The trial of a bread thief in New York in 1935

In the midst of the Great Depression in the United States (which lasted from 1929 to the second half of the 1930s), in one of the poorest parts of New York City, there was a trial of a woman stealing bread from hunger.

On a cold evening in January 1935, the night trial was being conducted in one of the toughest wards in New York City.

An old and ragged woman was brought in, and she was charged with stealing a loaf of bread. Her face, melancholy, hidden in that melancholy was a shame.

The judge asked, "Is it true that you stole bread?"

The woman bowed her head and said awkwardly: "That's right! Judge, I really stole bread! "

The magistrate asked again, "What is your motive for stealing bread? Is it because of hunger?

The woman raised her head, looked at the judge and said, "Yes, I am hungry. The son-in-law has abandoned the family, my daughter is sick and the two little children are starving. They have not eaten for a few days now. I can not stop staring at them starving, they are still too small! "

When the woman finished speaking, the people around him began to groan. However, the owner of the shop where the bread was stolen does not agree to forgive. "This is a low security area, sir," he said. "She must be punished to set an example for others."

The judge sighed, looked at the woman and said: "Defendant, I have to work in accordance with justice, obey the law. You have two options: pay $ 10 or accept 10 days. "

The mayor of New York City, then-Fiorello LaGuardia was present and he was the judge that night. When he read the sentence, he also put his hand in his pocket, took out a note and dropped into his hat. He said loudly, "This is $ 10 that I will pay for this punishment. In addition, I charge each person in the court 50 cents, which is the penalty for our indifference in the same neighborhood but left a woman to steal bread to feed her. Mr. Baliff, go collect money and give the accused. "

The next day, the New York City newspaper reported that $ 47.5 had been sent to the poor woman. 50 cents in there is from the owner of the grocery store, in addition there are about a dozen other defendants awaiting trial, and the police present, they were honored to contribute 50 cents and stand Get up to applause warmly.

In theory, a woman who steals bread fined does not have anything to do with someone else? The Mayor responds in a transparent way - it is paying for our cold.

He said: Between man and man is not without relationship, man came into this world, as a part of society, has a contract, similar to in The material benefit relationship is a legal contract, the exchange of life in life is also a mental contract. "Goodness" is not only a kind of quality that is opposed to coldness, deceit, cruelty and selfishness, but also a kind of mental contract.

"Goodness is a universal language of the world, it can make blind people feel and the deaf hear." - Mark Twain

In life, anyone can face miserable misery, anyone can become weak, if we do not help others in danger, who can guarantee that we will not " Swallow the bitter fruit alone? " Only the good will can be shone by the sun and the "good deal" can exist in the world. The person who understands the importance of this type of contract is the noble person. People understand that paying for indifference is a wise person. The contemporary society is too cold, if we do not perceive and change, perhaps we will pay for our selfishness at a great price!