The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-07-30
A
Blighted Hope
By WILLIAM BRAKEMAN

!
present interest in eugenics.
| There are number of elements that
| enter into the condition of criminality.
| but they are inextricably mingled.
For instance. heredity plays an impor-
tant part, but since there are two par
ents, the ancestors of each reaching
back Indefinitely. 1t does not neces-
sarily follow that child begotten by
| them will inherit a criminal tendency.
Moreover, criminality may be disease
or an imperfect working of the bodily
functions Then there is environment.
which many experts In crimlnology
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 a parricide. 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.
John Ball, to all outward appearances,
was a 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
tiers from starving. 1t would seem
that this act was only on the border
Of crime and should have met with a
light punishment But the act was
committed at a time when there was
but little mercy under the English
law. 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
to 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
ital enough to go into sheep raising.
At that time land was cheap In Aus
tralia, and they were enabled to buy
what would now be considered a large
tract. They prospered and as they &C
cumulated more capital put 1t into
sheep and what was required for their
focks' protection. A son was soon
born to them, and he was followed by
two daughters.
Johnny Ball 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 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 Ball, ST., became quite wealthy,
and his wealth and his sterling quail
ties did much to 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
sociates they usually consulted him.
Balls family grew up under entirely
different conditions from other de-
scendants of criminals, who even to-
day constitute a class by themselves.
They are called larrikins and are
noted for their worthlessness and fur
nish their full quota Of Australian
criminals. 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 Ball. Jr.. grew up to be man
with the same judgment. the same
character. as his father IL was be-
lieyed that be would furnish an exam
pie OF the son of a criminal who. far
from being the usual larrikin. would
10 On bonor 20 Australia Vhfla ha