The morning call., 1894-01-08
TALK ON "FOOTPADS."
Professor Bell Says These Highway
men Are Born Of Crime and Not
of Hard Times.

Professor Bell delivered a lecture upon
the subject of "Footpads" at Metropolitan
Temple last evening before large audi
ence.
PrlOr to the lecture Professor Bell sang
by request MANY Changes / Have Seen" !;
several organ selections were given. and
Charles Kent, late of Stockwelrs COM
pany, recited 'Tbe Face Upon the Floor"
responded to an encore with pleasing
selection. but refused to yield TO continued
demands for more"
In an appeal to the audience for little
assistance for the society the professor
spoke of some of the mean people who
were still on earth and of whom "a whole
shipload wouldn't make a good meal," and
also reminded his hearers that he couldn't
live on "sports." Reference was also
made to next Sunday evenings lecture,
when the subject will be "Cranks."
Since announcing his subject the pro-
lessor said he had been asked IL 1t were
wise to lay bare before his hearers the
had answered yes.
Gross whisperings." the speaker said,
will fill the atmosphere with grOssuess.
When there has been an epidemic OF crime
how often do you hear the expression:
How shockingl 1t must be in the air! -
1t Hdu lOiu Lildt IL was DoCco-
sary to talk upon DARK subjects-that mis-
cry concerns US ALL Victor Hugo had
rightly said that society should look at
these things, because itself creates them.
and if Hugo was right society should be
brought to the bar of justice.
Pessimists, he said, who do not recog-
niZe the upward trend of humanity were
always croaking. Were going to the evil
one" and perpetually moaning and grOan-
ing aud whining and crying for 1.-THE days
of our grandfalhers." The daily papers
agitate and picturesquely depict the reign
of terror OF the fOOtpad, and in reading
carefully, too-all the papers the speaker
found that The evil was in every instance
attributed TO hard times and the business
depression.
Professor Bell took direct issue with this
statement of cause and claimed that those
affected by the hard times are the middle
class and the army of honest working peo-
ple-neltheT of which elements breed crime.
FOOtDads, he said, were a selfish type Of
criminals. who take advantage of distress,
of financial depression, as a cloak for their
proving In the darkness of the night, like
roaring lions, seeking whom they may
devour.
Speaking from varied experience in
New York and In the large cities of Eng
land, be unhestatingly stated that foot
pads were almost withou. exception from
the criminal classes, who. when caught,
are cunning enough TO work the sympathy
racket. They were not the exclusive
product of the nineteenth century. for
Dick Turpin, LittlelOhn and Robin Hood
were nothing more than an elevated class
OF fOotpads who robbed the rich and gave
to the poor just for fun.
The susceptibility of children to their
social environments was illustrated by two
children-twins-One of whom, raised bv
cultured, God-fesrlng people, grew up into
strong, vigorous and noble manhood; the
other, placed In the Sums, contaminated
from infancy, with conscience stuffed by
ignorance, exposed to all kinds of tempta-
tons and with sneakthieves for COM
panions, grew up-a thief. thug, whose
brutal career was only ended by imprison-
ment or the gallOws.
The milestone around the neck of modern
society, he said, is the sub-cellar element,
and 1t Will never change until the Govern
ment gives aid toward an ameliOrati0n of
Its condltlon-nOt with souphouses or tenn
pOrary asylums, but with work for all able
bodied men and women.
Touching upon politics the professor
SAID that he had been asked what party he
belonged to, but had refused 10 answer.
lie did not vote at the last election, but il
he had his ballot would not have been cast
Tor the present incumbent of the Presi-
Dental chair. But as to the future ne had
no hesitation in saying that when the
iShb tAulC COLuoS ue Will U6 III tue
ranks Of the Peoples party.
The speaker paid the Salvation Army a
compliment by saying that in the past
year 1t had done more practical acts of
Christianity in San francisco than all the
churches combined, and closed by asking
IL we should continue in our present
course OF going upon the streets at night
with only car-fare in our pockets and a
pistol in hand for fear of footpads or adopt
the plan of Joining forces in seeking to in
augurate a better era.
Alter the lecture the confirmation of
officers of the Humanitarian Spiritualists
Society occurred. Following is the roster
OF directors: Professor Fred Bell, presi-
dent; w. IL. Baxter, first vice president;
Mrs. SlopeT. second vice-president; j. p.
Bogardus. Is. f. Small, S. b. Hendu. Mrs.
Theodore Cressy, Mrs NJ. B. Dodge, Mrs.
NJ. L. Ball, DIR. William Burgess and
Captain John futile.