The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-04-11

crime if it is to save themselves: they have
no hesitation in taking an oath in court and
peIJure themselves against their cOmpan-
ions. If by 50 doing there is chance of eS-
cape. Another trait in the character of
these chronic "squealerS. is, they abuse
any little privilege given them to the detri.
ment of their fellow prisoners who know
how to appreciate any kindness that may be
shown to them. and when their Overreach-
ing greed necessitates censnre or punish
ment in order to preserve discipline their in
vulnerable ignorance causes them to howl
with imaginary agony at the OPPRESSION as
they term it. Their depraved minds cause
them to think that they can conduct them
selves behind the bars with the same snivel
ling bravadO and barefaced mpudence they
indulge in on the OutSide-an incident of
rare occurrence and when it does happen it
is only of temporary duration, much to the
welfare and comfort of the community. If
it were possible to learn the previous his
tory of these despicabe traitors it would be
found that their aim il life. if they ever
had any. was to live without work, which
can only be done by rilfering and robbery.
Their past career would show up list of
crimes calling for well mHried punish
ment.
They float around from place to place
seeking for whom they may devour, and
when they are tripped up by the administra
tors of the law, they assume the attitude of
arrant towards and endeavor by their low
cunning to shift the responsibility OF their
misdeeds on the shoulders of others. Those
worthless reprObateS are no good to them
selves or any one else. 1t they wish to be
free from punishment, let them act accord
ingly-use means to eradicate the contempt
ible and grOvelling ideas with which their
minds are stored. throw off the cloak of hy
pocrisy, earn their bread by honest toll.
live lives 0f sobriety and strict integrity;
the.t there will be no chance OF their being
undeservedly punished.
The northwest, | am sorry to say, is a
fruitful field in which this fraternity reap
gangs of these idle and dissOlute characters
loatng around every lumber town. es-
pecially in the spring and fall of the year.
waiting and watching for their prey. The
industrious but unfortunate lumbermen.
who, after having tOiled through the severe
weather of winter or Ion the drive' during
the summer. arrive again into civilization
and fall into the hands of the runlseler and
what he don't get of their hard earnings,
these ''StrOng arm men" take. 1t is mercy
there is stronger arm possessed by the
law to gather into its tenacious embrace
those attaches of immortality and crime and
punish them according to their desserts.
am we'll aware there are a number who
can truthfully say that they were innocent
of the crime for which they are suffering
punishment that through some unfortunate
cause they became implicated in some case
where the circumstantial evidence was dam
aging, or perhaps got mixed up in the com.
pany of the original criminals previous to
their arrest. For these parties l have a
sincere sympathy and would in every in
stance advocate their liberation. 1t would
probably be found on examining such cases
that they were sent here through the utter
inability of the jury before whom they were
tried. to discriminate on the case.
1t is disgrace to society that in every
instance in the rural districts. illterate men
are allowed to sit and dispense justice. In
some cases men have been taken as jury
men who were thoroughly incapable of fill
ing the position. and very often unable to
speak OF understand the English language.
There are quite number within these
walls who can attribute their presence here
to the ignorance and illiteracy of the jury
by whom their fate was decided Such pro-
found ignOramuSeS as those who sit on some
juries are unfit and incompetent to weigh
the evidence in any case, consequently they
give their decision in accordance with the
review of the case by the prosecuting
attorney which is at all times exaggerated
and misleading. FAIR PLAY.
Kind-Hearted.
Uncle Peldah carefully putting a sar-
dine i'm the finger bOwD: "Bein' as they'S