The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1899-12-21
Vol. XIII.-No. %.
Education the
Preventative for Crime.
Written for The Prison Mirror.

The general public is more or less
acquainted with the views and theories
of the so-called "social reformers" who,
seemingly, devote their lives and in
comes to eradicate crime from the face
of the earth, but rarely, if ever, learn
the criminals views upon this vexed
problem; so | have taken advantage
of the opportunity afforded me through
the columns of The MIRROR, to pub
lish few facts not compiled in some
Boston or New York furnished flat,
but the actual experience the author
has had personally, and from what he
has CLEANED from personal observation
with his fellow inmates.
The reason ] have selected educa-
tion as my weapon, is, that it is SEEM
ingly the most reasonable and con-
as yet produced to substantiate his
claim, consequently it will not be
charged that [ am hopeless degen-
crate.
Just after my arrest and long time
before my conviction, the daily press
bega, to publish all sorts of stories
about me; some pictured me as a
mental degenerate; others told their
readers that L was founding, sent
out years ago to this country from
Boston; others said 1 was vicious
in, nd rot hor
plunder house than eat, when, as a
matter of fact. 1 had never before
broken any of the laws of State. But
all these nonsensical accusations have
been beneficial to me in that they have
caused me to study human nature with
more conscientious mind, with the
result that the men behind the prison
bars have been grossly misrepresented
and misunderstood.
The statisticians, who pride them
selves vaingloriously that they know
more about crime and the criminal
than the criminals themselves, are
nothing more than the laughing stock
of the average criminal. Their &C.
centric theories of ''if's" he had re-
Trained from alcoholic drinks, advo-
Gated by the temperance refOrmer; the
'''if" his environments had been moral
ly better in his youth, by the moralists;
the 'if'' he had read the Bible in his
youth, by the Christians; the degener-
ate theory, the criminal Inheritance
theory, and nearly all these off and
eccentric reform theories are false
statistical delusions. And this theory
that education is the true method of
reform in crime, is also a false de-
iusiOn.
Let us test this educational theory
and see how much truth there is in its
claim as the only means of reform.
l will rot put myself forward as an
educated person, but will place before
you any number OF educated inmates
of this and many other penal institu-
tiOns who are graduates from some of
the best colleges in the world, whom
L have known personally from boy
hood. know that their environments
of home life were above reproach, free
from all evil influences, and their assO
ciates were considered model boys and
girls by all good and conscien-
tious society.
Statistics tells us that 40 per cent of
the criminal class are illiterates; %
per cent have had less than one year
of schooling; % per cent have had a
fair or average amount of schooling.
while the remaining 10 per cent have
had a liberal education more or less.
These are the statistics of the recog-
nized authorities on such matters.
Now let us see what the deductions are
of one who dwells in our midst After
most careful and painstaking obser-
vation. and assuming that all northern