152 



STATISTICS OF CRIME IN THE CAPITAL. 



quick temper stimulates him to quarrel. His sleep, after a 

 debauch, is unrefreshing, and he only wakes to encounter another 

 day of uncertainty and wickedness. What, then, is the value of 

 life to him, "or one like him ? Why toil ? Why not steal ? What 

 shame has he? Is the prison, with certainty of food, a. greater 

 punishment than the free air with uncertainty ? On the contrary, 

 he regards it as a lighter punishment, whilst he is altogether insen- 

 sible to its moral degradation. 



Mexico will thus continue to be infested with felons, as long 

 as its prison is a house of refuge, and a comparatively happy home 

 to so large a portion of its outcasts. 1 



Statistics of Crime in the Capital, 1826 — 1836 — 1842. 



The following table exhibits the conditon of the public prisons 

 of Mexico in 1826. 



Inmates on the 31st Dec, 1825, . . . 553 



f For Homicides and their accomplices, . 15 V 



Entered " Robbery, " " " . 1,090 



in 1826. < u Rioting and bearing arms, . . 2,011 }> 4,750 



" Incontinence (incontinencia,) . 543 I 



" Various crimes, . . • . 955 j 



Total number of persons, 



Of these there were 

 Released, ..... 

 Sentenced to death by garrotte, . * . 

 " to prison for terms, . 

 ei to public works, . 

 " to house of correction, 

 " to service of the prison, 

 " chained at various places, 

 Remaining on the 31st December, 1826, 



. 4,155^ 

 7 



67 

 . 159 

 3 



. 229 



5,303 



V 4,628 



675 



Military Trials and Judgments in 1826. 



Entered prison, to be judged by military tribunals, 

 Sentenced to punishment, 



" to prison, . . 



" to military service, 



" to public works, 



" to house of correction, 



Liberated, 

 Escaped, 

 Died, . 



Delivered to the ordinary tribunals, 



48 

 5 



55 

 6 



212 

 12 

 2 

 14 



462 



362 



Remaining at end of 1826. 



100 



Mexico as it was and as it is, p. 269. 



