The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-17
THE PRESS AND CRIME.
Sample of the Evidence on Which
Rev. Lasby's Charges Are Based.

Rev. Lasby's Charges Are Based.
To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
My aim has always been to make no state
ment in public discourse for which reliable
authority could not be cited. When, there
fore, you call upon me in your columns of
this morning to give my authority for GER
tain statements my reply is forthcoming.
Owing to the pressure of other duties and
also to the character of the material at hand
this answer must be esteemed but partial,
as fugitive statements upon which reliance
has been reasonably placed must, for the
purpose of this hour, be verified by direct
correspondence. And, first, as to my state
ment that almost one-third of our GRIM
inals are found to be between the ages of
twelve and twenty years" Websters def
milton of a criminal is "a person who has
committed an ofiense against law, especially
one who is found guilty by verdict confess
sion or proof" 1t is a Sorrowful fact that
while the population in our country from
1850 to 1850 only increased 40 per cent, the
criminal class increased AS per cent (Pris-
oners and Paupers, Boles, r. % 1t is por-
tentous that throughout the civilized world
Juvenile crime is increasing at an alarming
rate; in Germany the increase has reached
as high as 80 per cent. in the past ten years.
(JuVenile Offenders, Morrison, first chap
ter.) The average age of the inmates re-
ceived by the prisons and penitentiaries of
this country for 1891 was 26 20 years. Cab
normal Man, r. 21.) Says Carroll ID. Wright
no mean authority: '"Three-fourths of the
crime committed Is by young men who are
temporarily led astray, and so per cent. of
all conVictS in the state prisons OIL the
United states are under tWenty-SiX years
Of age" cine Relation of Economic Condi-
tions TO the Causes OF Crime, +. 81 Again,
we md the celebrated Wines declare 'tnere
is a melancholy tendency OF CRIME YOUTH
ward More than a fifth OF the inmates or
our state prisons are mere boys, ranging
from twenty years down even TO the child
VINO has scarcely reached his teens. estate
of Prisons, ETC., p. 113) Now turn to Harp
there were in the prisons and penitentiaries
of the United States in 1880 a total OF S2,o2S
inmates. Also read, mot included in the
above total of 1890 were l4,S46 Juveniles IN
reformatories." Now, taking Wines's state
ment that one-fifth of prison inmates range
from twenty years down ana applying II
we find that there were in prison one-tifth
of 81 329 or 1886, persons under twenty
years of age. Adding to this the 1886
Juveniles in reformatores we 1nd a. an n aggre-
gate of 31,311 out of a total OF T,llo Grim
mails. which clearly justihes my statement
Secondly, in relation in their having got
their suggestions of crime out OF the
columns of the daily press. My conten-
ton was broader than the daily press, and
sermon alluded TO CHEAP oCuSdlOIlSll
literature Of all kinds hawked around our
streets, thrown in at our doors and Kept
conspicuously on hand by some book ven
ders. From years of personal intercourse
with prison reformers and having devoted
much time to this unfortunate class, as Wen
as from noting the constantly requiring
episodes of Juveniles nesting together Tor.
crime and following in their plans the ways
of the heroes of yellow Journalism the
conviction has been forced upon my mln9
that the detail of crime currently published
is most largely responsible for the way
ward and vicious course CT these young
offenders. This Is field where antno arLieh
effort will be made to secure statements Tor
publication from those who are most COM
written words be as strong as verbal utter
ances to which we have listened the case
will be clearly proved:
Third-As to the failure of those in charge
to accomplish anything in the way OF refor-
nation while the inmates OF our reforma-
tories have access TO the leading daily pa
pers with their Salacious setting of Grim
inal news" Upon this point we may rest
content for the present with the statement
of the able head Of the Elmira Reforma-
tory, Mr. Brockway, as quoted by Dr. j. IA.
Buckley in the columns of the Christian Adj
vocate Says this illustrious editor: Mr.;
BrockWay informed the writer that 1t would
be impossible If the leading daily papers in
the great cities that give the criminal news
of the day were admitted to the institu-
ton, to accomplish anything In the reforina-
ton of these young men," l doubt II 1t
would be possible to name one such lnstitu-
ton where the leading dailies are permitted
to circulate without first having this class
of news excised. On this point, Also further
informs ton will be gathered for future
This question is not one OF personal or To-
cal interest merely. The evils that threaten
society too great to be viewed from
such a narrow standpoint For the Indlan-
apolis press let me say once for all, that II
is the cleanest in it's news and most ably
and fairly edited of any section OF the press
known to us in similar field. Its reporters
are. without exception, In our experience,
genial and intelligent gentlemen Likewise,
also, the editors with whom 1t Is our pleas,
ure to be acquainted. My theme had
broader reference and to other nelds and
forms Of literature. Without apology the
superiority OF indianapolis journalism has
been asserted both East and West. and 1t Is
a strange prsdicament to find myself
judged inhospitably at this hour. My gem
eral reference to the press may be fortified
in conclusion by an authority whom none
will care to dispute. In his able work on
Crime. It's Nature Causes" ETC.. p. al,
preme Court of Michigan, says: Among
the many other causes of crime Is the de-
per press A sound thinker and keen OBJ
server of events. their causes and effects,
writes on the subject as follows: There is
no need OF pratng OF the power or the
press and no one truthfully deny it's
incalculable influence, but that 1t approx
mates even to the degree of greatest useful
ness would be an unfounded claim. In its
eagerness for news, In catering to the UNI
refined ard vulgar taste, the press has be-
come pTQSlllQleu anu QtbdS@ut anu Win
the facilities OF telephone and telegraph, is
a sewer into which is poured the efleteness,
rottenness, degradation. imbeci.ity- villainy.
moral disease, profiigacy and corruption of
the whole world in a seethng mass of un-
utterable abOmination. The great metro
poltan journals, with worldwide facilities
take the lead in the gossip of villainy and
prurzent rascality, and the smaller fry OF
town and village closely. initiate. like
hounds in a well-trained pack. Special cor
respondents are sent. regardless OF distance
and expense, TO report murders, robberies