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.