The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-11

OAoCh0A tuo chaIoCtcr VI Tue person VINO mas
benefited them by asserting that the relatives
are illegitimate. Is this picture overdrawni
Not in the least Every now and then In
stances of this character are recorded in our
1 courts, and they will continue to be SO re-
corded until it is accepted as rule Of law
that deathbed Wills like deathbed repent
| ances, are always open to the gravest sus-
/ picions As
| Public ENTHUSIASTICALLY for Reform.
| The more we read the accounts Of public
executions in this country the more we arc
convinced Of the necessity Of some improve
ment upon the system now in vogue. We arc
| decidedly behind the age in the manner d
| Furnishing criminals by the death penalty, and
it would be we'll for us to take lesson from
some Of The European governments in such
matters In France, the most civilized, per
haps Of all nations, the culprit is sentenced te
death without the day being made public. II
his application 70 w Emperor for a repdevs
is unsuccessful, be is only h~.'aed of the fact
half an hour before the time secren, -et ana,t
for his execution, so that he is not permi.-a
to remain long in suspense after hearing ~
fatal news. At the end Of thirty minutes no =
quietly led out TO the guillotins, ond In Leo
than two minutes thereafter he 1Ias fully expt-
ated his guilt and the body Is on It's way to- Tie
cemetery. (,
Now, this Is what We call humane and
civilized way Of dispesing Of criminals who
have been unfortunate enough to incar tho
death penalty. The hope Of being reprisved,
which he can indulge in 70 the last, a. u
were, renders his CONDITION comfortabls
compared with that Of our malefactov.
who n acquainted with the day Of hiv
departure for the unknown bourne" So1
weeks and sometimes months before hand
In France there is no suspenss;.no fdiculoas
speechmaking at the scanold, no taking leave
ofrelatives and friends, but jsAgment, SWIM
uncrring asd merciful Hero no 10 constantly
reminded OF his approaching doorns,y the daily
visit VI mn rcssIvcs ana n1ends. Sns~rera
to-, nom the most morbid motives, arc sii0wsl
access TO his cell and permitted to. oonvsrss
with him upon the most trivial and woysdly
subjects, when he should be devotine tho ~
hours Of bis life to religious duties. AAd. IN
when the execution does come OF doegnst ~
prisoner suffer the most cxcruciating tortupp
for the twenty-fouS hours preceding! Whst
sleep or rest can be- obtain the night beforvtAo
execution None: His brain ID nru continual
.whirl Of painful excita.sns, and no one butthe
condemned himself can realize the horroP.Oe
such situation.
After suffering these long hours Of agony ~
culprit Is led to the scahIold at the head Of -
procession Of deputy shsri6s, doc
tors, clergymen, winding up with the unnecss~
Ary appendage Of jury. Then there b
pause, and the culprit, with natural curio>.yS
examines the most minute details pertairne 70
he galIows and shudiess a. v'ewSs
his instrument Of torture. Ney, the rope
Is adjusted, sometimes shilfully cad sometimes
bunglingly. Then there u sncther pause, and $
he culprit fs compelled, with the rope around
bis neck, TO listen 10 long rienarole :" death
warrant, at the conclusion Of ~hicn .. Z IN
ormed that he is at lbestyso make spt>eA
% the crowd. This speech may have goa ,
fleet upon its hearers, ard II may have veT !,
bad one, lust a. the criminal feel' incAns1-.
Then there a a shaking OF hAD~ between u
- - a.. oe,c;eI. 70 low that there D
H. s.,-... IN, which 10 followed
70 Dsd ,ee.ns long cap over the hs,,,
~ the sheriff pysS Now comes the nos. -
y 'ne ee'ere Of our- executions, which err.
'arp'oughs to be avoided. We have refsr.
zee 70 the length Of time THAI IL allowed 4.
Apse between the pulling down Of the Ca
ID the srringing Of the trap. The time d neH{
ne the spectators, perhaps, but 10 H.
rescned criminal IL must seem IKE are. -
J. sonsnn6 beyond description.
in'' = =, Unnecessary and contrary to a
pn'' VIC ~, which seeks nothing r,svs
han 'ne pare ne the offender, and doea .oa
'safy such s6 Of ,orture and Immor.,,.,.
lesv when we reflect momep. ~ 60.
w" nave imprnv.a mon the. ~,
our ancestors Of the medi.vss -.
er IN the net that the executions Of 10 ~
enday are not quite 20 public a. they u,.a
we can perceive no change for the ~
er' Let Us take lesson from France In ma
MAJ and r'Sa upon our State Legislatures
swv with vese acts q ff'2 pa which win do !
day snack In our midst zet =. t h.. s
milo sxrdoner like Calcrse % Conn.,.
IN, wh,An destroy life wAhout torture 80
isn lste great State of New York lc.d -
ith ys'em OF capital punishment sh.s
iii 7 the place Of the old fasbIonea -
arts one that At present exist. o.. N.
|: vii Dc sure to follow the example. and
many years the entire country Win h...
= y congratulate itself upon the adop,Io.
"0cn needed msasure Of reform
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