The morning news., 1889-03-02
In AND ABOUT THE CITY.
LARRENcE's PLAN OF Reform
The Bogus Show Agent Learning
Scme Things About Prison Life.

The Bogus Show Agent Learning
Scme Things About Prison Life.
George Larreuce, the alleged Vanderbilt
who is serving a six-months term for repre-
senting imself to be advance agent Of
John Robinson's big show without the abil-
ity TO prove it ON the trial, is getting very
restive and pines for freedom. He sent a
written application to Judge Harden few
days ago, asking for a remission Of part of
his sentence, nd the reply was very disap-
pointing to the show agent. He mad a
postal card dropped through the mails last
ThurSd Y addressed 10 a MORNING NEWS
reporter, reques ing the latter to C al. and
the prisoner was permitted to come out on
the bridge of the second floor and be inter
viewed
The first thing laurence did was to lament
the imprisonment. He alluded to his appli-
cation for a mitigate Of his sentence, 'and
this is what | received, y said the prisoner,
from the clerk Of the court" end he
handed the repOr ter a letter in which the
clerk stated thai any alteration or mitiga-
tion OF the sentence Is no logger within the
power Of the court, but lies only with the
governor Of the state.
well is that all you wanted ~ the pris-
oner was asked.
"No," replied Larrence. 81 want to call
public attention to subject which, if in
quired into, might result in great good.
The MORNING NEWS Of Feb. q published
an article headed jail Birds Big Eaters
In that article it speaks of some of the
abuses Of the law that cause great deal Of
expense, but nothing about what would 20
toward reforming the big eaters There
are two mistakes in the conduct of penal
institutions: a vicious prison discipline and
a sanguinary crimilal code, which combine
to punish instead Of reform. Youthful
criminals are conta minated, and when they
go out from prison they are hardened, AMI
in the end the law hangs them, when it
should have redeemed them at the
outset. The easiest way would have
been to separate tho young from
contact with felons whose coarse jests, vul-
gar levity and profanity in a training
school of crime make the young more dan.
gerous criminals than before their first Of
fense. The law has two functions, as 1t is
now operated. Ole is to make criminals
and the other to punish them. | have suf
fered by the one and am perishing by the
other.n
The prisoner hesitated a moment and
then took up the thread of his complaint.
He said: 81 I'M reminded of a work l once
read, Vice vs. Crime, the burden Of which
went to prove that what is only vicious
among the rich is criminal among the poor.
AZ 10 fSAJ uliA1CuIV " bAliS loiue u
crime to a rich mans door. 'Oh it's
only vice. the dear people
will say, but let the poor man be found do
ing vicious thing Of the same kind it is
crime, convic ion follows, and then the
prison. Now | am myself an example of
the power of money as a factor. If | had
$3.50 to pay my fine could go free to do as
| please-either to become useful member
of society or a rogue. 1t matters not to the
law as long as it gets my money, and if
anyone would ask why is that man re-
leased the court would say Why he paid
the fine and tie law is satisfied 50 you
see that money appears to be the great mo-
tive power which makes men criminals and
which mitigates their punishment. As
Bulwer says God made man. Look what
man has made a god-money.'"