The Evansville Daily Journal

An Error and its Correction.
The Enquirer, in correcting the misapprehension
under which we labored, relative to
the proper conviction of Thos. Wood to the
penitentiary two years for stealing a turkey,
takes occasion to accuse us of endeavoring
to "cast a slur on the Court," and of affording
"a disgraceful proof of low minded villainy."
The connection between this error
of ours, (in merely mistaking the lowest limits
for which a criminal can be sentenced by
the laws of Indiana for grand larceny) and
"low minded villainy," is not apparent to us.
It may be and really is probably very apparent
to those, who are practically better acquainted
with "low minded villainy." We
were under the apprehension that the lowest
limit was one year's condemnation to the penitentiary
for the man found guilty of grand
larceny—but it seems we were in error.
We are always ready to correct an error
when pointed out to us, but a man may
prove himself much less a gentleman in correcting
an error his neighbor may commit,
than his neighbor in innocently making it.
We should be sorry if in this instance we
were guilty of "such a gross breach of courtesy,"
and so disgraceful a proof of a low
minded villainy," in committing very innocently
this single error, as has our neighbor
in the vulgar method he has taken to correct
it. If stealing a turkey be punishable with
two years confinement in the penitentiary,
we do not know what punishment our precious
neighbor deserves for his really much
greater crimes against public decency.