Bicycle Thief

Herbert Hewlett, a 39-year-old laborer of Hull, England, had served almost three years of a five-year sentence for stealing 20 bicycles; then he suddenly went blind. Under Britain's "prerogative of mercy," the rest of his sentence was remitted. The governor of Lincoln Prison gave Howlett a white cane and advised him to take training for the blind.

Two days later, Howlett raced, stickless, into his parents' house shouting, "I can see!" He explained: "When I awoke this morning there was a white film in front of my eyes. Soon afterwards I could see clearly." Although the authorities were suspicious about Hewlett's sudden recovery, they couldn't send him back to prison. Then Howlett stole another bicycle.

At his trial, the prison doctor explained that Howlett was suffering from hysterical blindness which ended when he was set free. The defense said it might well recur if he were put behind bars again. The judge was not impressed. Last week Howlett was in prison again, this time for six: months, and still seeing clearly.

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