ELOQUENCE IN THE DOCK.
At the General Sessions on Monday, before His Honor Judge Cope, George Hetheringtori, alias Harris, alias Standisb, pleaded guilty to three charges of horse*' stealing. When brought up for sentence and asked in the usual .manner what he had to say for himself, he treated the Court to a well arranged discourse on the evils of the present penal system, of which he stated he considered himself " a fair representative." He reminded the Court of the previous conviction! that had been proved against him, and of the sentences he had undergone. He assured His Honor' that he had watched very \ closely, and was certain he stated a fact when he affirmed that 90 per cent. of all the men who went to Pentridge, after completing their sentences returned to the world much worse than they ware before they were sent to that establishment. In fact the place was demoralising, but this was not from the administration of it, for better men than Mr Duncan and Mr Gardiner could not be, and even his short stays in Melbourne gaol had enabled him to observe that the governor there might be included in his approval His remarks, however, applied to th« Pentridge establishment, than which hd : believed he was right in saying "that there is not a more wicked spot upod '■' the earth." He knew it to be the birttpiace and nursery of crimes innumerable, some of them unmentionable; This, horever, was the fault of the system, not of the authorities, for the latter were power- .- less, there being io many influences for evjl at Pentridge and so few for good. The ministers of religion did their duties
in a perfunctory manner, especially tile ' three Protestant. One resident clergyman, if he was a good man, would at half the cost be more effectual* for good than, the three,; who pare but a casual attendance." Mr Duncan was doing more good than all the clergymen combined, and he believed him to be a thorough Christian. "He invites rolunteers to meet him on Saturday afternoons, and when they come he reads to them, prays for them, and speaks to them as a father, admonishing the careless, encouraging the penitent and well-doing." Mr Duncan, however, though doing much, could not: be very successful until an entire revision of the whole penal system took place. The Government should always retain » position on public works for discharged prisoners. Discharged prisoners were worse off than newly arrived immigrant*, .'•' for contractors would give the latter work, while they looked down upon the former. /. He was sure if he had had.fair chance? he should have reformed long ago. Once he had: come out of prison, and had writ* ten two letters. One of them wu no* answered, and the reply he received to the other was that the writer had to .• work to give, and if he had he wouldt't give it to a man just out of gaol. The' speech was very impressive, and she learned judge desired .the' prisoner to write it and send it to him. The ridiculous sentence of three years was then passed, the sentences on the second and third charges being made concurrent with the first. This interesting criminal according to the record, has been constantly in trouble since 1859, his principal weaknesses being stealing trucks, cows, pigs, poultry, and miscellaneous trifles. When a younger man he was considered to be rather a dangerous character. His speech, we leara, had been rehearsed before he left the gaol, and when he returned he was heard to remark to those who were with " him—" Well, I pitched a good yarn, and the r- judge believed every word of it. Only three year*,fotfihree cases I, £.' expected seven at the" least/ " \:'
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Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3079, 30 December 1878, Page 2
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627ELOQUENCE IN THE DOCK. Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3079, 30 December 1878, Page 2
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