Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1913-08-08

BY WILLIAM BLAKEMAN


enter into the condition OF criminhlit,
but they are inexiricably mingled
For Instance. heredity plays an impoI
mpt part bit since there are two pa
euts the ancestors Of each reachin
back olea1tes Is does not nece-
sarlls FOLLOW ihai child beeotten b,
them $50 iahefit q criminal tendency
MOREOVER eriiunalty may be a dlsea4
9r so imperfect working Of the bodin
functions Then there Is environment
which many experts IN crimiuologl
consider by far tie most important OI
an causes
IN Engand many years ago ther,
dwelt family named Ball John Bail
one u these people, at twenty years
OF age became a parrcide That was
the time when the English government
WAS sending criminals TO Botany bay
In Australia Those transported were
treated according to their condition
some Of them being allowed full lib
erty within bounds. TO live In their
own houses and earn their own living.
was n perfectly good man and soon
earned the right to be treated as such
within the limits Of the law
In the penal colony was young wo-
man named Mary Coolidge She had
stolen money to keep her widowed
mother and younger brothers and sis
ters from starving II would seem
that this act was only on the border
/ OF crime and should have met with a
light punishment Bat the act was
committed at time when there was
but little mercy under the English
lazy. and Mary was sent to Botany
bay
These two. John Ball and Mary Cool
idge, met after they had been members
OF the colony eight years There was
an inclination among Johns associates
to consider His crime as the result Of
a temporary insanity As for Mary's.
Il was simply an overstrain of human
endurance. The two became attached
10 each other and were married. each
obtaining ticket OF leave TO go any
where on the island and build a home
for themselves
Each had saved some money and.
putting their funds together. had cap
ltal enough TO go into sheep raising
AZ that time land was cheap In Aus.
traia. and they were enabled to buy
what would now be considered a large
tract They prospered and as they ac-
cumulated more capital put it into
sheep and what was required for their
fiocks protection. son was soon
born to them. and he was followed by
two daughters
Johnny Ban was a fine little fellow
and the apple of his fathers eye At
an early age he learned to ride on
horseback and made frequent trips |
with his father over his ranch. They |
were enjoyable rides over acres that /
they owned well stocked with their /
sheep The family was happy one /
Notwithstanding the reason for their .
being where they were. though the /
children were brought up in ignorance /
TINT their parents had been criminals.
John Ball Sr became quite wealthy.
and his wealth aud his sterling quail
ties did much 10 eradicate the effect
upon his fellow men of his having been
transported for crime lie had excel
lent Judgment and before important
ventures were entered upon by his as
sociNics they usually consulted him
Bau's family grew up under entirely
different conditions from other de-
scendanis ct criminals. who even to
day constitute a class by themselves
They are called larrkins ana are
noted for their worthlessness and fur
nish their full quota of Australian
Those who were observing
claimed the case OF the Ball children
indicated that environment was more
Important than heredity Their father
had been enabled to raise them far
above that association which produces
criminals.
John BAH. Jr., grew up to be a man
With the same Judgment. the same
character. as his father II was be-
ieyed that he would furnish an exam
Die OF the son of a criminal who. far
rom being the usual larrikin, would
le an honor 10 Australia. While he
manifested disposition to continue /
.heep raising. at which his father had
been so successful. he also showed an
Inclination to enter the political field
But one morning this optimistic
that was being built upon
he case OF the Ball family fell with
crash The mother and the children.
except John junior. who was now
twenty-five years old. were away on n
'isit. leaving fnther and son IN the
Hnch house. In the morning servant
vent 20 their rooms TO call them 10
'reakfast and found the father muir
erred In his bed and the son gone.
The matter cast u gloom over those
rho had drawn such hopeful eonclu
ions from case which IL seemed had
een proving and would continue TO
rove that hereditary crime was Of
minor importance and could be over
ONE by an improved environment.
he widow shut herself up with her.
ounger children and never appeared
a public agair
An Australian friend Of this unfor.
innate family who was Interested In
]