LONG SENTENCES

Evening Star, Issue 15778, 15 April 1915, Page 5

LONG SENTENCES

SURPRISING AN OLD OFFENDER. “ Upon the question of Ion" and short sentences,’’ writes Sir Melville L. Macnaghten. C.8., late chief of the criminal investigation department at Scotland Yard, in - Days of My Years,’ "1 have no very' decided views. Every case, it seems to me, should be dealt with on its own merits. Experience goes to show that it is about an. even chance as to whether a convict leaves prison, a better or a worse man than he was when he entered it. But there is this point to be considered, and it is one v, iiich, as ,1 think, docs not receive sufficient attention : If A steals jour pur.se or breaks my head, and if he is known to have, indulged in similar pleasantries theso many years pact, surely it is only right that you and I, His Majesty's liege subjects, should be protected ' from these- varying annoyances ; and this can only bo done by keeping A in durance vile.' Short sentences have been very much in vogue for the last 10 years. 1 do not quarrel with them, but they are simply not ‘ undorstanded ’ of the criminal classes, as the following story will show ; —An old ’lag,’ on being arrested red-handed for a had burglary, remarked to the detective: ‘lt’s a. fair cop, guv-nor. 1 suppose I’ll get, about 10 years’ stretch for this job?’ The officer referred to, bearing in mind the good old adage that a detective should keep his eyes and his ears open, but bis mouth shut, expressed no opinion as to tho length of punishment likely to be meted out. In duo course the prisoner apneared at the sessions, when the learned ‘chairman explained to him in heated langua/e that this was ono of the verv worst cases that ho had ever heard, that society must bo protected from the depredation of such a villain as he, now saw in the dock before him, and that antvhing like a merciful sentence would be altogether out of place. The prisoner began to think that bis calculation of 10 years had been wholly erroneous, and that 15 would be nearer tho mark, when the chairman suddenly dried up and gave him six months’ hard" labor! Thereupon the astonished criminal leant over the side of the dock, and in a loud stage whisper to his old. friend tho detective remarked: ‘Hi say. is the old beggar boozed, or don't 'e know 'is job?' ”