Evening journal., 1909-06-21
A QUESTION
OF HEREDITY.
toriginall

Of penal servitude two men, Professor
Dixon and Or. Hardeman, were dis
cussing problems of heredity which
fell continually under their observa-
tion. Professor Dixon was speaking.
Il do not admit your claim, doctor,
that environment has an equal effect
with heredity. At least, to change a
hereditary criminal by environment we
must begin in the earliest childhood,
and then it will not in all cases be pos
sIble to eradicate the hereditary
taint"
"You are wrong, professor. l will
take a middle aged criminal. remove
him from temptation, impress him with
the Nervousness OF crime and make
good citizen Of him."
"such impression is at times impos-
sible. once endeavored TO reform
a man who had tried to kill his
father. He told me that his father
had killed his grandfather and the
grandfather had tried to kill the great
grandfather. Ten years after the first
attempt, and when l believed had
changed him, my man made a second
attempt"
"And I can cite a case per contra
right here in this penal settlement
Peter Hull and Eliza Wurts were serv-
ing life sentences here. Peter was
twenty-five when he came here, and
Eliza was twenty. They had lived at
home in the very worst part Of London.
From childhood they had been accus-
toned to crime. 1t was foreordained
that they should become criminals, but
It was not foreordained that they
should remain such, any more than it
is foreordained that a poisonous berry
shsll always remain poisonous. 1t
may be cultivated, grated. transplant
ed, till it is sweet and of delicious ia
vor.
$50 It has been with Peter and Eliza.
They have not had a field needed for
an experimental case, but they have
had sufficient to produce a marked
change. Transplanted TO this colony,
they were removed from their homes In
the slums. Then both were given tick
cts of leave. They went out Of prison
each to live in a little home, to breathe
the pure air Of heaven. to thrive in the
warm sunshine. A vegetable garden
for each put forth green sprouts. Fruit
trees and flowers budded. Within the
windows dainty white curtains gave a
CHEEKY look to each house, and the fur
niture, If of plain manufacture, was
always kept vanished.
Peter could not have done all this
had it not been for the help of Eliza.
1t was she at least who made the cur
tains for him and showed him how to
hang them. It was she who made q
white valance for his bed. He furnish
ed the material from which she made
him sheets, pillowcases. napkins. In
short, she did all those things that wo-
men know how to do, and Peter did
many things for her. He spaded her
garden, repaired her house and her fur.
niture and often made her presents OF
things she needed and could not afford
TO buy, for. while she could make
money go further than he, she could
not make it as easily.
"There came the little god and whls
pered in Peters ear United you can
both do better. You can be more free
to make money with Eliza at home to
take care Of your house, mend your
clothes and have your meals ready fol
you when you come home. There will
be more money, and It will be applied
to better advantage This was not all
the god whispered. Peter thought II
was, but it was not. The boy spoke
things both to Peter and to Eliza which
had no reference to what was prac
tlcal. Ellza's ear was more attuned
to them. At any rate, she heard them
and they appealed TO her.
''Peter went to her and told her whai
he had been thinking. She waited e
hear those spiritual words that the
little god had spoken to her. They
did not come, but she knew by Peters
manner that he felt their influence
They went to a priest and asked him
to marry them.
"'Were you married before coming
hereT he asked Of Peter.
"'Yes.'
"'And your wife is deadr
ayes
"'Are you sureT
"T should be; was sent here FOL
killing her
''The priest turned. walked to a win
dow, looked out, ponderlng, then re
turned to the couple.
"'And youY to the woman. You are
willing to marry a man who has killed
his wifeT
"T am
ado you not fear TO live with suct
a manY
"'He has not been worse than T.
"'What were you sent here forT
Killing my husband
again the priest walked away, pom
dered and returned.
"'Well.' he said, II you two are viii
ing to marry each other. see no rea
son why | should not marry you
"And he did. That was twenty year.
ago Mrs. Hull is now fifty years old
and her husband is ffty-two. They
are as much respected as any couple
who have the brand OF former Grim