The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1853-05-27
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
a short time since we gave some stats.
Tics relating TO the operation of The nom
capital punishment law in this State, and
Stated Il as our IMPRESSION that previous
to the passage Of this law, there we're no
convictions for murder, aud consequently
no executions. In this we were mis-.
taken. In conversation yesterday with
Jonas II. Titus, Esq, who was several
years Agent of the State Prison, we
learned that there were four convictions
Tor murder in the State previous to the
passage OF the law Ofthe persons who
were thus convicted, two were executed.
aud the sentence Of the other two COM.
muled TO Imprisonment, for life in the
Slate Prison,
Thus, in ten years, from 1886 till
1916, there we're four convictions far
murder. under the capital punishmen,
law. while in seven years, from lS46 ill
1858, there were nine convictions under
the lTesen. law. If we compare the
relative population of the several years
during the two periods, il viii be found
that there was an excess ofmurders com.
ntied during the former period over the
latter. In other words, there, was
greater per ceniage Of convictions for
murder when ihe penalty was hanging
than when il was solitary conGnementat al
hard labor FIR life. ifgl.s
There is an interesting fact connected
with this subject which we will state.-
The two persons spoken of above, whose
sentences were committed to imprson.
ment for life, have since been ascer-
tanned TO have been innocent of tile
crime Of which they were convicted, and
bcth have been pardoned; and each is,
we learn. leading respectable life, ell.
gagged in the pursuit Of an honest calling
for livelihood. One OF them was 4
white ard the other colored nun. Had
the penalty of hanging in these cases
been enforced, two Innocent men would
have suffered death.
Facts like these will do more 10 make
anti>capilal punishment men than all the
reasoning tha, can be advanced. Il is
better that ninety and nine guilty men
esrape than thai one innocent man should
suffer, is the legal maxim; andif il be an
axiom, il will be long before Michigan
should have recourse 10 the "bloody
code" A,ltst v4gleE NfD
We allude TO this subject, no, only be.
C ins il is desirable to know lbe results Of
SO important change as that which this
State has been the first 10 adopt, bu, for
The reason that in other States moves
Inenis are in progress TO Test a law which
is called for BY very considerable por-
lion of The public voice. Our experi>
ence, so far as it gees, is valuable, and
proves, at least, that there has been no
danger IN making The experimcn, Of pull
ing down the galows., In other States,
where the death penaliy is still retained,
murder has Increased TO an alarming ex-
lent, and if we can Judge by results, the
gibbet has no greater terrors than solitary
confinement for life. -.Detr0n Free Press.
JUDcEs IN INDIA.--The London Daily
Neps Of March 90, shows how they do
IN India:
ga sessions Judge referred, for final
Judgment. trial in which three prisoners
we're charged with murder Ia his letter
referring The trial, he recommended one
prisoner to be hanged, the second prisoner
10 be transported, against tho third there
was no, swes'age" Of evidence, and,
as matter of coutsc, he was to be set
free. The AdawInt called for The original
draft of The letter, and found il 10 be in
The handwriting Of a native of The country,
with the same "wcstage" in it, so that
the Judge had recommended man, to
be hanged without even seeing the letter
which contained The recommendation!
The government Of M dras treated il
almost with levly. The Judge was
retained in Office, aud after yrai became
collector and magistrate of district!
"A sessions Judge having miscon>
Quoted himself, was removed from office.
and an Older passed that he should never
be again employed in fhejadicial depars-
men,. Within year he WAS appointed
10 one Of the first districts in India, with
, population Of 100000, as collector
and magistrate. In the latter Office he
had very high judicial functions, both in
-evenue and police. Had these genile-
men been natives Of the country, they
would have been dismissed without ap>
peal, and never again employed"
MAss.CuUsErTs RAILRoADs-Massa>
,huseits has one mile of railroad for each
seven square miles Of its geographical
surface, 4 ratio greater than tha, Of any
,,her State in the Union. There are
hir,y>six railroads in operation; the
engih of the main roads is l,044 miles,
md with the branches, double tracks, and
'idings, 1857 miles, which were built az
cost of $53,076,0t3. The receipts