Of male.
Mr.. Davis called attention to the fact that
whipping a man for whipping his wife con-
ficted with the old common law, which,
while holding him responsible for her torts,
gave him the power to restrain her bv allow
ing him to administer reasonable personal
chastisement," if she refused to behave her
self properly. Mr.. Davis suggested that a
man might be punished lightly for the first
Offense, If in the discretion OF the Court
there were mitigating circumstances, and
sent to the whipDing-pOst for the second
ofense.
CARE FOR DRUNKs.
He says that extreme care must be taken
In the management. of drunks. They are
not generally arrested until they are on the
verge of delirium, and frequently the first
ten davs of 30-day sentence must be de-
voted TO careful management or q funeral
follows commitment
Quite a number of people talked to had no
opinions 70 offer, stating that they had not
given the subject any thought, but ali agreed
that society must either devise better pre-
ventive measures or g more salutary system
of punishment, as the evil had grown to
enormous proportions, and if remedies were
not made more eficatlOuE for reform pre-
Tentives must be found. A good many were
found to be of Commissioner Mercer's opin-
ion that crime is largely the natural of
spring of our system called society" and
that more may be effected by the removal of
producing causes, such as monopoly, ETC.,
than by any system Of punishment for pun
ishment OF criminals, though they must be
punished. IF ignorance were converted
into virtue and intelligence unequal laws
would be cured, but, as has been observed
by the most philosophic of historians, re-
forms come from below and not from above,