davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
Lunacy and Crime
BY II. Arlington Bruce.

Recently a murderer named Bartlett
was given life sentence for the slay-
ing Of Boston druggist. This crime
was the elimination of a long series
of offcnses against society committed
by a man who, according to expert cvi-
dencc, had been in, some degree men
tally deranged from youth.
Such an impression did this evidence
make on the prosecuting attorney that
he specifically recommended that
Bartlett be held forever ineligible for
either parole or pardon. As he pointed
out:
The defendant in this case has
been a criminal from boyhoOd, the
major portion of his life has been spent
in prison. While in the state prison
in Connecticut number of years ago
he was committed TO the insane ward
of the prison for delusional insanity.
"His whole life story indicates IIen-
tai instability. His record is that of
n habitual criminal. / feel that for
the protection of the community the
court sentence should never be Interior
ed with"
Now. this is the sort of recommends
ton that ought 10 be made in many.
many cases. If it had been male with
regard to Bartlett years asp-as some
judge or prosecuting attorney might
well have made 1.-THE Boston dug
gist killed by him would be alive to-
day. ...--...
And if it were more frequently made
in the case Of criminals demonStrably
of psychopathic personality. if not
positively insane. there would soon be
an appreciable lowering Of the murder
rate. ROW so high as TO be n maiSII
of public comment and discussion
everywhere.
TO lower this rate it has been urged
that laws be enacted more vigorously
restricting the sale of firearms and
pOisOns. Such laws would help pTd
cannot too soon be enacted. But far
more important. it seems to me. Is the
detection and confinement Of potential
users of firearms and poisons for rur-
poses of murder To an extent greater
than is commonly suspected their de-
lection is possible.
As everybody knows, the psychopatlic
and insane arc peculiarly likely TO
commit deeds of violence. 1t il n
commonplace that insanity is incrcas-
ingly advanced as n defense in mueller
cases. And, thoHgh the general belief
is that il is mostly advanced t. avoid
punishment, the fact remains thas mem
tai diseases of all sorts are on the
increase.
Also. it is a fact-as SHOWN by
statistics Of prison OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
inmates Of our jails and penitentiarcs
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11

! ingly brutal. But it should be remem-
bered that an innocent man, trusting his
wife and his slayer, was done to death
in cold-blooded and deliberate manner
with knife. He was entitled under
the law to his life. Likewise it was pro-
vided by the law that any person who
deprived him of his life through murder,
should pay with a life. The evidence
while somewhat circumstantial; was en-
tircly adequate. There could be no doubt
in the mind of any fair person that the
guilt Of both man and woman was proven.
Hence the question of mitigating circum-
stances did not enter, with the jury or
with the court.
This case is so typical OF the average
murder case in England as to indicate the
general attitude of English courts on such
matters. While there are many things
about English Jurisprudence that may not
appeal to the American iurist and Juror,
there can be no doubt that the prompt
and effective punishment OF criminals
is one of the best features of English
courts and model for all nations.
In America there is far, far too much
sloppy sentimentality involved in our
criminal proceedings. This is particularly
true in murder cases. If the man or
woman who took the life of another,
knew to moral certainty that they
would be hanged as surely as the sun
rises and sets, except when they acted
in unavoidable self=dcfense, there would
be fewer murder cases in the courts of the |
United States. That is why the English
courts have few murder trials. Murder
IS not popular in England. Justice is
Justice over there
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
JUSTICE-NOT MERCY

1t has been said that a person seeking
justice should appeal to an English trial
court but that a person seeking mercy
had better appeal almost anywhere else
in the world
This is eNempliiied in the executions
the other day OF youth, scarcely 20
years old and a woman, eight years his
senior, for the murder of the woman's
husband. Every plea that ordinarily
would avail in an American court of JUS
ticc was tried in an effort to save the
lives OF the two condemned people. In
fact, the youth stoically facing death,
made last minute Confession" in which
he cNoncratcd the woman from all knowl-
edge of or completely in the crime. Her
attorneys carried this appeal direct to the
highest governmental authorities in an
effort to obtain a stay OF execution, to no
avail.
On the. other hand there was a strong
public sentiment in favor oil the youth. it
being the popular idea that he was madly
infatuated with the woman and that she
had used him to rid herself of husband
She no longer loved. taking advantage
OF his youth and foolish love for her to
accomplish this end.
There was the added fact that the
women was very pretty, fairly youthful
and had winning personality. In the
average American court she would have
stood fifty-fifty chance of acquittal 1t
IS indeed doubtful on the other hand, if
an American court would have sent the
youth to the gallows because of his
years, his former good character and the
circumstances surrounding his infatuation
! for the woman.
Yet jury OF Englishmen, trained from
youth to understand that the law is the
law, that murder is murder, that evidence
is evidence, calmly found the man and
woman guilty OF murder which apparently
they were. An English court, basing its
action on the jury's verdict and the law
as written, passed sentence of death.
he usual appeals were taken, the SEN
tcncc was confirmed and the two were
hanged. The woman collapsed but was
carried TO the trap, the moose adjusted
and she was hurled TO eternity.
At first glance this may seem revolt
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
From a Seat in the Gallery
BY HERBERT COREY.

Washington. Jan. 9.-The best card
that Stanley Baldwin, British chancel-
Ior of the exchequer, will have to play
upon his mission TO get the United States
to cancel or at the worst reduce the
British debt, is that we do not know
how large that debt is. A billion is as
incomprehensible as the Einstein. theory.
1t sounds like the nebular hypothesis.
Most of us swing in 500 arcs, so to
speak. -Four and one-half billion dol
lars are mere clusters of words.
But that debt, il repaid, would fur
nish a $1,000 home 10 each, of the Co.,
600 teachers in the state common schools
of the United States.
The other day, Stephen Mather, head
of the National Park Service, a man
who has given his time and his own
money TO making the superb natural
parks of the United States get-at-able
by the travelling taxpayer, asked an APP
preparation of 81, J00,000 year for four
years TO build roads in the great western
parks After q long discussion the re-
quest was refused. A Texas congress
man thought the cost was too great.
Perhaps. the financial condition of
the United States being what it is,
the Texas man was right. But neither
house of congress has ever impressed
the onlooker as being aware of the
wight and burden that the European
debt to the United States is on the
neck of the American taxpayer.
Yet that S4,J00,000,000 debt which
Great Britain owes us would have
enabled Stephen Mather TO build
roads at that rate through the parks
for the next 1900 years.
There are, in round numbers, $500
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11

counties in the forty-eight states. The
British debt TO us, if paid, might be
used in building S1,5O0,00O court
house in each county.
The United States Reclamation Ser
vice has expended $122, 100000, net, in
retaining approximately 100000 acres
of arid land. IL the British debt were
paid to us the Reclamation Service
could reclaim. at the rate of 500 an
acre. 45,000,000 acres of arid land.
Thatsis three times more arid land
than the United States Reclamation
Service can find that is worth re-
claiming.
After puttig water. on the 100000
arid acres that can probitably be re-
gained, there. would be enough left TO
pay for the redemption of 100000
other acres-one-half the cut-over for
est land of the United States, for ex-
ample, or One-half the swamp land.
Or the British debt, if paid, would
give each of our 435 congressman a
ten million.dolar office building all to
himself. OR it would furnish a 3d.
900 savings account TO each of the 3
100000 babies born each year. Or it
would give each of the S5,000,000 ma
tive born Americans in the United
states $50. Or it would furnish a paw
ing fund of S1J,000,000 to each of the
300 cities of more than $4,000 popula-
ton. Or it would put $45 in each of
our 100,000,000 pockets. Or it would
decrease the tax burden on each of
our $100,000,000 people 50 bill each
year.
Four and one half billion dollars are
easier to get at when they are chopped
up in small pieces.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
WHERE THEIR MONEY IS MADE

An old story with a new meaning is
told by a dispatch which TIE LIGHT
printed the other day under this headline:
Had Million When He Left L. S.; Re
turns with Sixty Cents" Specifically. the
report recountcd briefly the sad experience
OF one George Picrocaco, a Greek, who
lost in Smyrna the fortune he had made
in America. His wealth, the basis OF
which he had doubtless laid by dint OF
hard toll in this land OF opportunities.
was swept away by the flames Of war in
a land where generally the virtue Of labor
Is its own sole reward.
Whether the moral which the incident
suggests was impressed upon Picrocaco's
consciousness, only he can know. In
any case it is significant that he hurried
back TO America to start all over again.
How old he was when he entered upon
the business eareet which made. him
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
Factograms
BY +. q. Curtis,

Reeeptacies or Door Slots for Mail.
The POstOffice Department recently
directed postmasters throughout the
country TO bring TO the attention of
the public that in the future the re-
cipients of mail will be required to
provide suitable reccptaclcs for il.
The department explains that the re-
quircment applies alike to those who
dwell in cities and in villages: that
already a large majority Of all dwell
ings are thus equipped: that the
carriers are delayed whore the re-
service will be- improved il the use
of the boxes is adopted by all; that
the boxes will insure prompt and
safe delivery of mail even though the
addresses be absent; that they will
Obviate the necessity of patrons re-
spending to the bell at inconvcnicnt
moments. and in general expedite the
mail service.
The PostOffice Department contem-
plated that by December 81. 1922. at
the latest, all dwellings would have been
provided with the necessary recep-
taclcs. but the demand for boxes has
been so great rs to oyertax the manu-
facturcrs and Postmaster General
Work has. therefore. authorized post
masters in cases wheye their patrons
have been delayed in making pro-
visions for mail receptacles on this ac-
count to extend the limit of time for
equipment TO March /. 1923.
No particular style or type of re.
ccptacle is specified or required, but
it must be so located as to be con
vcnient TO the carriers, and it must
be of suitable material.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
Pointed Paragraphs

For that tired feeling take a taxi;
The more mistakes a man makes the
easier it is for him to invent excuses.
Even when work is scarce you wlil
find it everywhere.
It's easy to impose upon a man who
has good disposition.
What's yOurs?" is a question that
used TO provoke q smile.
The spider is seldom in danger when
his life * hanging by a thread.
IL you are disappointed with your
lot. put iC in the hands of a real estate
agent.
Millions strive for wealth, thousands
for fame and possibly a dozen TO be
good.
One thing a man can't understand
is why his enemies have so many
friends.
A clever woman is one who makes
her husband believe he knows more thin
she does.
1t requires extraordinary ability to
enable n man TO be profitably and safe
ly dishonOrable.
What nan has done man can do. out
it's never half so much As a woman
expects him TO do.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
Watching the Parade
by John Pilgrim.

Don't mind me. I'm a bit upset
this morning, that's all. Just had
blow between wind and water, so t.
speak. Got jolt in the mental Dread
basket. Anyhow, here's the story. n
year ago | tried TO get a friend OF mine
to give little Eddie Carr job.
why don't you give him job your
self" my friend asked.
you're impolite," l said. mo one
should ask that sort of II question i'll
that sort of way. Anyhow, have
! no place for him."
"Neither have J., growled the friend.
IL know the boy. Hes dope. he
don't know nothing"
That double negative may be UNI
grammatical. but it has the punch. l
knew that little Eddie Carr didn't know
nothin'. lie was as vacant as an
empty room. He never had thought,
but il he had one it would have sound
ed like rolling a barrel down n hall.
He never had any precise information.
He could not be sure whether a motor
man stands on the front or the rear
end of a car. But he surely did need
job. .....
Eddie" said to him trying to
trouble is that you are not precise in
your mental processes. When you re-
ply to n question you say L think in
stead of L know You cen be driven
away from what you think too easily,
because you are never sure. Cd.
Then l told him TO train himself
mentally.
MAKE your eyes report TO you what
they see." | said. when You go into
a room see what is in the room. See
how many chairs there arc, and what
sort, and what the pictures are, and
where the light comes from, and what
books there are in the case. When
You walk on the street see things. DO
not merely look at things. Tack them
down in your memory. At night run
over the days bag. Ask yourself:
what was it i saw on Geewhillicker
street between the pretty girl and the
corner of Morbid avenue?
And if you cannot answer the
question go over the route until you
can. Train your memory and YOUR
mind. Teach yourself to be sure"
And I'll say he did That is what
has so completely taken the wind out
OF me this morning. And. having
taught his eyes TO see and his memory
to register and his mind to reason. he
got him a job, without any ifs. ands.
or butts attached and no friendly hand
to guide him. And this morning he
came in and sold me a bill of goods
that / did not want to buy.
But | could not answer his argu-
mentS.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
Women Have M Rights.


Miss Gertrude Emerson, the noted witt
er who has just returned from two
years study OF the people OF India, saId
recently: There is no woman question In
India. Ird!an women are AS blind to
tleir privileges as the girl Who married
the barber. so you've married the bur-
ber eh?' her former mistress said 10. her.
'Yas'm; I've married the BARKER said tho
girl complacent!y. 'Humph. And you
gave him that 5000 you had saved up,
didn't yOu?' 'Yas'm; I gave him that
5000 TIumph. Where is he now?' He's
off spendin' the $500 on his honeymoon,
ma'aul'"
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
LIES SEEsAW.

Gin We find a heart that's weary.
And that needs a brither's hand,
Dinna thou turn from il, dearic;
Thou maun help thy fellowmGn.
Thou, too. hast a hidden heartache,
Sacred from all mortal ken.
And because of thine own grief's sake
Thou maun feel for ithcr meu.
In this world o. sccsaw. dearie.
Grief goes up and joy comes down,
BrOws that catch the sunshine cheGrie
May tomorrow wear a frown.
Bleak December, dull and dreary,
Follows on the heels Of May.
Give thy trust unstintcd. dearic.
Thou mayst need friend some day.
Unknown.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11

millionaire, the dispatch reporting his
present plight omitted to say. 1t did say,
though, that now, at the beginning of his
second Eight for a fortune" he is forty
wears old. That is not, of course, an age
that presents insuperable obstacles for
the ambitious; many a man has begun
to amass a fortune after passing the. half
century mark. But it is an age at which
comparatively few foreigners turn to
America as a land of rich promise in the
monetary sense; then the average alien
who comes to our shores is in search
rather of Surcease from the kind OF toll
that spells mere existence.
But this does not define the moral
suggested by the story of the Greeks re-
verses in the Old World and his return
to the land that had given him wealth.
There is nothing new in the TACT that
America is still the land OF opportunity,
although Americans, cngrossed in their
own problems. may sometimes wonder,
when they devote any thought to the
matter. whether their country has been
maintaining its proverbial character i'll
this respect during the last few years.
Some Americans, suffering business re-
verses, may have been inclined to think
that pcrhaps-what with the existing
rates of exchange and the dearth of capi- !
tai in Europe-thcy were missing some
thing by limiting their investments to
their own country.
The story of the Greek who lost his |
all in the Old World might well be thor
oughly digcsted not only by native Amer
leans but also by those aliens among us
who seem to count their success in bust |
ness here as largely negligible unless they
can some day take their earnings back
to the lands whence they came. Thou-
sands, millions OF dollars gained by for
eigners in this land of recognized oppor-
tunity arc sent back to the "old countries"
every year. Some OF this money is for
the benefit OF relatives over there. But
not little OF it goes into investments in
countries where it could never have been
accumulated by toll and saving-iaciities
so successfully here by such
men as the Greek who lost in Smyrna
what he had amassed in the United States.
If the differences thus indicated were
disccrnable before the world war, they
ought to be sclf-evident now. Then a
laborer in the Old World might get
ahead TO some extent by practicing the
most rigid frugalty, and what he was
able to save, though it might never grow
into a fortune, was not in danger OF sud
den destruction. But now the dangers
to which wealth in the monetary form,
and property in all forms, are subjected
in nearly every country OF the Old World
arc superlatively great, Fortunes are
swept away in twinkling, ii not dissi-
pated in the form OF heavy taxes Al
though taxes in the United States are
extremely high for this country, posi-
lively destructive factors such as those to
be encountered in Europe are not operat-
ing here, and it is unlikely that they ever
will be.
Ii foreigners make money in America,
America is the place for the investment
OF their fortunes. Americans, too, should
realize and appreciate, as never before,
the advantages which their own country
affords
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
RUSSIA'S LATEST OFFENSE

In critical times men run to excuses
i'll thoughts and deeds. Or it may be said
that excuses make critical times. 1t may
or may not be important to distinguish
between the cause and the effect. lire
spectivc of whether critical times bring
excuses, or excuses produce critical
times, certain it is that highly abnormal
and grossly unnatural state of mind was
betrayed by the Young Communists in
their recent carnival at Moscow whereby
they undertook to celebrate the Christ
mas of the Julian calendar.
They could not have chosen a more
effective method OF mourning the dsfavor
OF the outside world. Protesting to be
anxious to establish friendly relations
with other peoples. and seeking foreign
trade and loans 10 build up their country,
the Russians have said or done nothing
so offensive to the world as the Young
Communists deliberate, vulgar mockery
OF established religions will surely be- If
there was no other evidence to indicate
how unwholeSomc are conditions in Rus
STA, this incident alone would suffice
as positive proof.
Whether he be deeply devout or in
clined toward agnosticism, no self-rcspcct-
ing person can contemplate the scenes
at Moscow, as described by an Associated
Press dispatcA from that city, without
experiencing feeling OF rcvulsion. Even
an unbeliever might we'll be sickcncd by
the thought OF burlesquing the deitics
which the people OF the earth have wor-
SHIPPED through the ages. Christian, Jew,
Mohammedan, Buddhist, all were figura-
lively trampled in the dust and literally
laughed to scorn by the banner-bcaring
mcrrymakers. A bonfire was built, and
around it the celebrantS danced as they
threw into the flames effigieS of the
Christ-child and of the gods to which
or to whom millions of mortals have bowed
for thousands of years. The ancient and
beautiful story of Yu!ctide, the message
Of Peace on earth, good will toward
men," and even the carols and chants
of the orthodox Russian church were
recited in the form of jeering parodics.
Religion" said one placard borne in the
procession, rs the opiatc OF the people
Such extreme atheism has seldom ii
WI DSlOlC DCCll pIdCllCCu. II II uc-
scribes the character of the boshcvist
government of Russia, then tho peoples
of other nations may be expected to
conclude that stories discreditablc to the
Soviet regime have been entirely too er-
Phcmistic.
1t may put a superlative strain upon
human nature to assume any charitable
attitude whatever toward those response
bic for the grotesquc exhibition of irrcv-
erencc which the dispatch describes Con,
tcmplating it, one may, however, be re,
minded of the opposite extreme of pro-
religious excuses which the world ha.
experienced during several stages of it:
recorded history. When the effects o
the two extremes are observed, it may
be difficult to decide which is the more
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. fanaticism tina
welters in human blood, or atheism tina
mocks at and strives to make ridculou.
the faith that Nature has implanted il
the human heart.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11


day after serving
cut a sentence of
five years" said
the ex-convict.
His long suffer-
ing wife looked up
YEARLY from her
work. MANY hap
py returns" she
said, Il wish you
many happy return
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11
According to Her PrincinIea

Flora-lts rumored that you're engaged
to Mr. Allfront. Are you marrying him
for his money?
Fauna-There's nothing In the rumor. I
shall never marry-especially the man 1
don't love--unless he has lot more money
than Mr. Allfront.
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11

I'm" said the other.
81 wish Addison and Goldsmith were
here"
"Um," mumbled the other again.
Sir, you do not enthuse over the
roets of the past. Would you not
swell with pride to have them with
u.s."
oh. it would be very fine" au-
swered his practical friend. But who'd
buy dinnery' .r
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11

love affairs" said
Mrs. II o II b e a k,
looking up rom
tic letter from her
city relative.
1--WE II, l sh'u'd
y'Cnder," interest
edly c jacu la t ed
honest L ar m c +
Iiornbeak. "What
in time can she do
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11

cal NIOlence. ooc
declared his inten-
ton of pulling tie
Others rals.
IF he tries tordF
that he will find
h is hanJs FULL
SAIL tee thr .st-
ened QUE when re-
peating what had
occurred. SID
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11

l'N9Ns - y = Q
running over the
good country. ]
wish we knew how
to get rid OF
them" The expert
thought for an it,
S tan {, then he
said, II have it !
Wen post up bills
giving the recipe
San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-11

poets OF the past.
His friend, avoid.
ing the eye of the
waiter, had little
TO say. II
Il W ] S h Burns
and X cat S wee
W t h us tonight. .
declared the poet,
THAT would be a
rnoofip0y