The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-03-19
SPIRITUAL. And
MORAL EDWARDS
The Sparrow DiIatss Upon the Question Of
Courage in all Men, and Draws His In
ferenees from Personally 0bssned
Conditions and Instances.


Some time back the Pathfinder
published an article in which it was
stated that all men convicted of
crime were towards.
In my opinion there are two kinds
of towards, viz: moral and spirit
ual.
And as the author of the article
did not specify what kind of cow
ards he meant, / will take it for
granted tina: he meant moral and
spiritual; first, because of the fear
of physical pain, and spiritual be-
cause of the fear of the unknown
beyond the grave, l do not know
whether that writer really
believed what he was saying or
not. but do know that his statement
was little too big.
1t is known but sad fact, that
the majority of the outside world
think and believe all kind of fool
ish things about men in prison.
And they forget that if all the state
ments that are published about mon
convicted were true it would not be
safe to turn one of them loose after
he had served out the sentence that
was imposed on him. As for all
men being towards, if some of those
that make such statements would
take the trouble to look up the pris-
on records of men that have become
heros, although convicts, they
would change their opinions. Men
that have faced death to save some
life; men who did not think of their
own safety when called on to risk
theirlives to protect the prisons that
were keeping them from liberty.
1t has only been couple of years
ago when one of the warehouses out
side the prison walls of San Quen-
tin. CAL, was in danger of being
destroyed by fire. Warden Hagel
called for volunteers among the
prisoners to go out and fight the
fire. Men responded who were do
ing life, to 60 outside walls to help
save prison property from destruc-
ton. And all of them made good.
In the warehouse was stored tons
of jute. and the warehouse was like
a furnace inside, that did not stop
the men from fighting their way
through the flames into a roaring
mass of burning jute, from which
they did not know if they should
ever get out alive again. After the
fire had been extinguished the count
was taken, and there was not a man
missing. What more test could
person want of mans courage
than to ask him to go into burn
ing building?
Another Hero
Not long ago | read an account
of where man while on his way
to prison jumped in front of fire
engine, to save an old lady's life.
The article stated that as the sheriff
and his prisoner were walking from
the railroad station to where they
were to take the electric car for the
prison, the fire department came
dashing down the street, an old
lady that did not notice or hear the
approaching fire engine, started to
cross the street, but seemed parali-
zed when she noticed how close
these running horses were to her.
The prisoner, although handcuffed,
Pumped in front of the engine, and
threw the woman to one side, but
was too late TO get out of the way,
and was knocked down and run
over by the fire engine. 1t was
thought that death had been in.
Simultaneous.
There did not seem to be any
yellow in that mans make up, al
though convicted of a crime. When
we hear some one say that all men
convicted of crime or, in other
words what is commonly termed
criminals, are all towards, that per-
son does not know what he is talk
ing about. Of course, you will find
towards among all classes of peo-
pie, and no doubt, you will find
good many in prisons, but you can
not say that they are all towards,
because few show yellow streak
l read in one of the newspers
where gang of prisoners were
working on the road, believe it
was in the state of Washington.