Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1913-09-11
A
Blighted Hope
By WILLIAM BLAKEMAN

ILEre are NUMBER OF etELIE44LS tLdI
enter into the condition Of criminality.
but they are ineItricably mingled
For instance. heredity plays an impor-
tant part, but since there are two par
ents. the ancestors OF each reaching
back Indefinitely. it does not neces-
sariIy follow that a child begotten BY
them will inherit q criminal tendency.
Moreover. criuinality may be disease
or an imperfect working OF the bodily
functions Then there IS environment.
which many experts in cTiminOlOgy
consider By far the most important Of
all causes.
In England many years ago there
dwelt a family named Ball John Ball.
one OF these people. at twenty years
Of age became 4 Particle That was
the time when the English government
was sending criminals TO Botany bay.
in Australia. Those transported were
treated according 10 their condition.
some Of them being allowed full lib
srty within bounds. TO live in their
own houses and earn their own living
John Ball 70 all outward appearances.
was 4 perfectly good man and soon
earned the right TO be treated as such
within the limits OF the law.
In the penal colony was a young vo-
man named Mary Coolidge She had
stolen money to keep her widowed
mother and younger brothers and sis
tiers from starving II would seem
that this act was only on the border
Of crime and should have met with g
light punishment But the act was
committed az tine when there was
but little mercy under the English
law. and Mary was sent 10 Botany
bay
These two. John Ball and Mary Cool
idge. net after they had been members
Of the cUlony eight years There was
IN inclination among Johns associates
70 consider his crime as the result OF
Z temporary insanity As for Nary's
It was Simply an overst-ain Of human
=udUrGn-e- The two became attached
70 each other AMI were married each
obtaining 4 ticket At leave 10 20 any
where OF the island and build a home
so- themselves
Each had saved sOnIe u0uev and
putting their funds together. had ZIP
It'll s10--I 70 60 into sheep raising
~ that ti-Ep land Was cheap in Aus
tr.Iia. and they were el,bIed TO hrv
what woUld row be considered 2 large
tract They 7rrsyered and aS they ac-
ruE-u.arzi more capital put It into
>syep AID what vas required for their
docks protection. \ son was szsuu
born In them. and he was followed by
two daughters
Johnny Bail was a fine little fellow
ard tie apple Of his fathers eye. At
81 early age he learned 10 ride on
horseback aud made frequent trips
with his father over his ranch. They
we're enjoyable rides over acres that
they owned. well stocked with their
sheep The family was a happy one
Notwithstanding the reason for their
being where they were though the
children were brought up in Ignorance
that their parents had been criminals
John Bail. ST. became quite wealthy.
and his wealth and his sterling quail
ties did much 10 eradicate the effect
upon his fellow men Of his having been
transported for crime. He had excel
lent judgment and before important
ventures were entered upon by his as
soci2te< they usually consulted him
Balls family grew Up under entirely
different conditions from other de-
sCendantS II criminals, who even to-
day constitute q class by themselves
They are called larrikiuS and sre
noted for their wOTIhIeSSleSs and fur
niSh their full quota OF Australian
criminals Those VITO were observing
claimed the case OF the Ball children
indicated that environment was more
important than beredity. Their father
had been enabled 10 raise them far
above that association which produces
criminals
John Ball. Jr-. grew up TO be s man
with the same judgment. the same |
character. is his father. II was be- !
lieved that he would furnish an exam I
pie of the son of criminal who. far
from being the usual larrikin. would I
be an honor 10 Australia. While he |
a disposition TO continue /
sheep raising. at which his father had Z
been 50 successful. he also showed an 4
incline ton 10 enter the political field
But one morning this optimistic 4
structure that was being built upon
the case Of the Bail family fell with .
I crash. The mother and the children. /!
except John junior. who was now
twenty-five years old. were away on
visit. leaving father snd son in the
'alch house. In the morning servant
went 20 their rooms TO call them 70
breakfast and found the father muir
Tered in his bed and the son gone. II
The matter cast 4 gloom over those
Who had drawn such hopeful eonclu-
;iOuS from case which it seemed had
been proving and would continue TO
move that hereditary crime was OF
minor importance and could be over
,Ome by an improved environment
rhe widow shut herself IN with her
Younger children aud never appeared