The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-07-29
CHOICE OF PUNISHMENTS.
The Request of the Robson
County Man Deserving of
More Than Passing Notice.


county young man convicted of
larceny and sentenced to three
years on the county roads that
his sentence be changed to five
years in the penitentiary is de-
serving of more than passing no.
tice. There may have been other
reasons for his desiring the
change, but we surmise he made
the request believing that five
years in the States prison would
be lighter punishment than three
years on the county roads, and
that it would be the preference
of the two, both as to treatment
and as to menial service. On one
or two occasions we have heard
prisoners or their counsel ask for
similar consideration at the hands
of the court.
There is evidently something
back of such requests as these.
Is it true that sentences to the
county roads, intended to be less
severe punishment than imprison-
ment in the penitentiary, are ac-
tually regarded as much more
harsh? If not, why such re-
quests? We know that all white
men have a perfect horror of SER
vice upon the highways of the
county. They may dread the
penitentiary but it seems not to
such a great extent. When a
man is sent to the States pri-
son he goes where few people
who know him will see him. 1t
is going into a kind Of seclusion
in which his crime and himself
are forgotten by others. The
work he does is nothing more
than some usual vocation of the
work-a-day world. On the other
hand, a man sentenced to the
chain gang of his county must
usually serve with a crowd of
negroes in one of the most pub
lie places, where people whom
he knows are seen by him and
see him frequently. The work
is of the most degrading charac-
fer. The result is, his manhood
IS crushed and be comes forth a
hardened criminal.
1t is not our purpose to con-
denim the system in use in this
and many other counties Of work
those convicted Of crimes on the
roads; we only wish to enquire if
the punishment in many cases is
not too great. When a man is
convicted of a felony sentence
to the county roads is usually
we'll deserved, but in cases of
petty misdemeanors is it humane
to give the defendant such a
sentence? Suppose a man comes
into court, is convicted Of carry
ing weapons concealed about his
person, or of simple assault, or
some other offense Of like degree.
If he cannot pay a fine he is
rushed off to the roads to work
out the fine and costs or serve q
sentence. Only a few days age
in Municipal Court a man was
before the judge for being drunk
and down. He had done no one
any harm, he had never been ir
court before, but he could not
pay his fine and costs-he hac
been out of work for severa
weeks-and he was sent along Il
shovel dirt on the highways. The
court is not to be blamed; it i!
our system.
1t seems to US that there ough
!. to be some other means provided
for the punishment of those VIII
have committed petty crimes TO
the first time. Why could no
the county have some kind O
workshop where such criminal
could be placed at work? A lit
tie thought and agitation will n
doubt suggest an even bette
scheme, The present plan wi
prevail just as long as publ
sentiment allows it, and no long
er. If work on the county road
is regarded by convicts and otl
ers as more severe and the trea
= ment there worse than at tn
! penitentiary, then why not hav
those convicted of felonies wor
on the county roads and thos
convicted of misdemeanors wor
in the State penitentiary.