Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-03-13
ALMA, MICH, FRIDAY. MARCH 13. 1896.
SOME CAUSES OF CRIME.
An Interesting Address by Bishop
Gillespie.

Gillespie.
Bishop Gillespie of Grand Rapids,
president Of the State Board of Correc-
tons and Charities, lectured in the
chapel last Friday morning on "Some of
the Causes Of Crime" which ne named
as lst, Early influences; End, Condition
OF the criminal; 3rd, The life of the
criminal in prison and out He denied
the assertion that education makes men
more adrOit III the commission of crime,
but maintained that persons who 90 TO
school are less likely to go TO prison.
mind emptied of good things can only
be filled with evil. The Bishop thinks
it is wrong to put educated criminals at
Office work and easy Jobs about
prison. He has more respect for Il man
who steals pair of pants because he
needs them or food because h is hungry,
than he has for Il defaulting bank cashier
or fOIger He would have these high
toned criminals put to hard work that
will convince them that they have done
wrong and are being punished. Ii ii
lack of education tends TO evil living,
said tine Bishop, how much more does
a lack Of moral and religious training.
The Bishop said the Ten Command
ments should be posted conspiciously III
every school room III the country as an
educative agency, and told of the de-
crease in the use Of profanity and
obscenity on railroad trains since copies
of the laws governing conduct of pas
sengers had been posted conspiciously III
passenger cars. He mentioned enforced
idleness as a potent educator III causing
crime, and immigration as prime cause
of 50 much idleness in this country. He
spoke of the establishing of trade schools
as promise of eleyating of labor TO its
true dignity, and the agency by which
mind and hand will be brought together
The dense population and crowded tene-
ment houses of our cities he character
lied as powerful anXiliaries Of crime.
The press which publishes all the har
rowing details of crime was severely
scored He said that while crime may
be traced indirectly TO intemperance, he
did not believe that crime, properly so
called, could be traced directly TO intern
perance az Il cause. Immoral books
and obscene pictures were named aS
one of the most powerful agents Of the
devil In speaking Of the life of prison
ers in prison, he mentioned the abuse
of the contract system as having "a
debasiug effect Oh the mind of the pris
oner ~ also the frequent changes i'll
prison management due to political
changes The Bishop would have all
daily and sensational papers excluded
from jails, police stations and prisons, as
| 10y them prisoners were kept well in-
formed of the crime rampant outside of
prison walls In speaking of the efforts
of discharged criminals TO lead better
lives, he said nothing is more discour-
aging to them than the attitude of soci-
| ETY. He paid fine tribute to the work
of Mrs D'Arcamble of Detroit, the
founder of the Home for Discharged
Convicts and said that she should receive
moral and material support i'll her great
work
| The lecture was listened to with close
attention. and was frequently inter
rupted by heartily applause 1t spark
eled with wit and pleasantly, and made
a deep impression on the minds of al
who heard it.