Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-03-29
A SOCIOLOGICAL
EXPERIMENT.
Goriginal.l

VAARN
first occupied the chair Of chemistry
and the latter of sociology at the Uni
versity of b..
Haven't read it," replied Nourse.
Il take no interest in present methods
of handling the criminal problem"
'What do you mean?v
"Why are people criminals? There
are three distinct ~causes-first, heredi-
ty; second, environment; third, neces-
sity. Under these three heads you may
manufacture criminals adj libitum." +.
'Oh, that's ~newfangled bosh and is
leading up TO Il lot of sentimental OPP
position to the punishment of crime"
you haven't studied the matter as
thoroughly as | have. You are inter-
ested in chemical problems, while my
duties have led me to investigate
those in crlminology. 1 find that I'M
der certain conditions people become
criminals in far greater proportion
than under other conditions. For in
stance, a large percentage of the chill
dren of foreign born parents become
jailbirds. Now, If you saw a CORE
spending result in the chemical world
you would look for a cause"
Rats, Donald! Good is good and
bad is bad; always has been and al
ways will be-"
After much more of this dialogue
I Professor Barnicoat left unconverted.
He was sitting up late one night at
home reading when there was a ring
at the telephone, and he received a
message from Professor Nourse.
"Come over as quickly as you can.
I've caught a fine specimen of the
genus criminal, and well experiment
with him."
Barnicoat lost no time in joining his
friend and, going up into his bedroom,
saw him covering a burglar with a re-
volver. The burglar was sitting in a
chair waiting to be turned over to the
police.
rs he a heredity case?' asked Barni-
coat.
I'VE shall see. Sit down"
Nourse made an examination Of his
prisoner, with the result that he came
under the third head the professor had
laid down. He had been strained be-
You'd endurance. He had a wife at
home with a sick baby. He was out
Of work. There was no doctor for the
baby, no medicine and no food for any
Of the family. The husband and ia
Their had gone out to steal something
to provide for his wife and child. See
ing Il window open IN Nourse's piazza,
he stepped in and CROPPED his way up
stairs to Nourse's bedroom. Nourse,
hearing him in his room, reached down
under the bed where he kept a revolv-
er, turned on the electric lights and
covered the thief.
The two friends conferred together
in an undertone.
Il claim" said Nourse, "that this
fellow has the godlike element in him
that would lead himsto give his life for
love"
Il don't believe it," whispered
Barnicoat.
"We'l try him." With that he turn
ed to the man, who sat the picture of
misery. I "Have you anything to say
why | should not call the police?"
ooh, God, what will she and the child
do?'
"Would you be willing to secure re-
lief for them by sacrificing yourselfE
"If you will relieve them I'll go to
Jail willingly"
1.-The alternative must be worse for
YOU than that. Your family is inno-
cent. You are not. You must be pun
lshed. Now, if you will save the state
the expense of a 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 a criminal career-by
furnishing yourself 1 and my friend
will sign a paper obligating ourselves
to provide for your family for ten
years"
How do you want me to punish my
self"
by blowing out your brains"
You don't mean that. That's not
the punishment for burglary"
at is my alternative"
Nourse spoke with icy GOODNESS, and
the man turned pale. He was given
time to consider, while Nourse pointed
out the advantages Of the course he
proposed, the gist of which was that
his family would be taken care or and
he would be saved from a life that
would be far worse than death. FINAL
" he said. hoarsely and family;
II 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 Barnlcoat
signed it. He had also a pistol III MS
hand. Turning the burglar with his
face to the wall, he handed him the PTS
toll and told him to perform his part
of the contract. There was some talk
about the parties Of the other part not
being bound to carry out their agree
ment, but the burglar finally waived all
this. The friends waited silently Tor
him to put a ball in his brain whlle
the clock licked away ten minutes
Then there was an explosion. Inc
burglar tottered and fell in a heap on
the floor.
"Get up, man; you are not hurt. You