The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-03-12
The Wrong Prisoner

youth, whose name is appropriately Rich, Will
spend the rest Of his life behind prison bars unless
some sympathetic governor meticulousy tech
nical court gives him freedom.
He committed very revolving and bestial
crime one which indicates that prison is the place
for him. not only to punish him, but to protect girls
and young from his unrestrained passions
year ago he was the life OF the party at every
gathering In very small Michigan CITY, notable for
its breakfast foods and the decorous little college
where parents sent their boys and girls to keep them
away from the pernicous influence of the large CEN
tiers.
Ha was popular with the girls Of that school,
because he had the finest automobile, the most
spending money and had the secret of filling hip
flask with synthetic gin of getting homemade
wines from bootleggers.
He was student at the college, receiving train
ing and knowledge but little wisdom under the east
est Of surroundings.
His fond father gave him all the money he
wanted There was no limitation expenses. He
had his way made easy and the path was smoothed
Small wonder that he believed that his fathers
fortune could buy him immunity for any indulgence
in excuses which appealed to him.
Small wonder that under these conditions he
was to be found on midnight Joy rides with girls who
believed 1t smart to drink from his hip flask and who
dehed all conventions.
Small wonder that he believed the big job at
college was to have good time and let his passion
and his incinations guide his actions.
Even less surprising that one night with back
ground Of booze he ravaged and beat into insensoi
ftv a girl VINO had been fattered by his fathers
wealth and his inheritance Of a fortune.
OF course at the shock of this sordid and savage
act every one turned upon this youth and demanded
that he pay the penalty for his acts.
That is just as it should be- for his education
and his training has been such to make him unfit
to associate with other young men and women
But is not the big truth behind it all that the
people have Jailed the wrong man, at least have
failed to send with him all those who were to blame
in the series of events that led up to his savage out
break on golf course?
What did his father give to the boy except
money? Where was he when his son, with his high
powered car, was darting from dance to road house
and from road house to dive?
Where were the teachers of the little country
college when girls were obtaining an ideal OF life
that g1or1hes the man who has nothing but pros
pective legacy?
Where were the people who are so shocked by
the fact of midnight drinking party while these
youths and girls we're forming the habit of thinking
It smart to get drunk and to violate the law?
Where were the mothers of these girls while
their daughters were building their lives on the idea
that its chief aim is to marry rich youth instead
of looking for sturdiness of character and real
worth?
Where were the preachers, the teachers, the
business men of that town, while the Rock Of Ages
was being dynamited by these new and fashionable
sins7
It is no excuse for this youth to say that he is
the normal product of our present day customs and
prevailing thought
It is no excuse for him to say that he has seen,
Judges sneakng into offices to get drink and seen
cocktails served in homes that few years back
looked upon whisky with repusion.
It will be no excuse for the countless other boys
and girls who day awaken to the fact that they
are building their lives upon qucksands to say that
they reflect the spirit of the age
But somewhere this story has unwritten
chapter. Somewhere along the line others besides
this youth have failed badly as he failed.
Perhaps 1t is the family tie that has become too
weak It may be the spirit of universal lawlessness
1t may be distorted ideals. But he is not the only
az &c