Section 96. (f) Honor.
Kant says that a man's honor consists in what people think about
him, a woman's in what people say about her. Another authority
believes that honor and a sense of honor are an extension of the
sense of self in and through others. The essence of my honor is
my belief that I exist for others, that my conduct will be judged and
valued not only by myself but by others. Falstaff calls honor the
painted picture at a funeral. Our authors are both right and wrong,
for honor is simply the position a man takes with regard to the
world, so that even gamins may be said to have honor. Unwillingness
to see this may cause us criminalists considerable trouble. One
of the worst men I ever met in my profession, a person guilty of the
nastiest crimes, so nasty that he had driven his honorable parents
to suicide, had at the expiration of his last sentence of many years in
prison, said literally, "I offer no legal objection against the sentence.
I beg, however, for three days' suspension so that I may write a
series of farewell letters which I could not write as a prisoner."
Even in the heart of this man there was still the light of what other
people call honor. We often find similar things which may be used
to our advantage in examination. Not, of course, for the purpose
of getting confession, accusation of accomplices, etc. This might,
indeed, serve the interests of the case, but it is easy to identify a
pliable attitude with an honorable inclination, and the former must
certainly not be exploited, even with the best intention. Moreover,
among persons of low degree, an inclination toward decency will
hardly last long and will briefly give way to those inclinations which
are habitual to bad men. Then they are sorry for what they had
permitted to occur in their better moment and curse those who
had made use of that moment.
It is often funny to see the points at which the criminal seeks his
"honor." What is proper for a thief, may be held improper for a
robber. The burglar hates to be identified with the pick-pocket.
Many a one finds his honor in this wise deeply attacked, particularly
when it is shown him that he is betraying an accomplice, or that he
has swindled his comrades in the division of booty, etc. I remember
one thief who was inconsolable because the papers mentioned that
he had foolishly overlooked a large sum of money in a burglary.
This would indicate that criminals have professional ambitions and
seek professional fame.
