Ellsworth American., 1907-10-16
A SOCIOLOGICAL
EXPERIMENT..
tOriginai.l

.V'hat do you think OF the evidence
- tha Dodge case?. asked Professor
parnicoat OF Professor Nourse. The
arst occupied the chair Of chemistry
and die later of sociology at the Uni
yersts Of p
sT1arent read it," replied Nourse.
az take 10 interest in present metho-s
of handling lie criminal problem"
"yThat DO you meanT
..yvay are people criminals? There
arc tI,res distinct causes-first, heres,i-
~. second environment; third, neces-
sifv Under these three heads you may
ma,.f faetufe cIini--als al libitun."
"On. fhats newfangied bosh and Is
lea.ii.g ~ to lot o. sentimental op-
nositiun to the punishment Of crime"
"lou haven't studied the matter a..
+borsu .A,y as l have. You are inter.
sste1 ia chemical problems, while my
duiles have led me to investigate
those IN criminoiogy. find that un.
der certain conditions people become
criminals in far greater proportion
than under other conditions. For in
stance large percentage Of the chill
dren Of foreign born parents become
iailbir,is Vow, If you saw CORE.
sponding result IN the chemical world
you world look for cause"
RATS. Donald! Good is good ana
bad is bad; always has been and al
ways will be-"
After much more of this dialogue
Professor Barnicoat left unconverted.
He was sitting up late one night at
home reading when there was ring
at the telephone, and he received a
message from Professor Nourse.
B. 4.Come over as quickly as you can.
I'VE caught fine specimen of the
genus criminal, and we'll experiment
with him"
Barnicoat lost no time in joining his
friend and. going up into his bedroom,
saw him covering burglar with re.
volver. The burglar was sitting in
chair waiting to be turned over to the
police.
rs he heredity case2' asked Barni.
coat
I'VE SNAIL see. Sit down."
Nourse ma.ie an examination of his
prisoner with the result that he cane
under the third head the professor had
laid down. He had been strained be,
yond endurance. He had a wife at
home with a sick baby. He was OIL
Of work. There was no doctor for the
baby, no medicine and no food for am.
of the family. The husband and fG-
ther had gone out to steal something
to provide for his wife and child. See
ing window open on Nourse's piazza.
he stepped in and groped his way !, /
stairs to Nourse's bedroom. Noure9,
hearing him in his room, reached dow,
under the bed where he kept a revol~-
er, turned on the electric lights ana
covered the thief.
The Two friends conferred together
in an undertone.
II claim,' said Nourse, that this
fellow has the godlike element in h:.l.
that would lead him to give his life for
love"
Il don't believe st. whispered
Barnicoat.
wen try him." With that he turn
ed to the man, who sat the picture of
misery. "Have you anything to say
why should not call the police?"
''Oh. God, what will she and the child
doy'
would you be willing to secure re
lief for them by sacrificing yourself?'
IF you will relieve them I'll go !,
Jail willingly"
THE alternative must be worse for
you than that. Your family is inno-
cent. You are not You must be pun
ished. Now, if you will save the state
the expense of trial and taking care
of you for the rest of your life-as it
will certainly have to do now that you
have started on criminal career-by
punishing yourself l and my friend
will sign paper obllgating ourselves
to provide for your family for ten
years."
self"
by blowing out your brains"
You don't mean that. That's no.
the punishment for burglary"
1T is my alternative"
Nourse spoke with icy coldness. and
the man turned pale. He was given
time to consider, while Nourse pointed
out the advantages of the course be
proposed, the gist of which was that
bis family would be taken care of and
he would be saved from life that
would be far worse than death. Final
ly ne said, hoarsely and family:
Il accept. They will be saved"
Nourse at once placed Barnicoat on
guard and, going into another room, re
turned with the agreement he had pro
posed in writing. and he and Barnicoat
signed it. He had also pistol in his
hand. Turning the burglar with his
lace to the wall. he handed him the pis
tol and told him to perform his part
OF the contract. There was some talk
ABOUT the parties of the other part not
oeing bound to carry out their agree
ment, but the burglar finally waived ri