Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1855-12-13
Hanging for THEFT.

While John Hancock was Governor of the
Commonwealth, Rachel Wall was hang in Bos
ton, fot highway robbery Her offence consis
ted in twitchng from the hand of another female
a bonnet worth, perhaps, sevonty-five cents
and running off with it. The most urgent an.
phcations for her pardon were unsuccessful
mention this net to the disparagement OF the
Governor. He doubtless acted from sense OF
duty-thinking it best for the community that
the laws OF the land-however frightfully severe
should be executed
A lad of eighteen years of age was hung in
Salem, for arson, during the administration of
Governor Strong, similar appeals in his favor
being considered and overruied. Yet The intel-
igence and the humanity of the Executive and
OF the Council, notwithstanding tbs result ar
rived at in both instances, were unquestiona-
bic.
Within the same period, a gentleman Of this
city saw a girl of seventeen hung in London
for stealing silver cream pitcher. Edward
Vaile Brown was hung in Boston, for burglary
computed in the house of Capt. Osias Goodwin,
in Charter street. for stealing therefrom sundry
articles. 1 once owned a set Of the Old Baily
Trials, (l775, 1890 embraced in q series of per-
haps 50 quarto volumes. The earliest of these
volumes contained the details of the trial of the
unfortunate DIR. Dodd, fer forgery, whose touch
ing appeal for mercy, here recorded, was fruit
iessly enforced by the splendid eloquence of
Johnson. in the later volume, long after the
commencement OF the present century, eight Sc
parate convictions are recorded as enc Gag's
'rork OF single tribunal, the culprits being all
boys and girls between the ages of ten and s.I-
teen, and their offences petty thoits.
One case | remember of a peculiar iH<iieial
atrocity. young gri of seventeen, was in
dicted for stealing roll of ribbon worth three
shlnngs. L ne prosecutors testimony was to
this effect: The prisoner came into my shop
and bought some ribbon. saw her secrcte this
piece also personally knew her, and was on
the most friendly and sociahle terms with her
When she left the shop | accompanied her, and
offered her my arm, which she accepted. We
cha;ted together. As we reached the corner of
a street leading to the Bow street office, tur-
ned towards it. She said she was going ia
another direction, and badc NE good morning :
| said to her, NO, YOU are going with me L
saw you steal a piece of my ribbon !! She imme-
diatey implored me for Gods sake to overlook
It, and restored to me the lost article. | said
10 her that had lost many things in this man
neT and was resolved to make her an example
that he tcas determined to haze her life :" And
he got it. i can never forget how my blood bo-
led rs | read the testimony of this cold hearted
wretch. In view of the judgment Of mercifu
God. far rather il seemed TO me, would | have
been in the place of that poor frail, erring girl,
even on the scaffold, than in the place of her
heartless aecuser.
rose from the perusal of these volumes, hor-
ror-struck with the continuous records Of ineon-
ceiyable legal cruelty. 1t seemed TO me the
7J,uUU hangings in the reign of Henry VIII,
was matched by an equally long list of persons
condemned 10 te hang in the reign Of George III.
The world has. indeed, grown wiser and bet
ter il some respects; but in the criminal law,
there is noble battlefield of humanity vet TO
be fought and won.-"GLEANER," IA Boston