the twin hells(两个地狱)-第46章
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circumstantial evidence； unsupported by positive testimony。 If the
judgment below is confirmed； then let the murderer be kept in close
confinement in the penitentiary for one year； and； if during that time no
new evidence or mitigating circumstances arise let him be hung by the
neck until he is dead。
Let the execution take place in the prison； let it be private and
witnessed by but few persons； designated by the executive of the State。 It
is better for the criminal to be hung than to be sent to the penitentiary for
life。 While serving out a lifetime sentence he suffers ten thousand deaths。
Those States where the death penalty is inflicted have the least number of
brutal murders； in proportion to their population。 The dread of death is a
better protection to society than a life of imprisonment。 The fiend with
murder in his heart thinks 〃while there is life； hope remains；〃 and if he is
sent to the penitentiary for life he may get a pardon after a time。 But if he
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is aware of the fact that if he strikes the fatal blow he must atone for his
crime on the gallows； he is more liable to think twice before striking his
innocent victim once。 There should be no such a thing as a life sentence。
No criminal should be sent to the penitentiary for a term longer than
fifteen years。 The suffering he endures during this long sentence is enough
to atone for any crime he may commit aside from a brutal murder； and for
this he should be hung。 Fifteen years of imprisonment is sufficient to
break down almost any constitution。 Having spent this length of time
behind prison walls a man is a physical wreck； and； having atoned for his
crime； let him have the last days of life in the world of freedom。 The
greatest desire of a life man in our penitentiaries is to die outside of prison
walls。 No criminal should be sent to the penitentiary for less than five
years。 After giving him one fourth off for good behavior； he has but little
more than three years of actual service。 This will give him plenty of time
to learn a trade； so that when he goes out of prison he can make a living
for himself and for those depending upon him。 For crimes that require
lighter sentences of imprisonment let jails or reformatories be brought into
requisition。 In the eyes of the world a jail sentence is not so disgraceful as
one in the penitentiary。
The plumage of a jail…bird is not so black as that of a penitentiary bird。
The disgrace of being sent to the penitentiary for one year is as great as
being sent for five or ten years。 Whether he goes for one or five years； for
all the future he is set down as an ex…convict。 People do not stop to inquire
as to the length of his sentence。 The main question is： Was he in the
penitentiary？ If so； he wears the mark of Cainthe stamp of disgrace。 Not
so； if he simply has been in jail。 There are a great many young men； while
surrounded by bad company； yield to temptation and commit crime。 A
dose of jail service will do them as much good as a year in the penitentiary。
After they get out they do not feel the disgrace so keenly； and there is
some hope for their reformation。 Send them to the penitentiary and it will
be a miracle if they ever amount to anything in the future。 If a jail sentence
of a year does not reform a young criminal； or a man of older years； who
has committed his first offense； then give a term in the penitentiary for
five years for the second offense。 It is too true that a sentence to the
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penitentiary for a first term is the irretrievable ruin of the young offender。
This becomes an obstacle which； during all the future； he cannot surmount。
This plan being adopted let everything be done to reform the youthful
offender while in jail。 It is much easier to carry forward the work of
reformation in a jail or reformatory than in a penitentiary。
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CHAPTER XVII
THE MISSOURI PRISONERS（Continued）
During the years 1887 and 1888； 1；523 prisoners were received into
the Missouri penitentiary。 Of this number 1；082 were white males； 398
colored males； 17 white females； and 26 colored females。 These figures
show that the women of Missouri are a great deal better than the men； or
they do not get their share of justice。
TABLE SHOWING THE AGES OF CONVICTS RECEIVED
DURING THE YEARS 1887 AND 1888。
From 16 to 20。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。320 〃 20 to 25。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。441
〃 25 to 30。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。344 〃 30 to 35。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。143 〃 35
to 40。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。113 〃 40 to 45。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 70 〃 45 to
50。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 34 〃 50 to 55。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 31 〃 55 to
60。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 15 〃 60 to 65。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 5 〃 65 to
70。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。 4 〃 70 and upward。。。。。。。。。。。。 5
Total 。。。。。。。。。。 1；523
There is nothing that should interest the good people of Missouri more
than the foregoing table。 These appalling figures I copied from the prison
records。 Of the 1；523 criminals received during the past two years； more
than one…fifth of them were mere children。 Would it not be better to give
these boys a term in the county jails； or in some reformatory； instead of
sending them to a penitentiary？ Coming in contact with hardened and
vicious criminals； what hope is there for getting these boys into the paths
of honesty and uprightness？ Then there follows the large number of 441；
representing the youthful age from twenty to twenty…five years。 These are
the years most prolific of criminals。 Who can say these boys are vicious
and hardened criminals？ Then follow the young men of from twenty…five
to thirty。 Three hundred and fourty…four of this age find a home in felon
cells。 Are these boys and young men not worth saving？ What can be done
to snatch them from a career of crime； and to save them from becoming
miserable wrecks？ Father； if one of these boys was a son of yours； you
would think seriously over this important question。
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Something should be done to save this large army of youth who are
annually finding their way into felon cells。
Is the penitentiary the proper place to send those youthful offenders？ If
so； then they should not come in contact with the older and hardened
criminals。 One of the most essential things to be done in a prison is the
classification of the inmates。 This is not done in the Missouri penitentiary。
Here the mere youth often cells with a hardened old criminal of the worst
description。 I would rather a child of mine would be boxed up with a
rattlesnake。 In this institution there are nearly 2；000 criminals huddled up
