The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-13
A Child OF tho Devil,

Tho dunser of adopting babies ut hap
hazard, ON the strength OF their looks only,
ard without any knowledge OF their inner.
tied character. is illustrated very strikingly
and painfully In The case Of tho lad FRANK
Smith, who was sentenced to the Elmra
Reiormntory last Thursday for theft.
When FRANK was little child In public
institution the beauty Of his appearance at
tracted tho interest of a well.to-do and
chlldless gentleman. who took him from the
asylum to educate him rs his adopted son.
The boy received every advantage Of care
and education which money and alrec-
tion could bestow. and his future was
made secure by the declared intention
Of his adopted father to provide for
him handsomely by will. He was like .
character in novel or play. to whom for
tune had come by a rare chance; an extra
ordinarily lucky boy. In the romance he
would have turned out noble fellow. the
pride. glory and support OF his grateful
benefactor. As matter OF fact, he has
brought I'D In prison before he hos reached
manhood.
From his early boyhood FRANK showed
depraved tastes. due mnnlfestly to q de-
PRAYED inheritance. He was slow to learn at
school. but adept In viciousness. He took
the downward road naturally. and no
amount Of anectionate effort could get him
into tho upward path. He was born bad.
his physical weakness typliying his morbid
moral nature. He was turned out OF
one school after another as boy insensible
to moral influences and dangerous to
his fellow pupils. He was ungovsrn.
able in his tastes and appetites either
by himself or anybody else. Neither
kindness nor severity had any effect upon
him. He seemed bound to 60 to the devil, no
matter how great the obstacles put In his
way He was apparently equipped by nature
for no other raoe. He took to drink and to
vice Of all kinds with the precocity ola deter
mined reprobate, so that finally his long.suf-
ferlng benefactor was forced to give w the
attempt to restrain him from his predestined
course; and FRANK Ia now In the Ellnira Re-
formatory. probably an incursble specimen
Of innate depravlty.
It Is o remarkable case as showing the
certainty with which the laws OF heredity
work. or. at least. the logical development
OF character according to conditions fixed
at birth. Such innate moral deforlnity is no
moro easily durable than pronounced con-
genital physical deformity Instead OF be-
coming more pliable as maturity Is reached.
character becomes moro and more fixed. II
II begins in rottcnness. It ends In loathsome
corruption. II It Is thoroughly diseased In
bOyEood, tho disease is obstinate In man.
hood. A moro change Of environment will
not effect the transformation, though 1t may
give better chance u o character In which
sane equilibrium Is disturbed by unfsvor.
able conditions OF life.
WheI man buys horse for carofu! fam
lily USE he takes pains TO lind out som thlnx
about the disposition Of the animal, and il
he pays high price for 1t, no wants to
know about It's pedigree. He does not 20 to
refuge for neglected and abandoned
horses as to whose antecedents nothing Is
obtainable. ana select young colt simply
because OF Its pretty ways. Yet here man
Of business discernment ventured to adopt
a baby out OF an asylum, In which arc pre-
Sumably children OF dcpraved or unfor-
tunate parents. aud to rear him as his own
son and heir. The result is not surprising.