The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-19
ANALYSIS OF CRIMINALS
Result of the Studies Pursued by
DR.. Charles Perrier.
Characters and Idiosyncracies of
Prisoners at the Great Penal In
of Four Years-Copvicts of All M
tionaIities Subject of Enquiry.

NEW YORK March 1S-The most COM
prehensive and thorough study of crimi-
nails has just been completed by Dr.
Charles Perrier DR.. Perrier is the physi-
clan of the great prison at Mines, and
during the last four years he has devoted
much time and attention to the study of
the $50 criminals in that prison. These
convicts came from all over the earth.
There were Frenchmen, Italians, Span
iards. Arabs, Englishmen, even Americans
among them. They came from every walk
of life-from commerce, the professions,
the trades, and from the idlers.
The French prisoners were cheerful and
easily adapted themselves to prison disci-
pline. The Neapolitans and Sicilians were
lazy, while those Italians from the north
ern provinces were Industrious and tract
able. The English were cool and correct,
thinking only of making themselves as
comfortable as possible. They are as care
full in cleaning their teeth and washing
hands and face as if they were in their
own private bedrooms. Their ambition is
to have clean work to do and to live peace
ent, sleeping all night long and all day if
they get a chance.
The $50 convicts may be grouped in sew
erai classes. First come the pickpockets
and sneak thieves Most of these have
little education, but are of quick intelli-
gence. They are bound together by a
strong freemasonry, hiding money and
procuring tobacco while in prison with
wonderful sharpness. They prefer light
work, and. as a rule, are clearly.
In the next class come the swindlers,
bankrupts. dishonest clerks, and the like.
Usually intelligent, they enjoy a certain
amount of consideration from the others.
From among these the prison staff of
clerks and accountants is supplied. They
are distinguished by d certain sentiment
of pride; they are no common thieves.
In third class may be put together all
the peasants. workmen, and others who
have been led astray more by accident,
by passion, and anger than evil intention.
Most of these scorn the world in which
they are forced to live for awhile, but
they are tractable, taciturn. and well be-
haved.
In a ourth class are the thieves. per-
jurers, and violators Of social laws. Most
of these are timid and lack all education.
They are always complaining and are al
ways afraid that they will do too much
work
And then there are the Anarchists
though most of these have been convicted
of other crimes than anarchistic ones. Most
of them are Anarchists only 70 the. extent
of wishing 10 have the gold in other mems
strong boxes Two real Anarchists we're 3
however, among the number. and, they
We're most intelligent men. They did not
seek converts but were very reserved.
The crimes for which these $50 men suf-
nj Tbaft
thieving and begging, 20; vaeabonds, rs;
assault and battery. 30; infiicting mortal
wounds, II: threatening murder. 8: at
tempted poisoning. /; attempted homicide,
!; assassination ]: attempted assassina-
ton, 2: murder, %: attempted murder. IL;
accomplices to murder 2; violations OF so
cisl laws. 81; swindling, breach of trust.
ETC.. 70; counterfeiting IL; arson, ., and
making explosive engines, 1.
In studying the ages Of the malefactors
it was found that 21S o! this number were
between thirty and forty years, of age,
rather surprising fact, indicating that the
tendency to crime is grearest' at this
period. aIll4t,ul6., I'm go o.,
II these malefactors be grouped in four
classes, it is found that 565 are guilty Of
thieving, arson. counterfeiting, etc; 20, Of
swindling and breach of trust; 1872 of at
tempts against human life and 81 are vlo-
lators of moral laws.
The immediate motives Of the crimes
form an interesting array of facts, sug-
costing perhaps method of avoiding some
of them Discussions and disputes led TO
SO crimes; demands for money led TO 10;
jealousy to -, and family quarrels to 4.
The weapons used against their victims
were generally pointed instruments or
tools. firearms being used in only % per
cent of the cases.
In studying the days on which the crimes
were committed Or. Perrier found that the
largest number took place on Sundays per-
haps because idleness is the mother of
many evils, and even of thefts surprising
to relate, more took place in the day time
than at night.
In the crimes against property 1872 OF the
criminals were from cities and 2iS from
the country but in crimes against persons
81 were from cities and 125 from the
country.
most important point for crimnolo-
gists is that only 252 of all these convicts
were convicted for the first time; 4oS
had been convicted previously from one
to FIVE times. and 1873 had been convicted
FIVE times and more. Once criminal
always a criminal"
In those who committed crimes against
property 209 were drunkards and 43l were
sober, but among those who committed the
greater crimes against persons 12O were
drunkdrdS ana " SOBER, WHICH NOuiu seem
to indicate that alcohol has much to do
with crime. The number of il!iterate
criminals was very small 1875 out Of the
S59. by far the larger number, 52S. being
able to read and write. 1t seems. TOO.
that 500 OF the convicts were dark skinned
so the warning Of the fortune tellers,
Beware of a dark man" is based upon
a knowledge OF this strange fact that
large majority of the malefactors are not
blondes.
Dr. Perrier has found that pickpockets
most often are English, and they are very
expert at their business, receiving a spe-
cial training in schools Of crime. The
American thieves, he finds, are men of
considerable intelligence, speaking several
languages. The French are sneak thieves
and have reduced begging to a science
Stimulating infrmities and maladies with
wonderful realism.
Many of the prisoners are constitution-
ally opposed to working which they call
a prostitution. Many of the prisoners were
found to have considerable artistic talent
which, if used legitimately. would have
earned them excellent livelihoods Dr.
Perrier utilized their talent in illustrating
the volume of statistics which he was
compiling On the walls of the cells were
numerous drawings and bias reliefs of con
siderable artistic merit, though often the
tNmes were not the most elevating