Morning journal and courier., 1892-08-11
Sympathy for Criminals.


Sympathy for Criminals.
From the Journal of CommerceI
We have often called attention to that
unhealthy sentimentalism which expresses
itself in exaggerated tenderness for the
criminal classes. The honest poor have
few friends, and man ont of work with
a needy family might appeal. In vain to g
professional philsnthropist or bejsweled
"sister of the strsying," while these dot
ing philanthropists were subscribing to
pay for appeals in behalf of condemned
murderers, and furnishing their cells with
delicate viands and costly flowers. There
is in the world none too much pity for
suffering, but 1t seems to us to be very un-
fairly divided. There is no better fellow
in the lsboring line than John Hennessy,
who owns a horse and cart and makes his
living by their use. He was backing his
team into an excavation where some work
men were digging a cellar, when a plank
broke, the cart was upset, ana both he and
the horse were injured. He has q wife
and six children and no money in the bank,
and the five weeks of enforced idleness
were hard times for him. When John
was able to leave his bed he was lame and
so was his horse, but the veterinary who
had attended the animal said It would not
hurt him to work, and 80 he WAS hsrnessed
and driven out.
An agent of Bergh's society saw that the
horse limped slightly and arrested poor
John for cruelty to snimsls. The carman
told his pitiful story and said IL he was
nh1inraI To xrnrG -hap he harJ1-
stand on his feet, he thought his horee
might help him even If he did limp a lit
tie, but the plea did not avail him. The
agent pressed his charge and John was
fined Ave dollars, while the horse was sent
back to the stable. We heard of Ii and
paid his fine. But for a soft spot in our
heart he would have served ont his time
In jail. His wife had made her appeal to
q wealthy lady who was visiting the pris-
ons and supplying criminals kept therein
with comfort and cheer from her bounty,
but could obtain no aid for her husband
from that source. The tender hearted
millionairess who had just left some fruit
and flowers in the cell of q condemned
murderer caught red handed and gloating
over his victim said that any man who
would drive lame horse ought to be
looked mp In jail
Our object In renewing our discussion
of this theme Is to call attention to the
great amount of sympathy which this class
of philanthropists are mauifesting for
Private Isms, of Company X, who was on
duty with the militia at Homestead, Pa,
called out by the riots at Carnegie's mills.
When Superintendent Frick was shot by
the anarchist Berkman some one in the
ranks of the soldiers, as the announce
ment was made, called ont for three cheers
the shout, ordered the regiment TO parade,
and commanded the man who had made
this infamous proposition TO step to the
front The man 1ams came forth, and re-
fused either to retrsot his words or TO
apologies for their utterance. He was
strung up by his thumbs for thirty min.
utea, one side of his head was shaved, the
buttons were cut from his uniform and he
was drummed out of camp.
The case was taken mp by the anarchists
and the friends of the labor organizations
In admiration of the pluck of the soldier
who dared openly To favor Aassssination.
This was not surprising. perhaps, but
whom column after column In the newsps.
pcr press was devoted 10 ths theme. In
sympathy with Iamu and In fierce denun.
olation Of thonc who ordered his punish
mcnt, We confaHs Ia feeling Of profound
| dipgust This public manifestation has
encouraged tho friends uf tho culpht,
and suitn have now b-ru brought against
Colonel Strrntor. Culonnl Hawkins and
Surgeon Grim for aggravated aasanlt ON q
man whose nifcnEr W.T. have set forth above.
II may nsem trliing thing for soldier
called out Ia pr-srTv. tho public peace tc
cheer an assassin who had gone b.hind Ia,
ranks and inflicted what was then thought
to bs "A fatal wonnd ON ono thu militar,
| had sworn TO protect. But that will no
| bs the estimats Of an unpr~judIced mind
There has been enough editorial com
ment on the "enOrmity" of Iams' punish
ment to I'LL mary good sized volumes
| We may say in answer to the charge
against the officers who ordered IL that 4
| IL not illegal In the state Of Pennsylvania
| To tie the thumbs after the fashion indicat
ed. The Pennsylvania statute provides fo
| the same punishnents for it's militia as ar,
| In use in the army of the United States
and suspension by the thumbs, the cul
prit's toes touching the floor, is not at al
unusual In the Federal camps. 1t Nigh
have been better to have ordered a cour
martial for the trial of the man, but tn
act was one of gross insubordinatiol
while the regiment WAS In actual service
and we do not think there was any YER
great cruelty in the punishment. IL is tn
sympathy for the criminal to which we de
sire TO call attention.
whole family, only a few days ago
had their feet burned by band of bar
glars to make them tell where their treas
ure was hidden, although each one pro
tested that there WAS no such collection O
valuables In the house. There has no
been a line of editorial sympathy for thOs
blistered feet. We have every day tn
story of SORROWS and calsmities enough 3
bring tears from eyes unused to weeping
Why save up all the outflow for = reckles
soldier who by his own confession wa
guilty of q shameful act, and after bein
suitably punished was merely dIumme
ont of honorable society," One writer eI
claims that the days of the rack an
thumbscrew have gone by, and that in tn
nineteenth century IL IL horrible 10 Ia
upon n criminal penalty that carries wit
Il the in6iction of bodily pain or ply sic,
suffering. 1t is against this sentimeu
that we protest. Our criminals are cod
died and pampeIed and treated with sue
, tender consideration that the man In hor
est poverty has q harder ume Of II tha
the inmates OF our penitentisries. II
average laborer has rcantier fare and moi
: exacting toll than the burglar and the bar
} dit who are suffering what is called Oh
/ penalty Of the law. Oar bowels do nc
yearn over Private 1ams. We think b
deserved his sore thumbs. bis shortene
looks and the subsequent disgrace.