The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-05-16
KETCHUM COUNTY IDAHO SATURDAY MAY is. 1891
Soclety's Inhumani1y.

soclety's Inhumant1y.
Occasionally in real life, we meet
with incidents of human experience
80 pitiful, exhibiting pathos SO NOV
ing, despair 80 black that not the
vivid pen pictures of Dickens, a
Reade or Hugo are equal to them
incidents, too, that reveal how cruel
and heartless we are in our collected
capacity as society" how relent-
less in our persecution of the un-
fortunate, and which further reveals
how difficult thing it is for man
to rise, having once fallen. Such
an incident occurred the other day
in the superior court of Buffalo,
when Peter Dubois told the story
of his life in answer to the question
of Judge Hatch, if he had anything
to say why sentence should not be
passed upon him for horse stealing.
Looking squarely in the judges
face Dubois said 81 am guilty. Do
your worst and send me as long as
you can. I was convicted of steal
ing many years ago." he continued.
"Well, / went TO prison and served
my time. When / left prison l de-
cided to lead an honest life, but the
world is against me. got out and
went to work at the Gilbert car
works. The foreman found out l
was convict. l did not stay to
draw my pay but left. At last l
got work with Hardwicke & Ward.
told Mr.. Hardwicke l was con.
vict, that wanted to reform. With.
in short time a detective came
and said the superintendent had
sent him there to see how was get
ting along. Then Mr.. Hardwicke
wrote a note to Superintendent
Mory telling him to keep the detec-
tives away; that he knew my his
tory. got along for a while and
was happy with my wife and fam.
lily. Two detectives came and asked
about me on Friday and on Satur-
day was discharged. The fore
man said there was no more work.
l don't know what 1 did. l have
no recollection of taking this horse
and buggy, and as l had not drank
in seven years the liquor made me
mad"
Then as he choked with emotion
his voice grew deeper, and he said
II do not ask mercy. Punish me
as you will. will not take NJ,
liberty and stay here. l tried t.
live an honest life, bat the detect
ives would not let me. I want tn
longest sentence possible"
Those are the words Of stronl
man borne down by the resistles'
cruelty of his fellow men. He dit
wrong in stealing in the first place
It was right that he should be pun
ished; society must be protected
from thieves; the dignity of the Law
must be preserved; there was moth
ing TO palate his crime. But b.
paid the penalty of his offense; b.
came from prison a repentant man
with a determination to live ar
, honest life. The fact that he wen
!. to work in dead earnest, that b.
kept sober for seven years, and afte
: being driven from his first position
, in the car works by detectives, b
. went to Mr.. Hardwicke and tolt
! him that he was a convict befor
going to work for him, proves tha
, his repentance was genuine.
, 1.-The world is against me" Il an
l guilty, do your worst" Il do no
ask for mercy" What a world Q
, Encouragement in those sentences
9 What a world of grim despair the
3 reveal! They tell us of a battl
) bravely fought and lost by one VIII
: ought to have won; but the odd
! were too great against him. AS
l mariner swept from his storm-tosse
] vessel into the raging sea, and like
e drop of rain he sinks into the depth
] with bubbling groan, so Peter Dt
y bois will most likely go down ovel
f whelmed by the relentless cruelt
of our human heartlessness. Ho'
many sink thus annually, unweI
D and unknown IS. L. Herald.