The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1909-03-19
The Redemption Of Curt Jet.

Growing, Curtis Jett became a crea-
ture of his environment. Grown, he
became a murderer and degenerate.
Imprisoned, he has become being fill
ed with remorse, a desire to live Alright
and to be free. The first two points
are easily demonstrable. For the
third there is available only his own
protestations. 1t is easily comprehen-
sible, to be sure, that he desires free
dom; it is not so clear that he has be-
come regenerated and is stirred with
lofty, spiritual aspirations and Christ
ianity, says the Courier-J Journal.
CHANGING over Curtis Jett's stormy
life, his crimes, his stoIid indifference
to right and logged perseverance in
evil, it is hard to think of him as hav-
ing been suddenly made a model man.
His willingness to kill to carry out a
bargain, his coarse brutalities and
blindness to all that was good stand
out so clearly in the memory of Ken
tuckianS, in whose history he has play
ed so active. part, that these may be
excused if they do no. accept promptly
his message of reformation. His con-
tiicting stories of the killing of James
B. Marcum, his repudiation of his
confessions, his horrid examples of un-
scrupulous crime and unrestrained
mendacity all in time past bespoke SC
eloquently his distorted and monstrous
nature that it is no simple matter &c
forget them.
But Jett says he has learned great
deal since he has been in the peniten-
tiary and he believes he has been for
given by divine powers. 1t is devoutly
to be wished that what he says il
true. To develop sort of intropsec-
ton good for the soul and to train the
prisoners thoughts to things above,
these are some of the purposes of pris
on life The penitentiary will not have
been a futile influence if Jett shall be-
come really a convert to truth, sobrie-
tyrand brotherly love.
The penitentiary was the right place
for Jett. ''The best thing that ever
happened to me was when | was sent
to the penitentiary, said he in his
Message to the Whole World. Whether
Jett himself realizes it or not. sympa-
thetic persons who have followed his
case know that it vas inevitable that
he should end in the penitentiary OF
on the scaffold, not so much through
his own deliberate wickeedness as
through his weakness, through his in
ability to resist the sinister influences
to which he was subjected by con-
scienceless villains of Breathitt county
who led him into deeds Of darkness.
True, he was none the less guilty OF
| the crimes because of his subserviency
to stronger men; he was not to be ex-
cused from the penalty of his sins be.
cause he committed them from a heart
and mind warped from evil companions
in the last analysis the law was bounC
to hold him responsible for his owr
crimes but there was necessarily ex
listent a feeling of pity for the loath
some creature of an ugly envir 1nment
There lurked the feeling that Jet real
ly had not had a chance. The peniten
tiary, here he belonged for his crimes
might afford him a chance, although
whether it would or he would avail
himself of it was doubtful, at best
He says it has transformed HIM. Ha
it? No one knows exactly; he himsel
may be assembling if he be speakin,
genuinely would still be unconvincing
for there is no temptation in prison
walls. When the devil is in prison
devil a monk would be. For his SAX
and fer humanity's sake it will be gen
orally hoped that he is really bette
man. But it will do no harm, in vie,
lof all circumstances. to see how hi