The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-25


brother and was attracted to he de-
PENDANT and was impressed by his APP
pearance. being aman unusually hand
some and attractive. So great was
the impression made on her she was
unable to keep her eyes from him and
this he observed, and on the second
visit he sent her a note requesting her
to come over to his side of the rotun-
da and speak to him. She complied,
and the result was stii deeper i'm
preston and when she returned to her
fathers house she was unable to dis
card from her memory and imagina
ton his appearance. So irresistible
was the inclination that she paid him a
third visit, and after repeated visits,
her interest having ripaned into love,
on the 18th of May. 1887, her parents
reluctantly giving their consent. she
obtained permission from the Jail au-
thorities and they were married in the
warden's office.
She was unable to obtain his release
from his penalty of larceny, but when
he emerged from jail in February. 1883,
she lived with him, but Iea.Nad th1i ~
had served a previous term in rhe pen
itentiary and was fugitive from JUS
tice for other offenses. Three weeks
after his release he beat and left her,
and did not return till the foll lowing
November when her baby was born
After his repeated promises TO reform
she lived with him again for four
months. But he returned to his old
ways, was arrested again and impris-
oned. He carried on a career of crime
and at length assaulted her on the
street and she left him.
Excessive sympathy is what leads
to the shocking exhibitions of naudlin
sentiment towards the worst of Grim
inals, sometimes on the part of males
but oftener by tender-hearted or feeble
minded females. 1t is an extreme
more dangerous perhaps than hard
heartedness. 1t overshadows prudence,
! justice and common sense. And it Of
ten exalts the ruffian into a hero and
brutal murderer into a martyr.
Sending flowers to the condemned
making strenuous exeruons to. save the
very worst of criminals from punish.
ment, lavishing pity on an assassin
and none on his victim or the living
sufferers from his crime, are evidence
Of an abnormal mental condition and
should be so regarded. Criminal.
ought not to have their punishment
made pleasant nor be placed as the
center Of admiration for the sentimen
tai extremists.
The attempts now being made t.
save Prendergast from the gallows are
in our view, misplaced If the exer
tons and money which are expended
for that purpose. were used to succol
and save from starvation and induce
ment to crime some poor souls who ar,
tempted yet innocent, there would b,
more sense and more true sympath,
in the work
Prendergast may. be to some exten
of unsomd mind 1t may be said tina
for that reason he is legally incapable
of murder But that is not what jur!
have determined, and the evidence
showed that he comprehended the fac
that it was a crime to kill Mayor Har
rison. yet he did the deed. Such dan
gerous persons even if somewhat un
balanced are unfit to live and be a
liberty. Unless a wilful homicide i
clearly insane, to the extent of not un
]. derstanding the nature of his offens
or to be responsible for his act, tn
law against murder ought to take it
course, not for revenge or retaliation
but for the protection of society an
the vindication of the law. There is II
| inhumanity in that 1t is love of hu
mainly that prompts the provision 70
the good of society.
The laws penalties should be jus
and they should be justly enforced
The couch of criminals should not b
a bed of roses. Cruel and barbarou
punishments ought not to be imposed
We do not agree with some religion
papers that we should revive the las
and inflict physical penalties on Ger
tain criminals. Unnecessary severit
ought to be frowned upon. But tn
soft sentimentality and fearful tender
ness exhibited towards burly brute
and bloodthirsty assassins, are disgust
ing to a sound mind and heart tina
beats in sympathy for the wronged in
stead of the criminal who is guilty o
the wrong doing.
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FOOLISH PROPOSITION.