The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-05-15
New York Sum-

Young men and young women Just
from college and looking about Tor
opportunities should firmly reject all
suggestions or inducements to. take
I'M crime as a career. Moral con-
siderations aside, there is nothing,
absolutely nothing, which would
iustifv such a choice. True friends
would never think of recommending
it.
No matter how assiduously, intel
igently and drastically the business
of violently or furtively acquiring
ones neighbor's goods may be pur-
sued, the business leads to squalid
misery in the end. AS life work IL
simply doesn't pay, particularly for
those that go into it in small way.
Moreover, crime is becoming increas-
ingly disreputable. 1t is bad game
financially and it offers no social re-
wards worthy of the name.
There are many men and some Wo-
men in New York who have followed
the trade for years-some of them,
indeed, for a span of so years. To-
day, such of them as have not sunk
completely out of sight II the mo-
rasses of the underworld are objects
of pity even to the police. They have
become shambling mendicants, DID,
broken, utterly penniless, wholly de-
pendent on begging. They live like
toads in some dark hole, their only
solace in the twilight of life being
such rum or such drugs as they can
beg or steal. Most of their active
years have been spent in practlclng
the lock step. They will appear be-
fore Peter at the gate dragging their
left feet. Their immortal souls will
spring from unconsidered clay thrown
into a potter's field hole. At the
hour of their death many of them
will, be cursed by recollections OF
evil gains tossed away and by re-
erets such as come eventually to hu-
man beings that stray at the cross
roads.
Poor Business.
As a plain matter of human expe-
rience there is no degree of theft
which will pay one mill on the dol
lar. Take religion out Of the discus
sion entirely. Put aside all contem-
plation of the Ten Commandments
and the moral law. Forget the Gold
en- Rule and the ethical guide. Con-
slider crime solely as a business prop
ostion. Weigh the experience of no.
torious criminals that have made a
stir in the world because of their
boldness or shrewdness. The result
simply affronts intelligence. There is
nothing in it but shame, dirt, lone
liness, contempt and an unmarked
grave. There is not one commercial
criminal, that is to say thief who
steals by guile or strength with the
sole idea of getting money without
work and who cherishes no special
malice toward humankind, in thou
sand that ever enjoys in his closing
years any sort of prosperity, and
shade of the tranquility that old age
requires. In this there is observed
the operation of an immutable law OF
psychology. Not only are material
gains impossible to hold, but the
brain itself is so charged by the
hysteria of the trade that the calm
ness essential for happiness is for
ever destroyed.
Ask old Mott Haven Red, one of
the most daring and expert burglars
the police ever sought. Ask Ellen
Peck, queen of the confidence women,
who lured s1,000,000 from the
purses of too trustful men and who is
broke at the age of 80. Ask Monk
EdSlmdu, pS1AdpS IuO luOSI oouSSA
Gus gang leader in New York's his
tory before he went into the army,
won the distinguished service cross
and earned the respect of all his
comrades in arms. Ask Alonzo Whit
man, once State senator in Mime
sofa, later a wizard at forgery and
recently bum on the Bowery. Ask
John Dowd, probably the last of the
old Whyo gang, who is now nickel
CRATER after 80 years of dishonest
plotting. Ask Pat Gallagher, "swell
tin Taper" and now a cadger in East
Side gin mills. Ask Jimmy Farrell,
clever forger and counterfeiter for
80 years, but now down and out.
Ask hundred such, and you would
get one answer: "There's nothing in
it."
Living Example.